Sumner Newscow report — The Wellington boys basketball team advanced to the second round of the Chaparral Roadrunner Tournament Classic with a 54-43 win over Arkansas City Wednesday evening.

The Crusaders will battle Kingman Friday night at 6:30 p.m.  See bracket here.

Kingman beat Mulvane 76-67 in the other first round game.

Wellington’s Trevor Nance scored 21 points while A.J. Snipes had 12. Other scorers for Wellington included Ian King with 9, Tyler Pettegrew 5, Connor Phelps 4, Wesley Gilmore 3, and Colin Reichenberger 2. 

Wellington opened with a 12-11 first quarter lead and held a 22-21 advantage at the half. The Crusaders would then burst through their third quarter slump in recent past with a 13-8 run and headed to the fourth quarter in front 35-29.

The Crusaders would outscore the Bulldogs 19-14 in the fourth quarter for an 11-point win.

“We had a huge first-half battle,” said Brian Buchanan, Wellington head boys basketball coach. “They did a really good job scouting us.”

“But the guys really adjusted in the second half and we were able to get on a run and lead by 12 to 13 points.”

Wellington is now 7-4 and will battle Kingman Thursday. The Crusaders beat Kingman in the Kingman Tournament earlier this year 62-54.

“That will be a rough and tumble kind of game,” Buchanan said. “There’s going to be a lot of energy and it will be physical. I anticipate there is going to be a lot of free throws shot.”

In other Chaparral Tournament action tonight, Belle Plaine plays Chaparral at 6 p.m. and Conway Springs will follow with Clearwater at 8 p.m.

Follow us on Twitter.