Deiondre Ragsdale put up a game-high 32 points, but Platte County couldn’t quite keep pace with Raytown South in the regular season finale.
A high-scoring junior guard, Ragsdale hit a running buzzer beater at the end of the third quarter to draw the Pirates within two. Raytown South then hit free throws late to pull away to an 82-68 victory Tuesday, Feb. 21 at Platte County High School in the final home game for seniors Austin Gammill, Tanner Newberry and DeAndre Rollins.
Platte County (9-16) finished 2-8 in Suburban Conference Blue Division play, fifth out of six teams. The Pirates are in the midst of 10 days in a row off before opening Class 4 District 15 play in a semifinal against Kansas City Northeast at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 3 in Excelsior Springs, Mo.
The District 15 title game will be Saturday, March 4.
Ragsdale and fellow junior guard Kobe Cummings combined for 48 in the loss to Raytown South, which swept the season series with the Pirates and finished fourth in the Blue Division. Rollins (five points), Newberry (four points) and Gammill (four points) all contributed for Platte County in their final home game.
Raytown South went 18-for-29 at the free throw line, while Platte County attempted just 15 shots from the line. With the loss, the Pirates enter the postseason with losses in five of their previous six.