BOLIVAR, Mo. — The College Heights Christian boys basketball team improved to 9-2 on the season with a 68-56 win over Lakeland on Saturday at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Classic at Southwest Baptist University.
Miller Long scored 28 points and Ethan Meeks added 14 for the Cougars.
Lakeland entered the game ranked second in Class 2.
College Heights also defeated Diamond 81-52 this past Tuesday. Long scored 24 points in the win, while Curtis Davenport had 22 points.
BOLIVAR, Mo. — Kylie Scott and Destiny Buerge combined for 48 points and led Carl Junction’s girls basketball team to a 67-54 victory over Fatima at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Classic on Saturday at Southwest Baptist University.
Ranked fifth in Class 5 by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association, Carl Junction improved to 10-3.
A 6-foot-1 sophomore, Scott recorded a double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds. Scott, who made 11 field goals, also had four steals.
A 5-7 junior guard, Buerge compiled 23 points, four rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots. Buerge made seven field goals and 8-of-11 free throws.
Hali Shorter added seven points with two treys for the Bulldogs, while Dezi Williams and Ellie Lawson contributed five points apiece. Lawson contributed three boards and three assists.
Fatima (8-5) entered the contest ranked ninth in Class 4.
Led by 12 points from Scott, the Bulldogs led 23-9 at the end of the first quarter.
Carl Junction’s lead was 42-19 at halftime and 57-39 by the end of the third quarter.
Carl Junction will open Central Ozark Conference play at Carthage (6-7) on Tuesday.
The girls game is scheduled for 6 p.m., with a boys game to follow.
McAuley Catholic girls basketball took a six-point lead after the first quarter and never looked back in a 60-17 win over Lockwood on Saturday.
The Warriors (9-2) limited the Tigers to eight points combined in the second and third quarters to outscore Lockwood by 30 in the process. McAuley blanked Lockwood in the fourth quarter.
“Coming off of back to back losses to Galena (Kansas) and Wyandotte (Oklahoma), games in which we lost our identity and were physically outplayed, I challenged the girls to find themselves again and be the more aggressive team,” McAuley coach Mike Howard said to SoMo Sports. “They responded tremendously today. They were flying around on defense and forcing turnovers that led to transition baskets. We shared the ball well and trusted each other. When we can do that, we are at our best. I’m very proud of the way we responded today.”
Kayleigh Teeter led McAuley with a game-high 20 points. Avery Eminger was close behind with a career-high 18 points, while Kennedy DeRuy finished with nine. Kloee Williamson had seven points, while Lily Black finished with six.
Adrien Niell and Catlyn Clawson each finished with six points to lead Lockwood.
McAuley hosts Sheldon on Tuesday.
NATHAN HALE HOLDS ON AGAINST NEOSHO BOYS
LOCUST GROVE, Okla. — Nathan Hale built a slim margin in the first half and held on to the lead through the final horn to beat Neosho boys basketball 59-54 in the third-place game of the Locust Grove basketball tournament on Saturday.
Nathan Hale took a 31-30 lead into the intermission and outscored Neosho (10-4) by two in the third quarter and two more in the fourth quarter to hold on to the win.
K’dyn Waters led Neosho with 28 points, 15 coming in the first half of play. Carter Fenske finished with 12 points, all coming in the first half.
Neosho hosts Republic in Central Ozark Conference action on Tuesday.
LOCKWOOD BUILDS EARLY LEAD IN WIN OVER MCAULEY
Lockwood built a double-digit lead by halftime and held McAuley Catholic boys basketball to eight points in the second half on the way to a 50-25 win on Saturday.
The loss gives McAuley a 2-9 record on the season.
McAuley was led in scoring by Noah Black, who finished with seven points.
The championship game of the 2022 Kaminsky Classic proved the old saying is true — it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.
Terrance Gibson’s steal and breakaway layup gave Joplin its first lead of the night with 52 seconds remaining, and two late free throws from Always Wright sealed the deal as the Eagles earned a 55-52 come-from-behind victory over Webb City on Saturday at Joplin High School.
Webb City led for more than 30 minutes of the rivalry clash, with Joplin holding the lead for just 52 seconds.
But for the hosts, the final score was all that mattered.
“We didn’t start well, but we played three good quarters of basketball,” Eagles coach Bronson Schaake said. “It wasn’t a pretty win. With the rivalry, we knew it was going to be a dogfight. We had to find the right chemistry to fire them up and that’s what we did. This atmosphere was really good tonight. And I know it’s been a while since Joplin has won this tournament, so this is something special.”
It’s Joplin’s first Kaminsky Classic championship since 2001.
After watching the Cardinals celebrate a tourney championship in 2021, the Eagles flipped the script this year.
“This feels great,” Gibson said. “We’ve worked hard in practice and we came out and did something today that a lot of people didn’t think we could do.”
It’s Joplin’s second tournament championship of the season, as the Eagles also won the Carthage Invitational.
FINAL FRAME
Joplin’s Always Wright looks to get past Webb City’s Cohl Vaden during the championship game of the Kaminsky Classic on Saturday at Joplin High School. Photo by Israel Perez.
The fourth quarter began with Webb City clinging to a 44-38 lead, and the game went down to the wire.
Bruce Wilbert and Gibson both had buckets early in the final frame for the Eagles, but the Cardinals responded with hoops from Dante Washington and Kaden Turner.
The game’s first tie came at 50-all after Always Wright’s jumper and Quin Renfro’s free throw.
Renfro was at the charity stripe in place of Gibson, who left the game after absorbing a hard foul on a layup attempt.
Washington hit a pull-up jumper just outside of the lane to give the Cardinals a two-point lead with 1:28 remaining, but it would be Webb City’s final points of the night.
All Wright went 1-for-2 at the foul line with 1:07 left to pull the hosts within one.
Next came the play of the game — one that swung the momentum in Joplin’s favor for good.
Webb City turned the ball over on an out of bounds play, as Gibson jumped into the passing lane, picked off the pass, streaked down the court and made a go-ahead layup with 52 seconds left on the clock.
“After I got hurt with that elbow to the head, I didn’t know if I could return,” Gibson said. “It really hurt. But my coach put me in because he had faith in me. They’d ran that play before and I knew it was an important play, so I went for it.”
Schaake noted Gibson came up big when crunch time arrived.
“He made a great read on the ball and then went down and finished it,” Schaake said. “That was the turning point. He really gave us some energy plays.”
Webb City’s Kaden Turner scores inside during the championship game of the Kaminsky Classic. Photo by Israel Perez.
The Cardinals did not get a shot up on their next possession, as the visitors turned it over with 20 seconds remaining after Turner came down with a lob on the out of bounds line under the hoop.
After a foul, Always Wright made two free throws to make it 55-52.
Webb City’s Max Higginbotham attempted a contested last-second 3-pointer, but it fell short.
After the first quarter, Joplin outscored Webb City 47-33. And the Eagles won the crucial fourth quarter 17-8.
“Our energy went up as the game went on,” Schaake said. “At the start of the game, I think we were looking around at the stands. This is the first time some of these guys have been part of this. We started chipping away in the second quarter. Webb City’s a really good team. They’ve got some good players, so you have to find a way to create some things…turnovers, deflections and rebounding. We did that.”
Webb City had seven turnovers and just four field goals in the fourth quarter.
“I thought we were in control of the game the whole time, but we lost our minds a little bit at the end,” Cardinals coach Jason Horn said. “We had some bad turnovers and they were able to capitalize. Joplin has two really good players who are hard to stop. On Tuesday we have to do a better job of closing things out. I think we’ll be a lot better on Tuesday.”
EARLIER ACTION
Joplin’s All Wright handles the ball against Webb City’s Cohl Vaden on Saturday at Joplin High School.
Looking to repeat as tourney champions, Webb City built an 11-point lead by the end of the first quarter, as Higginbotham’s drive through the lane gave the Cardinals a 19-8 advantage.
The Eagles began the second period on a 7-2 run, as Renfro contributed a hoop before Always Wright connected on a pair of jumpers.
A pair of hoops from Turner and Cohl Vaden’s hoop in transition gave the Cardinals a 27-17 advantage with 2:45 left in the first half, but the Eagles finished the second period on a 7-1 surge, trimming their deficit to four at the break.
A back-and-forth third period ended with Webb City clinging to a six-point lead.
“We had our chances to stretch the lead in the first half, but we didn’t capitalize on those opportunities,” Horn said. “I thought we had chances to stretch out the lead in the second half, too, but we just didn’t capitalize.”
NAMES & NUMBERS
Now receiving votes in the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association’s Class 6 poll, Joplin hiked its record to 10-1.
The Wright brothers combined for 41 of Joplin’s 55 points.
A senior guard, Always Wright scored a game-high 24 points on 7-of-14 shooting. He also had four steals.
A sophomore, All Wright contributed 18 points after making 7-of-22 field goal attempts.
Gibson had a team-high seven rebounds to go along with six points, none bigger than his final two.
“The Wrights did what they do,” Schaake said. “I thought Terrance made some big plays. I thought Quin Renfro and Bruce Wilbert made some big plays.”
The Eagles made 19-of-43 field goal attempts (44 percent). Joplin scored 19 points off Webb City’s 17 turnovers.
Ranked eighth in Class 5, Webb City fell to 8-3.
The Cardinals made 21-of-36 shots (58 percent), but went 1-for-7 on 3-pointers.
Turner led Webb City with 15 points and eight rebounds. Turner made 7 of 12 shots. Trey Roets contributed 13 points, while Washington added 11 points. Vaden had seven points and four assists. Webb City had 38 points in the paint to Joplin’s 20.
REMATCH IS TUESDAY
The Eagles will host the Cardinals at 7:30 on Tuesday night in the Central Ozark Conference opener inside Kaminsky Gymnasium.
Kaminsky Classic All Tournament Team
Always Wright—Joplin
All Wright—Joplin
Kevion Pendleton—Jefferson City
Gabe James—Francis Howell
Kaden Turner—Webb City
Cohl Vaden—Webb City
Darian Webb—Poplar Bluff
Dayne Herl—William Chrisman
Joplin’s Always Wright makes a layup against Webb City on Saturday in the championship game of the Kaminsky Classic. All photos by Israel Perez/SoMo Sports.
Webb City’s Cohl Vaden attempts a shot in the lane against Always Wright on Saturday. Joplin came from behind to beat Webb City 55-52.
With the game tied at 63-63 in overtime, Nevada’s Owen Swearingen drove to the hoop for a layup and drew a foul, sinking the ensuing and-1 free throw with three seconds remaining to send the Tigers to a 66-63 win over Carl Junction in the seventh-place game of the Kaminsky Classic on Saturday.
It is only fitting that a game that saw eight ties and 10 total lead changes would need an overtime period to decide a winner. Nevada got the scoring starting in overtime with a basket by Evan Rea before Carl Junction’s Kyler Perry buried a 3-pointer to give the Bulldogs a 57-56 advantage with 2:38 to play.
Cade Beshore answered with a bucket to give Nevada the lead back before Leo Gayman knocked down a 3-pointer to push the Tigers’ lead to four with 90 seconds left. Nevada remained in front until CJ’s Jett Hocut tied the game up with a jumper with 20 seconds left.
Nevada shot 43 percent from the field in the win and was led by Rea’s game-high 29 points on 11-of-17 shooting. He had four rebounds, two assists and five steals. Brice Budd scored 11 points, had three rebounds and three assists. Beshore finished with eight points, while Swearingen finished with six points and five rebounds. Gayman had five points and eight rebounds.
Carl Junction had three players finish in double figures, with Perry’s 22 on 8-of-15 shooting leading the way. Perry made four 3-pointers, while adding four rebounds, four assists and four steals. Josh Cory finished with 15 points and four rebounds. Ayden Bard added 11 points and nine rebounds.
WILLIAM CHRISMAN PULLS AWAY FROM FRANCIS HOWELL IN 3RD-PLACE GAME
Francis Howell held a nine-point lead by the intermission only to see William Chrisman rally down the stretch to earn a 58-49 win in the Kaminsky Classic third-place game on Saturday.
William Chrisman (9-3) limited Francis Howell (9-6) to 30 percent shooting from the field in the third quarter and 18 percent in the fourth quarter. The Bears outscored the Vikings 20-10 in the fourth quarter.
William Chrisman won the battle in the paint 28-16, with the Bears bench outpacing the Vikings’ 28-6.
William Chrisman was led in scoring by Dayne Herl, who finished with 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting. He added 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocks to finish with a double-double. Ralph Covington added 11 points and eight rebounds, while Jesse Minter finished with 10 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
Gabe James led Francis Howell with 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting, to go along with five rebounds, four steals and two assists. Dwight Lomax Jr. added 10 points, five assists, four steals and three rebounds. Booker Simmons finished with nine points and five rebounds.
POPLAR BLUFF TAKES DOWN JEFFERSON CITY IN 5TH-PLACE GAME
Poplar Bluff built a double-digit lead by halftime and held on down the stretch to earn the win in the fifth-place game on Saturday.
The Mules (10-3) took a three-point lead and outscored the Jays (6-7) by nine in the second period to take a 37-25 into the intermission. Jefferson City cut the lead to eight by the start of the fourth quarter and got as close as three points of the lead, 59-56, with two minutes left before Poplar Bluff pulled back out in front with free throws to close out the win.
Darius Graham led Poplar Bluff with 13 points, while Gavin Rivers finished with 12 points and five steals. Darian Webb had 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. Gage Rivers had 10 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
Poplar Bluff had the advantage in paint points (38-30), points off turnovers (23-11), second-chance points (20-12) and points on the break (18-8).
After making just enough winning plays down the stretch, the Webb City Cardinals now have a chance to repeat as Kaminsky Classic champions.
In a clash between state-ranked squads, Webb City scored the game’s final three points for a 57-55 victory over William Chrisman in the semifinals of Joplin High School’s annual tourney on Friday night.
“We made winning plays against a good team,” Cardinals coach Jason Horn said. “When we needed to make plays, we showed poise. We got stops when we needed to. You have to give a lot of credit to William Chrisman. They’re big, they’re physical and they’re athletic. They’re ranked in our class for a reason. It was an opportunity to get a marquee win and our kids took advantage of that opportunity.”
After leading for most of the night, the Cardinals found themselves down one with 40 seconds left.
Webb City went ahead for good when Cohl Vaden scored from in close with 17 seconds left after a nice feed from Dante Washington.
“We run a high post offense and make reads off of that,” Horn said. “Vaden was able to slip his screen. He made a great read. Dante was poised and had a great find. Cohl made a play with some big dudes inside around the basket. Fortunately, he was able to finish that off. He did a great job.”
Cohl Vaden scores the go-ahead hoop for Webb City on Friday night. All photos by Shawn Fowler.
The Bears turned the ball over on the ensuing possession and then committed a foul.
Washington, who had the steal on the other end, sank the first of two free throws with 10 seconds on the clock to make it a three-point game.
“Dante played well,” Horn said. “Shots weren’t falling for him, but he played with great effort.”
William Chrisman’s Jessie Minter took a last-second 3-point attempt from the corner, but the shot was off the mark.
After winning the tourney in 2021, Webb City will meet Joplin at 3:30 on Saturday in a rematch of last year’s title game.
Horn noted his squad would love to repeat as tourney champions.
“We’re just happy to be back in the championship game,” Horn said. “We’re pleased we’re getting a chance to defend the tourney championship.”
NAMES & NUMBERS
Webb City’s Trey Roets looks to score inside against William Chrisman on Friday night in the semifinals of the Kaminsky Classic. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
Ranked eighth in Class 5 by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association, Webb City improved to 8-2 on the season.
The Cardinals made 20 of 54 field goal attempts (37 percent), including 4 of 17 from long distance.
Four players scored in double figures for Webb City. Washington and Max Higginbotham scored 14 points apiece, while Kaden Turner added 12 points and Trey Roets had 10.
Turner grabbed nine rebounds and Roets had eight boards. Vaden contributed seven assists and seven points.
Webb City had 20 points off William Chrisman’s 16 turnovers and also had 32 points in the paint.
Ranked ninth in Class 5, William Chrisman fell to 8-4. The Bears, who out-rebounded the Cardinals 43-29, made 22 of 56 shots from the floor (39 percent), going 6 of 16 on 3-pointers.
Minter scored 12 points and Cam Dickerson added 10 for the Bears.
GAME RECAP
Higginbotham came off the bench and scored 11 points in the first half for the Cardinals, who led 16-12 at the end of the first quarter and 23-18 at halftime.
Webb City’s Max Higginbotham knocks down a 3-pointer against William Chrisman on Friday night at Joplin High School.
A senior guard, Higginbotham made four 3-pointers in the game, three in the first half.
“Max played great,” Horn said. “He did things tonight we thought he could do all along. He went out, hit shots and made plays. We’re happy for him.”
In the third quarter, four points from Roets and a trey from Higginbotham gave Webb City its biggest lead at 33-24, but the Bears responded with a 7-0 run.
The Cardinals were clinging to a 37-34 advantage at the end of the third period.
Capped by a putback inside by Minter, the Bears used a 7-2 run to take a 45-43 advantage with five minutes left, their first since the first period.
The two teams traded the lead for the next several minutes.
A corner trey from Dickerson gave William Chrisman a 53-52 lead with 1:38 remaining, but the Cardinals went back in front on Turner’s strong drive through the lane after an offensive rebound.
“KT rebounded the ball well and finished several big plays inside,” Horn noted. “He had those two dunks that were momentum swingers and just did a great job tonight.”
Chrisman’s Minter knocked down a pull-up jumper near the foul line with 40 seconds left, giving the Bears a 55-54 lead.
Webb City scored the final three points of the game before recording one last defensive stop.
Although the Cardinals led for all but three minutes, the game featured 13 lead changes and three ties.
Dante Washington makes a layup during the semifinals of the Kaminsky Classic. Photos by Shawn Fowler.
POPLAR BLUFF 69, CARL JUNCTION 40
Poplar Bluff took control early, as the Mules doubled up the Bulldogs in the first quarter, 18-9.
Poplar Bluff extended its lead to 34-20 by intermission.
Carl Junction’s deficit was 23 entering the fourth quarter.
Poplar Bluff shot 42 percent for the game (27 of 65). In a game they never trailed, the Mules out-rebounded the Bulldogs 48-31.
The Mules had 44 points in the paint to Carl Junction’s 14, and Poplar Bluff scored 30 points off CJ’s 18 turnovers. The fast-break points were 17-0 in Poplar Bluff’s favor.
Darian Webb scored 18 points on 6 of 15 shooting for Poplar Bluff (9-3), while Torrence Williams recorded a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Gate Rivers handed out six assists.
Carl Junction made 13 of 44 field goal attempts (30 percent), including 5 of 22 from long range.
Ayden Bard and Josh Cory scored seven points apiece for Carl Junction (3-9), while Ky Warren and Xavier Perkins added six points apiece.
Cory also contributed seven rebounds and three steals.
Carl Junction meets Nevada for seventh place at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
The annual event is sponsored by Freeman Sports Medicine and the Joplin Sports Authority.
Webb City’s Kaden Turner battles William Chrisman’s Sir’Rahn Felix and Jessie Minter for a rebound during Friday’s semifinal contest of the Kaminsky Classic. All photos by Shawn Fowler.
Led by the Wright brothers, Joplin is heading back to the Kaminsky Classic championship game after rallying from a first-quarter deficit to defeat Francis Howell 69-60 in the semifinals on Friday night inside Kaminsky Gymnasium.
The Vikings (9-5) hammered the offensive boards in the first quarter to build an 18-10 advantage going into the second period. The Eagles (9-1) rallied behind a staunch defensive effort that sparked a 14-0 run to take a 26-25 lead into the intermission. After a back-and-forth start to the second half, Joplin used another long scoring run to take the lead. The Eagles extended the cushion to double digits in the fourth period on the way to the win.
Joplin sophomore guard All Wright drives to the hoop in the Eagles win over Francis Howell in the Kaminsky Classic semifinals. Wright finished with a game-high 35 points in the win. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
CHAMPIONSHIP BOUND
The host Eagles are playing in the Kaminsky Classic championship game for the second straight season, and they will be facing the same opponent again—the Webb City Cardinals. A year ago, the Cardinals defeated the Eagles 65-55 in the title game last season. The matchup is set for 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
“You want to represent your home base,” Joplin coach Bronson Schaake said about the prospects of his Eagles playing for a Kaminsky Classic title. “You don’t want someone else holding up a trophy on your home floor. I told the guys to go do this. What I like about these (games) is it’s kind of a situation like (the postseason). This is a good indicator, but no one should hold a trophy on your floor. So, take pride in it and let’s go do it.”
STAT LEADERS
All Wright led all scorers with 35 points — the largest single-game scoring total for the Kaminsky Classic in the last five years. He shot 11-of-20 from the field, made four 3-pointers and was 9-of-14 shooting at the charity stripe. Always Wright finished with 23 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including four 3-pointers. He added four assists, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
Donovan Sparks led Francis Howell in scoring with 23 points to go along with six rebounds. Gabe James added 17 points, while Booker Simmons finished with 13 points and six rebounds.
“He is a competitive kid,” Schaake said of All Wright’s performance. “Sometimes, I have to bring him back a little bit, but I’d rather have kids like that than having to fire them up to be competitive. … (The Wright brothers) both have really great basketball IQs. They are very diverse and can do everything well.”
GAME ACTION
Francis Howell had a clear advantage in rebounding in the first quarter, particularly on the offensive end. The Vikings grabbed eight offensive boards in the first eight minutes, leading to a 10-0 advantage in second-chance scoring.
Francis Howell built a 10-point lead in the first period when Sparks grabbed an offensive rebound for a putback score, drawing a foul on the bucket for a three-point play to make the score 15-5 with 2:36 on the clock.
Joplin’s Terrance Gibson, who finished with nine rebounds, cut the lead to 18-10 with a steal going the other way for a dunk on the break in the closing seconds.
Francis Howell pushed the lead back to 10 with the first bucket in the second quarter, but the Eagles answered with a 14-0 run to take the lead for the first time since early in the first quarter. Joplin limited Francis Howell to 3-for-11 shooting (27 percent) in the second period, holding the Vikings off the scoreboard for nearly five minutes of action while Always and All Wright took over on the other end. Always started and ended the run with 3-pointers, while All filled it out with two 3-pointers sandwiched around a bucket on the drive.
“Maybe one of these times we will actually start a game playing good defense,” Schaake said with a smile. “When we start moving and rotating, we have some pretty athletic kids who are starting to figure it out. We were more energetic in the second quarter with more deflections and rebounding to try and get into our transition offense. If we can do that consistently, we are a pretty tough team.”
The Eagles took a 26-25 advantage into the fourth quarter but it didn’t last long, as the lead changed hands five times through the first half of the quarter. Joplin trailed 37-33 before using a 10-0 run to take the lead for good, 43-37, with 1:22 to play in the third.
All Wright, who scored the first 12 points of the third and 14 total in the period for the Eagles, kicked off the run with a baseline jumper and a 3-pointer from the top of the key before All Wright knocked down a mid-range jumper and added a three-point play to close out the run.
Joplin took a 45-41 lead into the final eight minutes of play and methodically pushed the lead to double digits when Always Wright buried a 3-ball with less than four minutes in regulation, playing with that margin through the final horn.
“I have noticed with these guys as they are getting through it that they are closing quarters out better, which is what you want to see,” Schaake said. “It’s showing that they are going in the right direction. They are going in the right direction, staying focused and trying to play a full 32-minute game.”
JEFFERSON CITY 60, NEVADA 25
Jefferson City built a double-digit lead by the intermission and limited Nevada to five points in the second half on the way to the win in the consolation semifinals on Friday.
The Jays (6-6) shot 51 percent from the field in the win, while the Tigers (1-10) were limited to 30 percent shooting in the loss.
Nevada had 22 turnovers in the loss, while Jefferson City finished with just nine and led in points off turnovers, 28-7. The Jays also held the advantage in points in the paint (32-12), second-chance points (18-5) and fast-break points (16-4).
Jefferson City had three players in double-figure scoring, led by Landon Vance’s 13 points and four rebounds. Steven Samuels finished with 12 points and four rebounds, while Kevion Pendelton scored 10 points and had three rebounds and two assists.
Cade Beshore led Nevada in scoring with eight points, while Leo Gayman had seven points and five rebounds. Owen Swearingen had six points and two blocks.
Nevada takes on Carl Junction in the seventh-place game at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
LOCUST GROVE, Okla. — The Neosho boys basketball team’s bid to advance to the championship game of the Locust Grove Tournament fell just short, as Verdigris edged the Wildcats 55-53 in the semifinals on Friday.
K’dyn Waters scored 30 points for Neosho, while Kael Smith had 11 points and Isaiah Green added 10.
Lucas Lechlider scored 24 points for Verdigris and Brant Teague added 15.
Neosho will play for third place on Saturday.
Also of note, Neosho’s girls earned a 55-28 win over Nathan Hale at the Locust Grove Tournament. No other information on the game was available at press time.
Thomas Jefferson boys basketball started fast and never looked back in a win over Jasper on Friday.
“The boys did a lot of good things,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said to SoMo Sports. “This was our first game since December 13, so we had some rust to knock off for sure. I am proud of the effort the kids had tonight.”
The Cavaliers (7-2) outscored the Eagles 21-6 in the first quarter, and won every quarter after that to build the insurmountable lead up by the final horn.
Drew Goodhope led Thomas Jefferson with a career-high 27 points, including three 3-pointers. Jay Ball had 23 points and 14 rebounds to finish with a double-double. Tyler Brouhard had seven points in the win and Jake Jarrett finished with eight rebounds and four assists.
Jasper was led by Wyatt Cawyer, who finished with 16 points.
Thomas Jefferson takes on Sarcoxie on Monday.
JASPER GIRLS 50, THOMAS JEFFERSON 30
Thomas Jefferson trailed by two at the intermission before Jasper outscored the Cavaliers 30-12 in the second half en route to the win.
Jasper was led in scoring by Crystal Smith’s 20 points, while Mercedez Scott finished with 12. Bailey Adams added six and Shiloh Storm.
Thomas Jefferson was led in scoring by Nico Carlson’s 10 points. Alivia Beard added nine points. Gabbi Hiebert scored five, while Tannah Cassatt, Sarah Mueller and Lannah Grigg finished with two points each.
Thomas Jefferson matches up with Southwest on Tuesday.
WYANDOTTE, Okla. — The McAuley Catholic boys basketball team won the second half, but it wasn’t enough to overcome an early deficit.
Wyandotte held on late for a 56-50 win over McAuley on Thursday night.
Wyandotte led 30-22 at halftime. McAuley outscored the Bears 28-26 after the break, but it wasn’t quite enough.
“I’m proud of our guys tonight,” McAuley coach Tony Witt said. “We got better as the game went on. We allowed a few too many transition baskets in the first quarter, but they adjusted and played three solid quarters. We just ran out of time.”
Noah Black scored 15 points for McAuley (2-8).
Bryce Pogue led Wyandotte with 19 points, while Jaret Burney had 16 and Atticus Douthit added 13.
NEVADA, Mo. — Nevada’s girls basketball team pulled away in the second quarter en route to a 56-25 win over Monett on Thursday.
The Tigers and Cubs were tied at the end of the first quarter, but Nevada outscored Monett 44-13 the rest of the way.
The game was deadlocked at 12 after the opening frame, but Nevada won the second quarter 16-3 to take control for good.
The Tigers were up 28-15 at the break and 41-22 at the end of the third quarter.
Maddy Majors scored 17 points to lead Nevada and Clara Swearingen added 11. Abbey Heathman, Grace Barnes and Katie Johnson all contributed eight points apiece for the Tigers, who improved to 8-3.
Monett fell to 4-10.
Nevada is at East Newton on Monday.
MOUNT VERNON GIRLS 48, LAMAR 30
LAMAR, Mo. — A big second quarter propelled the Mount Vernon Mountaineers to a 48-30 victory over Lamar on Thursday.
Up three after the first quarter, Mount Vernon outscored Lamar 21-4 in the second period to take control for good.
The Mountaineers led 36-10 by the end of the third quarter.
Cameryn Cassity scored 19 points to lead Mount Vernon (7-6), while Cheyenne Bieber added 10 and Allie Schubert had seven.
Zavrie Wiss scored 12 points for Lamar and Ashlyn Stettler added 10.
Mount Vernon hosts Seneca on Monday. Lamar (5-6) is at Nevada on Tuesday.
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Joplin girls basketball bounced back from a Tuesday road loss with a 51-42 win on the road over Pittsburg on Thursday to even out its week.
The Eagles (6-6) opened the game with the momentum, taking a 16-10 advantage into the second quarter. The Purple Dragons rallied to tie the game at 23s by the intermission. Joplin took a three-point lead into the fourth quarter and outscored Pittsburg (Kansas) 17-11 down the stretch to pull away by the final horn.
“The girls came out and played a great game tonight,” Joplin coach Luke Floyd said to SoMo Sports. “We played with energy, effort and toughness that we have been missing most of the season. I couldn’t be more proud of the girls and the way that they competed tonight.”
Joplin’s Brooke Nice, who finished with 13 points in the win, was 7-of-8 shooting from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. Brynn Driver and Emma Floyd each added four points in the final eight minutes.
Jacqueline Hall led Pittsburg with a game-high 21 points, 15 coming from beyond the arc on five 3-pointers. Dessie Gorley added nine points.
Driver led Joplin with 15 points. Ella Hafer finished with 12, with 10 coming in the first half to lead the Eagles through the first two quarters of play. Floyd finished with six.
ANDERSON, Mo. — Stellar guard play proved key as Carthage swept a non-conference prep basketball doubleheader from McDonald County on Thursday night.
Led by junior point guard Kianna Yates, the Carthage girls rolled to a 53-32 win over the Mustangs in the opener.
In the nightcap, Max Templeman and Joel Pugh propelled the Carthage boys to a convincing 66-43 win over the Mustangs.
CARTHAGE GIRLS 53, MCDONALD COUNTY 32
The Tigers scored the game’s first 12 points and never looked back.
“We exploded out of the gates with a 12-0 run to start the game,” Tigers coach Scott Moore said. “When we make baskets and get into our press package, we can hang some points on people. Our offense triggers our defense and we had some really good scoring runs tonight.”
The visitors failed to score in the final four minutes of the first period, but Carthage led 12-6 entering the second quarter.
The Tigers outscored the Mustangs 15-2 in the second quarter to take a comfortable 27-8 lead at the break.
“Our shots quit falling for a few minutes and allowed them back into the game,” Moore noted. “I’m immensely proud of our defense tonight, especially in the second quarter where we held them to just two points.”
Carthage was up 37-14 at the end of the third period en route to the lopsided win.
McDonald County outscored Carthage 18-16 in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers’ lead was never in jeopardy.
Carthage improved to 6-7 on the season.
Yates led Carthage with 22 points, with 11 in each half. Lauren Choate added 14 points with four treys for the Tigers, while Presley Probert chipped in seven points.
“It was good to get a lot of players major minutes tonight,” Moore said. “Kianna Yates is our constant catalyst every night. What we need is a consistent second and third scorer for us. Sometimes, that’s Sophie Shannon or Maggie Boyd. Tonight, freshman Lauren Choate found her groove and swished in four threes. She has that sniper mentality and she will become an even bigger threat as she gains more varsity experience.”
Addy Leach scored 11 points for the Mustangs and Samara Smith added nine.
Carthage will host Carl Junction on Tuesday in Central Ozark Conference action.
McDonald County (1-11) is at Reeds Spring on Monday.
CARTHAGE BOYS 66, MCDONALD COUNTY 43
Now receiving votes in the MBCA’s Class 6 poll, Carthage hiked its record to 10-2 with a solid road win.
Backcourt mates Templeman and Pugh combined to score 38 points for the Tigers. Templeman scored 20 points and Pugh added 18 points with four 3-pointers. Fellow guard Justin Ray added nine points for the visitors.
The Tigers used an early 12-0 run to take a 15-4 lead. By the end of the first quarter, Carthage held a 19-10 advantage.
A pair of hoops in transition from Templeman extended Carthage’s lead to 25-15.
Teddy Reedybacon, a 6-10 senior center, scored seven points in the second quarter to keep the Mustangs within striking distance.
But Britt Coy scored in the lane and Pugh drilled a 3-pointer just before the buzzer, giving Carthage a 30-18 halftime cushion. Pugh had 11 points in the opening half.
The Tigers began the second half on a 7-2 run to go up 17 at 37-20.
The Mustangs received treys from both Pierce Harmon and Cole Martin late in the third period, but the hosts trailed 50-33 entering the fourth quarter.
Templeman’s conventional 3-point play and five straight points from Pugh gave the Tigers a 58-33 lead early in the final frame.
Reedybacon scored 14 points to lead the Mustangs, who fell to 7-7 on the season. Also for the Mustangs, Eli McClain contributed seven points and Harmon had six.
Carthage will host Carl Junction on Tuesday in a COC ‘Super Night.’
McDonald County is at Providence Academy on Tuesday.
What better way to kick off the 23rd annual Kaminsky Classic than with a win by the home team coming off a long holiday layoff?
Playing for the first time in two weeks as the hosts in front of a packed house made up predominantly of the JHS student body, Joplin opened up the yearly basketball tournament with a tight-knit contest against Jefferson City, rallying in the fourth quarter to defeat the Jays for a 70-64 opening-round win on Thursday.
“I think it took a little bit to kind of settle into the surroundings with what was going on, but it was good for the kids to come out here and support the team,” Joplin coach Bronson Schaake said. “I hope they continue to do so as well. … We have had 14 days off and it looked like we were just a step slow. … I told the coaches that (game) looked like one we would have lost before the break, towards the end, because we wouldn’t have held it together. We came out in the fourth quarter and held them to six points and they shot 20 percent. I thought we zoned in, I just wish it would have happened sooner.”
Joplin improves to 8-1 on the season and takes on Francis Howell (9-4) in the semifinals of the Kaminsky Classic at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
BY THE NUMBERS
Joplin shot 50 percent in the win, while Jefferson City converted at a 44-percent clip in the loss. The Eagles outscored the Jays 42-30 in paint points, but Jefferson City had the advantage in points off turnovers, 15-8, and second-chance points, 18-13.
Joplin finished with four players in double figures, with Always Wright leading the way with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting. He added six rebounds, a team-high five assists, two blocks and a steal. All Wright closed with 14 points, three rebounds and three assists. Terrance Gibson scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to finish with a double-double, while also leading the team in steals with three. Bruce Wilbert finished with 12 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Jefferson City was led in scoring by Steven Samuels’ 16 points off 5-of-8 shooting. Jordan Martin added 13 points and five rebounds, while Kevion Pendelton finished with 12 points and four boards.
GAME ACTION
Joplin closed the second quarter, which had eight lead changes, by holding Jefferson City to one free throw over the final three minutes while using a 9-1 run to go into the intermission with a 43-37 advantage.
“We didn’t hedge hard or rotate in the first quarter,” Schaake said of his team’s play in the first half. “They were hitting some tough, contested shots, but (Jefferson City) didn’t feel it. … I thought we locked in (defensively) in the last two and a half minutes of the first half.”
Always Wright hit a floater to start the run, while Gibson had a bucket on the pick-and-roll before All Wright grabbed his own miss for a putback score. Wilbert finished out the run with a 3-pointer from the corner just before the horn.
Joplin pushed its lead to 10 early in the second half when Gibson converted inside at the six-minute to make the score 50-40, but Jefferson City rallied in a big after closing out the quarter on an 18-6 run to take a 58-56 advantage into the final eight minutes of play. The Jays shot 57 percent in the third quarter.
Trailing 60-58 with six minutes left to play, Joplin used a 10-2 run to swing the momentum for the final time.
Gibson started the run with a bucket inside to tie the game before drawing a foul on a basket in the paint and sinking the and-1 free throw for a three-point play to give Joplin a 63-60 lead. Samuels cut the lead to one with a score on the drive before a three-point play from Wilbert and a layup from Always Wright pushed the Eagles’ lead to 68-62 with 2:43 left in regulation.
The Eagles limited the Jays to 3-of-15 shooting in the fourth quarter, with the defensive effort paving the way down the stretch in the win.
“I think this shows that even when you don’t play your best, you can find a way to close (out a win),” Schaake said. “I thought we rebounded better in the second half. … We are going to have to play a lot better and finish around the rim tomorrow.”
WILLIAM CHRISMAN 60, CARL JUNCTION 42 William Chrisman built a nine-point lead by halftime and outscored Carl Junction 21-4 in the third period on the way to a win in the opening round of the Kaminsky Classic on Thursday.
William Chrisman (7-2) shot 48 percent in the win, while limiting Carl Junction (3-8) to 37 percent shooting from the floor. The biggest discrepancy in stats came in the turnover battle, with the Bears holding a 20-7 advantage and outscoring the Bulldogs 21-3 in points off turnovers. William Chrisman also had a big advantage in points in the paint, 44-8.
The Bears were led by Dayne Herl’s 12 points and five assists, while Jesse Minter had 10 points and eight rebounds.
Carl Junction’s Kyler Perry and Josh Cory each finished with 13 points to lead the Bulldogs. Cory had nine rebounds to finish one board shy of a double-double, while Perry had a team-high four assists.
William Chrisman takes on Webb City in the semifinal round and 9 p.m. on Friday, while Carl Junction takes on Poplar Bluff in consolation semifinals at 6 p.m.
FRANCIS HOWELL 67, NEVADA 14
Francis Howell opened the game on a 14-0 run and never looked back in the win over Nevada in the opening round of the Kaminsky Classic
Francis Howell (9-4) won the rebounding battle 37-18 and turnover battle 19-6, while holding the advantage in paint points (32-4), points off turnovers (29-0), second-chance points (18-5) and fast-break points 19-0.
The Vikings were led in scoring by Tre Liner’s 13 points, while Dwight Lomax Jr. finished with 11 points. Francis Howell finished with 11 players reaching the scorebook.
Nevada (1-9) was led in scoring by Brice Budd, who finished with five points.
Francis Howell takes on Joplin at 7:30 on Friday in the semifinals. Nevada takes on Jefferson City in the consolation semifinals at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.
NOTE: The nightcap of the Kaminsky Classic between Webb City and Poplar Bluff was canceled after weather in the area forced Poplar Bluff to forfeit the opening-round matchup. Webb City advances to play William Chrisman in the semifinals at 9 p.m. on Friday. Poplar Bluff takes on Carl Junction in the consolation semifinals at 6 p.m. on Friday.
LOCUST GROVE, Okla. — A strong second half led the Neosho High School boys basketball team to a 71-53 win over Glenpool (Okla.) in the opening round of the Locust Grove Tournament on Thursday afternoon.
With the win, Neosho improved to 10-2 on the season.
The Wildcats were clinging to a one-point lead at the break, 31-30. But Neosho outscored Glenpool 40-23 in the second half.
“We shot the ball really well and clamped down defensively in the second half,” Neosho coach Zane Culp told SoMo Sports. “I’m proud of the effort in the second half. It was a different atmosphere playing at 11 a.m., and the boys figured it out.”
K’dyn Waters and Carter Fenske scored 21 points apiece to lead Neosho, while Brock Franklin added 11 points.
A senior, Waters scored 14 of his points in the second half. A junior, Fenske hit seven 3-pointers, with four in the first half and three in the second half. Waters and Franklin each drilled a trio of treys.
Neosho led 15-13 at the end of the first quarter. Waters scored seven in the opening frame, while Fenske hit a pair of treys.
Franklin and Fenske each buried a pair of 3-pointers in the second quarter and Neosho led 31-30 at halftime.
The Wildcats began the second half on a 9-0 run, as Waters had two field goals, Franklin hit a trey and Kael Smith made one free throw for a 40-30 lead.
At the end of the third period, Neosho’s advantage was 51-37.
The Wildcats, who went up by 20 late in the game, recorded 20 points apiece in both the third and fourth quarters.
Neosho meets either Verdigris or Ketchum at 4:40 p.m. on Friday in the tourney semifinals.
NEOSHO GIRLS FALL
Neosho’s girls suffered a 49-37 loss to Coweta (Okla.) in their Locust Grove tourney opener on Thursday morning.
The Wildcats trailed 37-27 at the end of the third quarter.
Neosho pulled within seven with 3:15 remaining after a trey from Beclynn Garrett, but the Wildcats were unable to overcome the deficit in the final frame.
Karlee Ellick scored 12 points to lead Neosho (5-7), while Reagan McInturff added 10 points and Garrett had six.
Macee Matthews scored 18 points for the Tigers.
Neosho will play either Verdigris or Nathan Hale at 10 a.m. on Friday.
NEOSHO, Mo. — Neosho’s first and third-quarter defense led the way in the Wildcats’ 62-48 win over East Newton on Thursday.
The Wildcats (9-2) held the Patriots to eight points in the first quarter and built a 10-point lead in the process, which carried over to the intermission. Neosho’s defense was even better in the third quarter, limiting East Newton to six points in the third quarter on the way to a 44-27 advantage and putting a stranglehold on the lead.
“Defense was the name of the game tonight,” Neosho coach Zane Culp said. “We played great team defense and I was really proud of our effort.”
K’dyn Waters led the way for Neosho with 19 points, while Carter Fenske closed with 15. Isaiah Green finished the game with 10 points to give the Wildcats three players in double figures.
Gabe Bergen finished with 14 points to lead East Newton in scoring. Marshal Renner had 11 and Braxton Wolfe finished with six points.
Neosho takes part in the Locust Grove tournament over the weekend.
LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — Lee’s Summit established a double-digit lead after the first quarter and never looked back in a 61-34 win over Joplin on Tuesday.
The Tigers outscored the Eagles 19-4 in the first quarter and went into halftime with a 28-14 lead. Lee’s Summit pushed the lead near the 20-point mark by the close of the third before pulling away down the stretch.
Ella Hafer and Brooke Nice finished with 11 points each to lead Joplin (5-6), while Emma Floyd had eight.
Adriana Benassi led Lee’s Summit with 17 points, while Kiera Love had 14. Ashley Sanders and Avery Roush each finished with 10 points in the win.
WEBB CITY, Mo. — Webb City’s boys and girls basketball teams began the 2022 portion of their schedules with convincing non-conference victories on Tuesday night inside the Cardinal Dome.
Ignited by a fast start, Webb City’s boys rolled past McDonald County 84-53 in the nightcap.
In the opener, the Webb City girls handled Nevada 54-37.
WEBB CITY BOYS 84, MAC COUNTY 53
The Cardinals led from start to finish and built a 20-point cushion by halftime en route to the lopsided victory.
Webb City coach Jason Horn noted he was pleased with his team’s intensity on defense.
“I thought we were a step quicker to the ball defensively,” Horn said. “We were in the passing lanes and our on-ball defense was really good. We weren’t picking up cheap fouls. We’ve made progress as a team with our on-ball defense and I’m really proud of how we guarded. We had good help-side defense and made it tough for them to score. (Cross) Dowd and (Cole) Martin are elite shooters. I thought our guys did a good job of limiting their clean looks.”
In a clash between district opponents, Webb City stormed out of the gates, leading 11-3.
The hosts were up 20-13 at the end of the first quarter and the Cardinals separated for good in the game-changing second quarter.
Webb City outscored McDonald County 20-7 in the second period to take a comfortable 40-20 lead at the break. Webb City junior guard Dante Washington had 18 points in the first half.
The Cardinals began the second half in a big way, as Trey Roets threw down a breakaway dunk before Kaden Turner hammered home a slam after catching an alley-oop from Washington.
The Cardinals won the third period 25-15 and held a commanding 65-35 lead entering the final frame.
Both teams got their subs plenty of action in the fourth quarter. Webb City’s Barron Duda came off the bench and scored 14 points with four treys in the final period.
Washington finished with a game-high 25 points on 11-of-17 shooting. Turner made 6-of-11 shots for 14 points, while Roets and Cohl Vaden contributed nine points apiece.
A senior guard, Vaden handed out seven assists. Turner had 12 rebounds, while Roets added 11 boards.
The Cardinals made 49 percent of their field goal attempts (33-of-67). Webb City hit 11 3-pointers and out-rebounded the Mustangs 41-26.
“When we rebound like we did tonight it really helps us get out in transition,” Horn said. “And our guys share the ball really well. When we’re out in transition, we’re a load to stay in front of.”
McDonald County (7-6) made 21-of-55 shots (38 percent), but went just 4-of-19 from behind the arc.
Eli McClain scored 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting to lead the Mustangs, who were coming off an 85-50 win over Carl Junction. Martin and Sterling Woods added nine points apiece for McDonald County.
Webb City (7-2) begins play at Joplin High School’s Kaminsky Classic at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday against Poplar Bluff.
“We’re excited to play Poplar Bluff,” Horn said. “They’re a team we haven’t played since I’ve been here. I think it will be a good matchup and a good test for us.”
WEBB CITY GIRLS 54, NEVADA 37
With a solid overall performance, Webb City’s girls evened their record at 5-5 after a third straight win.
“Overall, I’m pleased with our effort, especially for our first game back,” Webb City coach Lance Robbins said. “We saw some positive things to build on. Offensively, I thought we had a nice inside-outside game. Nevada’s a very good basketball team. Those two guards (Clara) Swearingen and (Maddy) Majors are a handful. They both score the ball really well and we knew that coming in. I thought we did a pretty good job defensively. We lost them a few times, but I thought we were able to guard them pretty well.”
In what could be called a coming out party, Webb City freshman post player Sami Mancini scored a career-high 24 points and also grabbed 10 rebounds. The 6-4 Mancini made 12-of-18 shot attempts and also had three assists.
“I think we saw her grow up tonight,” Robbins said. “I thought she did a great job. We’ve changed up some things we’re doing offensively and I think she’s more comfortable on the floor.”
Also for the Cardinals, senior Kenzie Robbins scored nine points on three treys, junior Kate Brownfield scored six points, sophomore Malorie Stanley contributed five points and junior Izzy Lopez chipped in four.
The Cardinals made 49 percent of their shots (24-of-49).
“Our guards shot the ball well from the perimeter,” Robbins said. “We have a lot of different kids who can have a good night offensively. And it’s nice to have everybody back and everybody healthy. That’s really helped our depth and that makes us better in practice.”
A sophomore guard, Swearingen scored 19 points and hit four 3-pointers to lead Nevada, while junior guard Majors added 10 points. The Tigers (7-3) made 11-of-47 field goal attempts (23 percent).
In their first action since Dec. 20, the Cardinals put together a 17-2 run in the first half that allowed them to pull away for good.
Converting in the paint again and again, Mancini scored 10 of Webb City’s 13 points in the opening period.
The Cardinals received two 3-pointers from Kenzie Robbins and another from Stanley in the second quarter before points from Lopez and Brownfield gave Webb City a 32-17 halftime advantage.
Hoops from Mancini, Austyn Mickey and Kirra Long pushed Webb City’s lead to 20 at 44-24 in the third quarter. That lead was never in jeopardy in the fourth period.
Webb City (5-5) hosts Logan-Rogersville on Thursday night.
College Heights Christian’s girls basketball team fell to 4-4 on the season after a 53-42 loss to Diamond on Tuesday.
“Diamond shot the ball extremely well tonight,” College Heights coach John Blankenship said. “Their guards are quick, athletic and they shoot very well. We shot poorly in the first half and dug ourselves into a hole that was difficult to climb out of against that good of a team. We shot much better in the second half, but could not overcome our rough start. Our execution was good, but we struggled to finish shots, especially our lay ups.”
Diamond led 17-9 at the end of the first quarter and 33-13. The third quarter was nearly even, but the Cougars trailed 47-26 entering the fourth quarter.
Jayli Johnson scored 16 points to lead College Heights, while Molly Long had 13 points, eight rebounds and five steals. Lauren Ukena had four points and five steals.
Libby Fanning contributed six points and four rebounds before leaving the game in the second quarter with an ankle injury.
College Heights is at New Covenant Academy on Friday. Diamond (7-3) hosts East Newton on Thursday.
