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4-STATES CHALLENGE: Fast start and dominant 3rd quarter sends Joplin past Sunrise Christian

By:
Lucas Davis

WEBB CITY, Mo. — A fast start led to a double-digit lead by halftime before Joplin put the game away with a dominant third quarter in a 59-36 win over Sunrise Christian on Saturday in the 4-States Challenge hosted by Webb City.

Joplin’s Always Wright flies to the rim for a layup in the Eagles’ win over Sunrise Christian in the 4-States Challenge hosted by Webb City on Saturday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

The Eagles, who hold a perfect 7-0 record to start the season after winning their second game in as many days following a 66-56 win over Springfield Central on Friday, jumped out to an 11-point lead after the first quarter thanks to a strong start from Always and All Wright. Joplin took a 30-17 lead into the second half before outscoring Sunrise Christian 24-8 in the third quarter to build an insurmountable lead with eight minutes to play.

“It was a good win after a tough game last night,” Joplin coach Bronson Schaake said. “That was a fast-paced game and their legs could have been dead but we came out, and I don’t know what the first-quarter score was, but it seemed like we were kind of on point. I rotated some more guys in to try to keep our legs fresh. And we guarded well and we shot it well.” 

The Wright brothers had their hands all over the first quarter for Joplin, combining to score 13 of the team’s points in a 17-6 opening period. The Eagles started the game with senior guard Always Wright knocking down a deep 3-pointer from the top of the key before finding sophomore G All Wright in the corner for a 3-pointer.

After buckets from junior F Terrance Gibson and senior F LT Atherton, Joplin closed the first quarter with Always Wright sinking a stepback jumper on the baseline before All Wright grabbed an offensive rebound for a putback with 30 seconds left to give Joplin the 11-point lead.

“They are always locked in,” Schaake said before accidentally sending my phone flying out of my hand across the floor and apologizing repeatedly. “They are locked in even before we are on the bus to get here. They are smart kids and they read the game really well. They know what to take.” 

Joplin closed the first half on a 9-4 run fueled by a pair of baskets from Gibson and five points from senior G Bruce Wilbert, including a 3-pointer, to send the Eagles into the intermission with a 30-17 lead.

Joplin’s Terrance Gibson dunks the ball in the Eagles win over Sunrise Christian on Saturday at the 4-States Challenge. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

The 13-point advantage was pushed to 20 out of the break, with Joplin starting the second half on a 7-0 run. Gibson started the second half with a pair of buckets inside before Always Wright drew contact on a floater and made the ensuing and-1 free throw with 6:46 on the clock to make the score 37-17.

“We always write two minutes on the board,” Schaake said. “When you come out of halftime, it’s the most important time of the game. … We were up 13, I believe, at the half and we just kept building on it.”

“When he goes, we go,” Schaake added about Gibson’s play in the win. “As far as being active on the boards, setting good screens and when he can get out in transition he is really good. He is starting to figure out how to jump some lanes and get steals. When he is locked in and ready, we’re tough.”

Leading 45-25 with less than two and a half minutes to play, the Eagles closed out the third quarter even stronger than they started—putting the game out of reach with a 9-0 run to balloon the cushion to 54-25 to start the final eight minutes.

“We tried to rotate more guys, but I told them to go get a 30 spot and a running clock,” Schaake said of his team’s play in their second game in two nights. “They need to start having that mentality of just keep building. I was impressed. We came in early today and got stretched out. They were locked in and ready to play.”

All Wright started the run with a bucket before Always Wright earned a steal for a fast-break layup the other way, drawing contact. The and-1 free throw was no good, but senior C Calvin Clark was there for the offensive board and putback bucket to push the lead to 51-25. Always Wright capped the run with his second 3-pointer of the quarter.

SCORING LEADERS

Always Wright led the way for Joplin with a game-high 21 points, 11 coming in the third quarter. Gibson finished in double figures with 12 points, while All Wright had nine and Wilbert eight points.

Andres Lopera led Sunrise Christian with 13 points, while Marquis Williams had eight points in the loss.

UP NEXT

Joplin hosts Parkview at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

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