Top-seeded Nixa took a double-digit lead against fourth-seeded Joplin over the first six minutes of action and never relinquished it in a 66-39 win in the Class 6 District 5 semifinals on Wednesday inside Kaminsky Gymnasium.
“I thought we played hard,” Joplin coach Bronson Schaake said. “There were moments where fatigue set in, but I thought overall our focus was a lot better than when we played them about a month ago. Nixa is a very talented team with a lot of size and skill. I am proud of the boys and how they fought against a really good team.”
SEASON WRAP
Joplin closes the first season under Coach Schaake with a 19-8 record, graduating seniors Always Wright, Joe Jasper, LT Atherton, Brantley Morris and Calvin Clark.
“I am going to tell the seniors when I go in there that they really set the groundwork when they could have gone the other direction,” Schaake said. “It was a really good season. We won two tournament championships, played really good competition and beat some good teams. I think these guys are going to see that with a great offseason, we can catch these teams.”
“They are good-character kids,” Schaake added about the senior class. “They are good in the classroom and they just work hard. I have only known them for a year, but it was a pleasure coaching them.”
GAME ACTION
Nixa took control of the contest after scoring the game’s first 14 points over the first six minutes of action. Joplin had five early turnovers to help fuel the Nixa surge, led by Jordyn Turner’s five points and Jackson Bell’s four points.
“They were physical with us,” Schaake said of Nixa’s start. “They were physical, especially on the Wrights. They were bumping us off the line. Our bigs were getting some chances around the rim, but they did a good job of getting us off the block.”
Joplin trimmed the deficit to eight points early in the second quarter after back to back driving scores from All Wright made the score 21-13.
Nixa pushed the lead to 19 by halftime after closing the second period on a 9-1 run, highlighted by seven points from Kael Combs, including an alley-oop dunk with eight seconds left in the first half.
Nixa opened the third period with a 9-1 run to push the lead to 27, which carried to the start of the fourth quarter, 55-28. Nixa flirted with pushing the lead to the 30-point mark for much of the final quarter. Noah Engelmann scored in transition near the three-minute mark to make the score 65-35.
SCORING LEADERS
Combs finished with 16 points to lead Nixa, while Colin Ruffin closed the game with 14 points. Bell and Colten Berry each added 10 points in the win.
All Wright finished with 18 points, while Always Wright had 10 points in the loss for Joplin.
UP NEXT
Nixa advances to the Class 6 District 5 title game against second-seeded Kickapoo, which defeated Ozark 88-53 in the second semifinal game on Wednesday.
