NEOSHO, Mo. — Aurora took the lead and the momentum early, with Neosho briefly taking an advantage in the second period before the Houn’ Dawgs recovered to get back on top heading into the intermission with a lead they’d hold onto down the stretch to beat Neosho 59-47 on Monday in non-conference action inside the Neosho High School gymnasium.
The Houn’ Dawgs used an early run to open the game in front, where Aurora stayed for most of the contest. The Wildcats battled to take a brief lead in the second quarter before Aurora countered and took an advantage into the intermission that they would never relinquish in the second half.
Aurora (4-4) started the game on a 9-2 run over the first four minutes of action, with Jayden Carpenter knocking down a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws to lead the surge.
The Houn’ Dawgs flirted with taking a double-digit lead into the second period after an offensive rebound and putback score from Cannon Thornhill made the score 15-4 before Kaiden Asberry knocked down a 3-pointer for Neosho (3-4). A bucket from Thomas Lara off a Wildcats’ turnover with a minute left made the score 17-7 before Neosho’s Ty Harris scored in transition before the first break to cut the deficit to nine to start the second period.
The Wildcats clawed back into the game to start the second period with a 9-2 run of their own. Asberry and Brodie Arthur splashed home 3-pointers to start things off before Asberry added a charity at the stripe and a floater to close the run with Neosho trailing by one, 19-18.
Neosho finally took its first lead of the game after eight straight points, with Asberry sinking another 3-ball to kick off the run before Harris ended it with an old-fashioned three-point play after drawing contact on the drive to give the Wildcats a 26-24 cushion with 1:52 on the clock.
The Houn’ Dawgs scored the final four points off the half to go into the intermission with a 28-26 lead.
Aurora started the second half quite similarly to the way they started off the game, using a 9-2 run to push the lead to eight, 37-29, through the midway point. Lara had four points and Cameron Whitener had a 3-pointer.
Neosho got a 3-ball from Collier Hendricks and two at the foul line from Colton Southern to cut the deficit back to once possession, 37-34, but the Houn’ Dawgs got a pair of treys from Thornhill late in the period to take a 43-36 advantage into the final eight minutes of play.
Aurora threatened to push the lead to double digits twice early in the fourth quarter only for Asberry to deliver from the perimeter in the corner on consecutive possessions to keep the lead in reach, 47-42, with five minutes left.
Neosho couldn’t get the momentum to put on a run in the last half of the fourth quarter. The Houn’ Dawgs played possession basketball to keep the Wildcats at bay, pushing the lead back to double digits late to close out the win.
Lara had 18 to lead Aurora in scoring, while Thornhill closed with 16 points, including two 3-pointers. Dayton McHenry had 11.
Asberry knocked down six 3-pointers on the way to a team-high 21 points for Neosho. Harris finished with nine points, while Arthur closed with seven in the loss.
Neosho hosts the Neosho Holiday Classic basketball tournament from Dec. 27-29.
