CARTHAGE, Mo. — After building a multi-possession lead in the first half, Carthage spent the second half holding off Branson and sending the seniors home with a 56-54 win in Central Ozark Conference action on Tuesday Night in the final home game of the regular season.
After taking a slim advantage into the second period, the Tigers (13-10, 3-4 COC) outscored the Pirates 17-12 to go into halftime with a 27-21 lead. Branson (5-19, 0-7 COC) didn’t go away in the second half, however, cutting the lead to one possession several times down the stretch only to see an answer from Carthage every time to allow the Tigers to hold on for the win.
“The Branson kids played tough as nails tonight and really punched us in the mouth,” Carthage coach Nathan Morris said to SoMo Sports. “We obviously had one of our worst shooting nights of the season, and I feel like it really affected our play on both ends. … I’m glad we got the win for our four seniors, but we need to get back to work tomorrow in preparation for a great shooting team in Willard.”
SENIOR NIGHT
Carthage honored four seniors on Tuesday in Senior Night ceremonies prior to tipoff—Britt Coy, Clay Kinder, Ben Nicholas and Max Templeman.
“Ben, Clay, Britt and Max have been key factors in my four years as head coach,” Morris said of his senior group. “They were the first freshman class I inherited from the jump. They had a fantastic freshman year and immediately helped our varsity the next year. We talk a lot about this group and last year’s group officially setting the standard of how we play Carthage basketball from this point forward.”
GAME ACTION
Carthage took a 10-9 lead into the second quarter and expanded their cushion to six points by the intermission. The Tigers got nine points in the quarter from Templeman, including a 3-pointer, and built a quarter-high eight-point lead off a fast-break score by Justin Ray following a Branson turnover with time dwindling before the Pirates just before the horn.
Each time Branson made a push for the lead in the second half, Carthage was there with an answer.
The Pirates cut the lead to 29-27 before a Ray bucket inside pushed the lead back to two possessions. Branson knocked down a 3-pointer on the next trip down the floor to trim the deficit to one near the halfway mark before Ray answered back with a 3-pointer of his own from the wing to again push the margin to two possessions.
Branson’s Nolan Toliver knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:35 left in the third to make the score 36-35, but once again the Tigers responded. Ray knocked down a triple from the wing and Coy earned a steal and score on the break for a 41-35 advantage with 25 seconds left in the quarter.
Templeman gave Carthage a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter with 5:10 left after scoring on the drive.
The Pirates cut the deficit to three inside of four minutes to play before Coy knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner and Templeman added an inside bucket for a quarter-high eight-point lead, 52-44, with 2:35 remaining.
Staying true to form, Branson didn’t go away, as the Pirates chipped away at the lead until Justin Gill scored inside with 11.4 seconds left to cut the Tigers’ lead to 54-52.
Kinder scored on the runout basket on the ensuing inbounds play for Carthage to push the lead to four with seconds remaining to seal the win.
SCORING LEADERS
Templeman led the way with 20 points for the Tigers, while Justin Ray knocked down a team-high two 3-pointers on the way to 14 points. Coy finished with 11 to give the Tigers three players in double figures. Kinder added six in the win.
Jayce Culver and Gill each finished with 14 points to lead Branson in scoring.
