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BOYS HOOPS: Carthage improves to 11-2 with lopsided win over Carl Junction

By:
Jason Peake

 

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Carthage scored the game’s first 10 points and never looked back on the way to a dominant 63-29 win over Carl Junction on Tuesday night in a Central Ozark Conference boys basketball clash. 

“I challenged our guys tonight,” Tigers coach Nathan Morris said. “We haven’t had a lot of really hot starts. I told them it’s about time we go out and show everybody what we can do early on. We were confident in the shots we took and the plays we ran. For our guys to jump out like that, 10-0, it was big for us and it set the tone for the rest of the game.”

Now receiving votes in the MBCA’s Class 6 poll, Carthage improved to 11-2 and 1-1 in the COC with a lopsided victory.

The usual suspects led the Tigers, as guards Max Templeman, Joel Pugh and Justin Ray combined to score 47 points. 

Templeman scored 19 points, Pugh had 16 with four 3-pointers and Ray added 12 points. 

Also for the Tigers, Britt Coy scored five points, while Clay Kinder and Tyler Willis contributed four points apiece. 

Morris noted his guard trio once again stood out.

“Max got out in transition quite a bit, Joel hit four 3s and I thought some of our other guys really stepped up,” Morris said. “They were important for us, especially when we got kind of laid back in the second quarter. We didn’t finish the second quarter the way we should have. But we came back out and imposed our will in the third quarter.”

Carl Junction fell to 3-11 and 0-1 in conference action.

Jett Hocut scored eight points for the Bulldogs, while Ayden Bard, Josh Cory, Aidan Beachner and Lucas Vanlanduit all added four points apiece. 

After racing out to a 10-0 lead, the Tigers held a 19-6 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

A trey from Ray made it 25-6 early in the second period. By intermission, Carthage’s lead was 33-15.

Carthage outscored Carthage 18-6 in the third quarter for a comfy 51-21 lead. 

The game’s final outcome was never in doubt in the fourth period.

Morris noted his squad is off to a stellar start to the 2021-22 campaign.

“We’re 11-2 and now 1-1 in the COC,” Morris said. “We’re going to keep climbing. We’re happy for these kids. I hope we get some people out here to support these guys.” 

 

WHAT’S NEXT?

Both teams are back in action on Friday night, as Carl Junction hosts Republic and Carthage travels to Hillcrest on Friday. 

 

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