HARRISONVILLE, Mo. — Jack Cheaney poured in 32 points to lead Nevada’s boys basketball team to an 85-65 win over Harrisonville on Tuesday night.
Cheaney scored 23 points in the first half and added nine in the second half. He hit five 3-pointers.
In addition to Cheaney’s 32, Brice Budd scored 21 points and Gabe Smith had 17 points for the Tigers, who are now 5-5.
Clinging to a 39-34 halftime lead, Nevada won the second half 46-31 to earn a statement victory in a game that had district implications.
“We started the game a little shaky versus the zone trap, and we also struggled to keep Mason Mitchell off the glass,” Nevada coach Shaun Gray said. “But our guys kept battling and striving to clean those things up. We guarded well in the halfcourt, and when we started rebounding better, that’s when the game turned.”
The Tigers knocked down eight 3-pointers in the 27-point second quarter, with Cheaney hitting five from long range.
“After Mason Majors hit a 3-ball to spark the perimeter scoring, Jack Cheaney sparked us from the 3-point line in the second quarter, which made Harrisonville get out of their zone,” Gray noted. “And when they went man to man that allowed Brice Budd to drive to score and to draw a lot of fouls.”
Smith scored 14 points in the second half, hitting four treys.
“Gabe had the hot hand from 3 in the second half,” Gray noted. “Our guys shared the ball well and found the open man all night. Free throw shooting has been a point of emphasis lately and we finally got to the line and also covered at a high clip, making 24 of 27 (89%).”
Three players scored in double figures for Harrisonville (7-4), as Mitchell scored 20, Michael Moore added 13 and Mason Worthley had 12.
Gray added Tuesday’s victory should give his team plenty of confidence going forward.
“This was a great win to send us into the break, we can enjoy a few days off to recharge and then get back to the grindstone in an effort to keep building,” he said. “This group is hungry to find its ceiling and we know it will take a lot of hard work to get there.”
Nevada returns to action on Jan. 2 against Clinton.
