Joplin snapped a two-game skid after taking the lead late and holding on for a 49-45 Central Ozark Conference win over Republic on Friday inside Kaminsky Gymnasium.
Joplin (15-7, 3-3 COC) trailed by as many as nine points in the second quarter before battling back to take a brief lead midway through the third quarter. The Eagles and Tigers (14-9, 4-2 COC) battled it out over the final 12 minutes of the second half, with Joplin taking the lead with a little more than three minutes to play and going on to earn the conference win. Joplin limited Republic to five points in the fourth quarter.
“They are a hard team to guard,” Joplin coach Bronson Schaake said. “The first half, their big was tearing us up at the elbow. We did a good job of playing defense but they would get the rebound and put it back, so that was deflating. But, our boys kept chipping away. … We found a way in the end to attack at the right moment and got some key stops.”
GAME ACTION
Republic took a one-point lead into the second period and scored the first six points, two baskets coming from Avery Moody, to build a 22-15 lead before a bucket in the paint from Joplin’s Whit Hafer to cut the deficit to five midway through the period.
Ahlante Askew and Moody scored on consecutive trips to give the Tigers a 28-19 lead with two minutes left to play.
The Eagles closed the first half on a mid-range jumper from All Wright and a pull-up 3-pointer from the wing by Always Wright to send Joplin into the intermission trailing 28-24. By the four-minute mark of the third period, Joplin held its first lead of the second half thanks to a 12-2 run. Always Wright knocked a 3-pointer and added a transition layup before All Wright pulled up on the baseline for a jumper to tie the game at 33-33. Terrance Gibson converted inside and drew contact for a three-point play to put the Eagles on top 36-35. All Wright drove the paint for a basket to close the run.
“We just have to adjust quicker to the game,” Schaake said. “I was happy to close the first half with a little momentum before going on a little run early in the third quarter. It was a battle back and forth.”
Republic closed the third period with two charities and a 3-pointer from the wing by Devon McMillin to take a 40-38 lead into the final eight minutes of action.
Always Wright pulled up for a 3-ball from the top of the key before earning a steal and knocking down one of two free throws at the other end to tie the game back up at 42s with less than five minutes to play.
All Wright gave Joplin a 44-43 lead with a buck at the 3:20 mark. Always Wright pushed the lead to three, 46-43, after driving to the right before finding Gibson on the left block with a no-look pass for an inside score with two minutes left.
LT Atherton pushed the lead to four with a make at the foul line with 48 seconds left before McMillin scored inside on an inbounds play under the Republic basket with 30 seconds left to trim the Tigers’ deficit to 47-45.
Always Wright iced the game at the stripe on the next possession, making both charities with 13.9 seconds to push the lead to 49-45.
“I wrote ‘care’ on the board,” Schaake said. “If you want anything in life you have to care first. They showed me how much they cared and how much they wanted to win at the end of that game.”
SCORING LEADERS
Always Wright knocked down four 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 17 points, 11 coming in the second half. All Wright finished with 14, while Gibson closed with nine points.
McMillin had 15 points to lead Republic, while Moody closed with 14, 11 coming in the first half. James Rexroat finished with nine points.
UP NEXT
Joplin is at Carl Junction on Tuesday.
