Joplin held a double-digit lead with five minutes to play in the fourth quarter only to see Lee’s Summit rally back inside the final minute to earn its first win of the season, 60-59, over the Eagles on Friday inside Kaminsky Gymnasium.
DOWN THE STRETCH
Joplin (4-2) took a six-point, 43-37 lead into the fourth quarter before junior F Whit Hafer splashed home a 3-pointer from the corner before a Tigers’ turnover led to a dunk on the break by senior F Terrance Gibson pushed the lead to nine, 50-41, with six minutes left in regulation.
The Eagles extended the lead to double digits for the first time when freshman G Fred Taylor drove inside for a basket and a 54-43 advantage with 4:50 to play.
The Tigers (1-3) cut the deficit to six points, 54-48, with 3:38 to play after senior G Patrick Yokely knocked down a 3-pointer and senior G Elijah Martinez scored on the drive before a 3-ball from sophomore G Gatlin Brody with 1:45 left and an inside score from Martinez cut the Joplin lead to 57-54 with 90 seconds left.
Lee’s Summit junior G Cole Smidt buried a corner 3-pointer with 38 seconds left to cut the lead to one, 59-58. After an empty Joplin possession, Martinez drove the paint for the go-ahead basket with 11 seconds remaining.
Joplin had two more looks at a go-ahead bucket inside the final 10 seconds, but failed to convert both attempts.
HOW THEY GOT THERE
Lee’s Summit held a 10-7 lead midway through the first period before Joplin used a 9-0 run to build a 16-10 lead before the Tigers got a dunk by Martinez just before the horn to trim the lead to four by the start of the second. Taylor kicked off the Eagles’ surge with a 3-ball before Gibson added a free throw and junior G All Wright was five-of-six shooting from the stripe.
Lee’s Summit regained control of the lead, 21-20, through the first four minutes of the second quarter thanks to two 3-pointers from Brody as well as a reverse layup and a dunk from Martinez.
The Eagles scored the next eight points, led by five from Wright and an inside score by Gibson, to jump back in front 28-21, ultimately taking a 32-25 lead into the intermission after sophomore swingman Collis Jones scored in the paint on the assist from Wright just before the horn.
SCORING LEADERS
Wright led the Eagles with 32 points, 13 coming in the second half. Hafer added eight, while Taylor, Renfro and Gibson each finished with five.
Martinez led the Tigers with 24 points, nine in the fourth quarter. Smidt added 12 points, while Brody put up nine.
UP NEXT
Joplin takes on Rogers (Arkansas) at 6 p.m. in the 4-States Challenge hosted by Webb City on Saturday.
