NEOSHO BOYS 65, MONETT 51
NEOSHO, Mo. — Utilizing a balanced attack, the Neosho High School boys basketball team improved to 3-2 on the season by beating the Monett Cubs 65-51 on Tuesday in the home opener.
Neosho led 19-16 at the end of the close first quarter, and the Wildcats extended their lead to 33-25 by halftime.
Neosho took a 48-39 advantage into the final frame before outscoring the Cubs 17-12 in the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats had four players score in double figures.
Senior Collier Hendricks and sophomore Kaiden Asberry scored 13 points apiece to lead Neosho. Asberry hit four 3-pointers and Hendricks made two.
Two others reached double figures for the Wildcats, as junior Kanten Smith scored 11 points and classmate Ty Harris added 10. Senior Colton Southern added eight points.
Three players scored in double figures for the Cubs, as Ian Waterman had 15, Evan Witt scored 12 and Landyn Brandt added 11.
Neosho is at Seneca on Friday.
Monett (1-5) is at Hollister on Friday.
MCAULEY BOYS 56, EXETER 44
EXETER, Mo. — McAuley held Exeter to single-digit scoring over the first three quarters on the way to building an insurmountable cushion en route to the win.
The Warriors led 12-7 after the first quarter before taking a 27-17 lead into the intermission. McAuley outscored Exeter 17-8 in the third quarter and paced the way down the stretch.
McAuley had two players score in double figures.
Michael Parrigon had 20 points to lead the Warriors in scoring, while Bradley Wagner finished with 12 points.
Connor Taffner had nine points on three 3-pointers in the win.
McAuley hosts Northeast Vernon County on Friday.
SPRINGFIELD CENTRAL BOYS 74, CARTHAGE 55
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Carthage’s boys basketball team suffered a non-conference loss to state-ranked Springfield Central on Tuesday night.
Ranked sixth in Class 6 by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association, Central led 22-15 by the end of the first quarter.
The Bulldogs hit three treys early in the second quarter during a 12-2 run that extended their lead to 34-17.
Overall, Central outscored Carthage 17-11 in the second quarter for a 39-26 halftime advantage.
The Bulldogs held a 60-43 lead by the end of the third period.
The fourth quarter was nearly even, 14-12 in favor of the visitors.
Carthage was led by senior guard Justin Ray’s 22 points. Ray hit four 3-pointers.
Carthage junior Taylor Stevens-Diggs added 10 points, while junior Trent Yates scored eight and junior Dylan Pugh had seven.
Tyrique Brooks scored 22 points to lead Central, while Keion Epps added 19.
Carthage (3-1) hosts Class 3 No. 7 Sparta (6-0) on Friday night.
ROGERS HERITAGE BOYS 66, WEBB CITY 43
ROGERS, Ark. — Webb City’s boys suffered a non-conference road setback on Tuesday.
The game was deadlocked at 28 at halftime, but Heritage outscored the visitors 38-15 in the second half.
The hosts won the third quarter 19-7 and the fourth period 19-8.
Barron Duda scored 13 points to lead the Cardinals, while Holton Keith added nine and Eli Pace and Joel Hendrix contributed six points apiece.
Ben Manuel scored a game-high 22 points for Heritage and Bryson Jackson added 19.
Webb City (3-2) hosts Cassville on Friday night.
JASPER BOYS 48, THOMAS JEFFERSON 18
Jasper held a three-point lead after the first quarter before outscoring Thomas Jefferson 40-13 the rest of the way en route to the win.
The Cavaliers hold a 2-7 record, while Jasper improves to 4-3 following the win.
Jack Twiss, who knocked down two 3-pointers, had 10 points to lead Thomas Jefferson in scoring. Kohl Thurman added four, while Jackson Radius had three points and Spencer Long with one.
Gage Hall (14) and Wyatt Durman (10) each scored in double figures to lead Jasper in the books.
Thomas Jefferson is at Pierce City on Jan. 5.
