ANDERSON, Mo. — Webb City finished the game on a furious 13-3 surge to earn a hard-fought 55-49 victory over McDonald County in comeback fashion on Tuesday night in a non-conference boys basketball clash.
The Cardinals overcame a seven-point deficit with a strong fourth quarter. Webb City won the final frame 21-9 and scored eight unanswered points late in the game.
Webb City extended its winning streak to five and improved to 7-2 overall.
McDonald County fell to 6-8 after falling to a COC opponent for the second straight night, as the Mustangs suffered a 52-43 setback to Carl Junction on Monday.
GAME RECAP
A back and forth first quarter was deadlocked at 10 when McDonald County’s Sterling Woods knocked down a 3-pointer from the left wing.
Webb City received free throws from Holton Keith and Cole Cavitt, but the Mustangs took a 15-12 lead into the second quarter after Josh Pacheco’s buzzer-beating runner in the lane.
The Mustangs went up 20-16 on Destyn Dowd’s hoop inside, but the Cardinals scored the final six points of the first half. Free throws from Barron Duda and buckets from both Omari Jackson and Duda gave the visitors a 22-20 halftime advantage.
Also of note, Cross Dowd scored 11 of Mac County’s 20 first-half points.
The Mustangs outscored the Cardinals 20-12 in the third quarter, giving the hosts a 40-34 cushion heading into the fourth period.
The hosts went up 42-35 with 7:24 remaining before the Cardinals rallied late.
A hoop inside by Alex Martin and a 3-pointer from the top of the key by Duda gave Webb City a 47-46 lead.
Toby Moore’s free throw tied the game at 47, but the Cardinals reeled off eight straight points, as Keith scored twice in the lane, Martin scored in the paint and Martin and Keith both knocked down free throws.
Destyn Dowd’s late hoop accounted for the final score.
The clash featured eight lead changes.
NAMES & NUMBERS
A senior forward, Martin led Webb City with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Martin made 10 of 18 shot attempts from the floor.
Duda added 10 points for the Cardinals, while Keith had nine and Eli Pace contributed eight points before fouling out.
Webb City made 20 of 55 field goal attempts (36 percent). The Cardinals made just 4 of 16 attempts from beyond the arc, and the visitors hit just 11 of 24 free throws.
Cross Dowd scored 16 points for the Mustangs, hitting four treys. Destyn Dowd added 12 points and Pacheco had eight. Weston Gordon had a team-high eight rebounds.
The Mustangs made 20 of 45 shots (44 percent), including 6 of 16 from 3-point land. Mac County went 3 for 6 at the charity stripe.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Webb City meets Jefferson City at 5 p.m. on Thursday at Joplin High School in an opening-round contest of the Kaminsky Classic.
McDonald County will play a third straight game against a COC school, as the Mustangs are at Carthage on Thursday night.
FULL STATS: Webb City HS (webbcitycardinals.com)
