WEBB CITY, Mo. — After a pair of disappointing setbacks earlier in the week, the Webb City Cardinals needed to get well.
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say the Cardinals did just that on Saturday night.
Webb City led from start to finish in a 73-46 victory over rival Carl Junction in Central Ozark Conference boys basketball action inside the Cardinal Dome.
Ranked 10th in Class 5, the Cardinals (15-7, 3-3 COC) rebounded nicely after suffering a road loss at Nixa on Friday and a home setback to Branson last Friday.
“It was a bad two-game stretch for us,” Webb City coach Jason Horn said. “We could have been better in both games. Our opponents had something to do with that. But it was nice to come back home and get right and get a win.”
Solid overall, the Cardinals slowly extended their lead throughout the game.
“I thought we were executing really well offensively,” Horn said. “We got good looks in the first half that weren’t falling. They started to fall in the second quarter and in the second half. Defensively, we were really good at getting in the passing lanes and that led to some easy offense for us.”
The Bulldogs stayed within striking distance in the first half, but the visitors were unable to make a run after intermission.
“We hit a cold streak and couldn’t put the ball in the bucket,” Carl Junction coach Justin Pock said. “We would get a turnover, but we would give it right back. Against a good team, you can’t do that. They started hitting shots when we weren’t. We couldn’t answer back.”
NAMES & NUMBERS
Five players scored in double figures for Webb City’s balanced attack.
“They share the ball,” Horn said. “They don’t take a lot of ‘my turn’ shots. They don’t worry about who’s scoring. They’re really unselfish and that’s one reason we’ve had success.”
Senior Mekhi Garrard and junior Cohl Vaden scored 12 points apiece, while seniors Trenton Hayes and Nickhai Howard and junior Kaden Turner each had 11 points. Garrard had two dunks in transition.
Also for the Cardinals, Alex Martin scored eight, Luke Brumit and Trey Roets had three apiece and Isaiah Briscoe chipped in two.
Carl Junction senior forward Alex Baker poured in 28 points. The 6-foot-3 Baker made nine field goals, including two treys, to go along with eight made free throws.
“I thought Alex had a really good game,” Pock said. “He was really tough inside. They struggled guarding him in there.”
Sincere Williams added nine points for the Bulldogs (4-17, 1-5 COC), while Kyler Perry had six. Ayden Bard contributed two points and Blake Poorman had one.
GAME RECAP
The Cardinals finished the first quarter on a 10-2 run to take a 17-8 lead into the second period.
A trey from Turner pushed Webb City’s lead to 20-8, but Carl Junction scored eight unanswered points, with four apiece from Baker and Perry.
Williams’ 3-pointer trimmed CJ’s deficit to six, but Webb City finished the first half on a 7-2 run, as Howard and Garrard had hoops and Vaden hit a trey.
With that, the Cardinals led 35-24 at intermission.
Webb City separated for good by outscoring Carl Junction 14-5 in the third period, including nine straight to end the frame.
By the start of the fourth quarter, Webb City was up 49-29.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Both teams are scheduled to compete on Tuesday night, weather permitting, with Webb City hosting Neosho and Carl Junction traveling to Joplin.
