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CJ CLASSIC: Carl Junction claims championship with convincing win over Nevada

By:
Jason Peake

 

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — A fast start and a smothering zone defense propelled Carl Junction to a convincing 60-41 win over Nevada in the championship game of the 45th annual CJ Classic on Thursday night.

The Bulldogs raced out to a 12-3 lead, withstood Nevada’s second-quarter surge and then put the game away with a strong third quarter. 

“I feel good about this one,” Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter said. “That’s a really good team. I thought our kids played hard and played well. Our kids played really hard and I’m proud of them. They stepped up and did some good things.”

Throughout the night, Carl Junction’s active 2-3 zone defense gave the Tigers fits.  

“We’ve been working a lot on man defense,” Shorter said. “It helps our matchup (zone) tremendously because of the man principles in it. Our kids are doing a good job of knowing who the scorers are and who the shooters are. They talk to each other and they’re communicating better than they were last year. That’s the extra year of experience and just enjoying playing with each other.” 

Carl Junction’s Destiny Buerge puts up a midrange jumper against Nevada during the championship game of the CJ Classic. Buerge was named the tourney’s MVP. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

Junior guard Destiny Buerge led the Bulldogs with 22 points. Buerge, the tourney’s MVP, made 10 field goals (one trey) and a free throw. 

“I’m glad we pulled through, played as a team and kept the good chemistry that we have,” Buerge said. “We just played our game. We wanted to put it on them from the beginning.”

Carl Junction junior guard Klohe Burk scored 11 points, while sophomore forward Kylie Scott added 10 points, dominated the boards and was named to the all-tourney team. Junior guard Hali Shorter added six points on two 3-pointers. 

Nevada was led by sophomore guard Clara Swearingen’s 18 points. Junior guard Maddy Majors added 12 for the Tigers (3-1). Both players were named to the all-tourney team. 

The Bulldogs led 12-3 out of the gates, with Buerge scoring seven during the early surge.

Nevada’s Swearingen drilled a long 3-pointer at the buzzer, and her team’s lone field goal of the opening frame cut CJ’s lead to 12-6.

Carl Junction’s Klohe Burk shoots a 3-pointer against Nevada’s Clara Swearingen on Thursday night.

The Bulldogs went up 24-10 after treys from Ellie Lawson and Burk and a charity from Buerge, but Nevada went on a 10-0 run to pull within four. Majors hit two 3-pointers during the spurt, while Swearingen and Abbey Heathman added baskets.

Buerge’s runner in the lane gave Carl Junction a 26-20 halftime advantage. 

“There were some points in the first half where we could have done some things better,” Coach Shorter noted. “Nevada got a few extra looks and we had a few turnovers. A lot of that’s my fault. The line change wasn’t exactly what we wanted. We’re trying to figure that out as a staff right…what’s going to be our best look and our best rotation and at what times.” 

After the Tigers won the second quarter 14-13, the Bulldogs outscored the visitors 33-21 in the second half. 

The hosts caught fire from beyond the arc in the third period. Scott, Hali Shorter and Burk all hit treys and the Bulldogs went up 43-24.

A putback by freshman Dezi Williams gave Carl Junction a comfortable 52-31 lead with five minutes remaining, and the outcome was never in doubt. 

The Bulldogs won all three games of the tourney by double figures. 

“It feels good,” Shorter said. “This is a very competitive tournament with some good teams. It’s not going to get any easier. The Joplin tournament is going to be a bear with some really good teams. But I’m proud of my girls. They’ve come a long way since last year and hopefully they can keep it up.”

Carl Junction (3-0) will take on Rogers (Ark.) at 5 on Thursday at Joplin’s Lady Eagle Classic.

 

CJ CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Destiny Buerge, Carl Junction (MVP)

Clara Swearingen, Nevada

Aliya Grotjohn, Seneca

Tara Masten, Parkview

Maddy Majors, Nevada

Kylie Scott, Carl Junction

Brynn Driver, Joplin

 

Carl Junction freshman Dezi Williams puts up a shot in the lane against Nevada on Thursday night.

 

The Carl Junction Bulldogs pose with the CJ Classic championship trophy after beating Nevada on Thursday. All photos by Shawn Fowler.

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