CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Turnovers and points off turnovers determined Monday’s quarterfinal game between host Carl Junction and Neosho in the 46th annual Freeman Sports Medicine CJ Classic.
Neosho led 9-8 after one quarter and 22-21 at halftime, then Carl Junction outscored Neosho 32-17 in the second half, highlighted by multiple baskets after Wildcat turnovers, on the way to the Bulldogs earning a 53-39 win in their season opener.
Carl Junction plays Springdale, Arkansas (3-0), in the semifinals Tuesday night, while Neosho (1-3) takes on Mount Vernon (0-2) in the consolation bracket in the first game on Tuesday.
Springdale defeated Mount Vernon 54-37 on Monday.
“(Neosho) outrebounded us and that was a factor we talked aboutgoin in—not allowing them,” Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter said. “Fortunately, we were able to get some points off turnovers, which was huge. We looked pretty rusty and need to get some things worked out. At the same time, it’s the first game of the year, so a good win for us to start out with and Neosho is much improved.”
“Turnovers killed us tonight,” Neosho coach Daniel Durst said. “We’re still learning how to finish games. We get in those tight spots, and we still revert back to panic mode. We’re just working to get that out of our systems.”
Carl Junction received a game-high 24 points from outstanding senior and prolific scorer Destiny Buerge, who picked up her fourth personal foul with 3 minutes, 39 seconds remaining in the third quarter and Carl Junction holding on to a 29-28 lead.
Neosho failed to take advantage with Buerge on the bench, and Carl Junction closed out the third with six unanswered to head into the fourth ahead 35-28.
Buerge returned in the fourth and she netted four straight points to start the quarter and give Carl Junction the first double-digit lead of the night at 39-28.
The Wildcats cut it down to 41-37 with a 9-2 spurt of their own, but the Bulldogs scored 12 of the game’s last 14 points to close out their Central Ozark Conference rival they will play again in February.
“It was a good one for us,” Shorter said. “Our schedule is packed full of tough opponents. It’s going to be a tough season, but hopefully it prepares us for the end of the year.”
Dezi Williams and Kylie Scott had eight points each, DeShaye Buerge five, and Klohe Burk and Anna Burch four each.
“It’s tough to practice for a month and play against each other the entire time,” Shorter said. “We’re nursing a few injuries here and there, and hopefully we’re going to be at full strength here before too long. Our kids saw some of the mistakes they were making, whether it was our floor organization or our defensive pressure or obviously the rebounding, but I think that we will improve and continue to get better.”
Neosho’s inside-outside tandem of senior post Karlee Ellick and sophomore guard Beclynn Garrett combined for 19 of the Wildcats’ 22 first-half points and they gave the Bulldogs plenty of fits the first 16 minutes of play.
Garrett scored 10 and Ellick had nine with five of her points helping the Wildcats to their leads after each quarter.
After halftime, Garrett and Ellick both fell off their pace from the first half; Garrett and Ellick both led Neosho with 13 points.
“For the most part, we stepped up and played good defense,” Durst said. “One of the big emphases after the last couple games was sitting down and playing solid defense. I was proud of that. I thought we took better care of the ball at times, but in those pivotal moments, that’s when we started losing our heads.”
CJ CLASSIC
Monday’s scores
Springdale 54, Mount Vernon 37
Carl Junction 53, Neosho 39
Nevada 54, McDonald County 27
Parkview 64, Seneca 47
Tuesday’s schedule
4—Mount Vernon vs. Neosho
5:30—McDonald County vs. Seneca
7—Carl Junction vs. Springdale
8:30—Parkview vs. Nevada
