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CJ CLASSIC: Joplin ends tourney with solid win; Wildcats top rival Mustangs

By:
Jason Peake

 

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — The Joplin Eagles definitely ended the CJ Classic on a positive note.

Joplin rode a strong second half to a 59-42 win over Springdale (Ark.) in the 45th annual event’s fifth-place game on Thursday night at Carl Junction High School.

“That was a good win,” Eagles coach Luke Floyd said. “I’m just extremely proud of these girls. From where we’ve come from last year to this year, we’re heading in the right direction and I’m excited to see what’s next.”

Joplin raced out to a 9-1 start, but the Bulldogs responded with a 12-0 run. Four straight points from Ella Hafer tied the game, but the Bulldogs led 17-15 at the end of the first quarter.

Joplin’s Brynn Driver scores in the lane against Springdale on Thursday night at the CJ Classic. Driver was named to the all-tourney team. Photos by Shawn Fowler.

Brooke Nice’s five straight points, along with Emma Floyd’s hoop just before the buzzer, gave Joplin a 29-26 lead at intermission.

“We got off to a great start, they came back and took the lead, but our girls just battled back,” Coach Floyd said. “They were able to make adjustments throughout the game without us stopping the game to make the adjustments for them. That’s the sign of a good program.”

The Eagles finished the third quarter on an 11-5 run. Nice knocked down back to back 3-pointers from the left corner and Brynn Driver converted an old-fashioned 3-point play and then made a driving layup to extend Joplin’s lead to 44-35 at the end the third quarter.

The Eagles went up 51-37 with six minutes to play after four points from Hafer and a trey from Izzy Yust. 

A junior guard, Driver led the Eagles with 18 points. A senior guard, Nice added 16 and her classmate Hafer added 12 to give Joplin three players in double figures. 

“We missed some free throws and bunnies to allow them to hang around a little bit, but our effort, especially on the defensive end and on the boards was phenomenal tonight,” Floyd said. 

Joplin (4-1) will host its own tournament next week, with the opening round set for Thursday inside Kaminsky Gymnasium.

 

NEOSHO 40, MCDONALD COUNTY 32

Freshman guard Beclynn Garrett scored a game-high 21 points and hit four 3-pointers to lead the Neosho Wildcats past McDonald County 40-32 on Thursday for seventh place in the CJ Classic. 

Junior forward Karlee Ellick added nine points for Neosho, while classmate Reagan McInturff had seven. 

Samara Smith scored 11 points to lead the Mustangs and Addy Leach had eight. 

Neosho was clinging to a 13-10 lead at the end of the opening quarter, but the Wildcats scored the first 11 points of the second period. Garrett hit three 3-pointers and McInturff scored inside to start the frame. 

Neosho’s lead was 26-12 at halftime and the Wildcats were up 36-13 entering the fourth quarter.

The Mustangs erupted for 16 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough, as the Wildcats claimed seventh place. 

 

Joplin’s Emma Floyd puts up a shot in the lane against Springdale on Thursday night at the CJ Classic. Joplin won the game 59-42.

 

Joplin’s Izzy Yust looks to score in the paint against Springdale during the fifth-place game of the CJ Classic on Thursday night at Carl Junction High School. Photos by Shawn Fowler.

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