WILLARD, Mo. — Joplin held an early advantage before Willard rallied to take a double-digit lead late only to see the Eagles make a final push that come up just short in a 62-57 loss to the Tigers in Central Ozark Conference action on Friday.
The Eagles (10-14, 1-7 COC) led for much of the first quarter before the Tigers (11-14, 3-5 COC) found life to close the opening period and start the second quarter, taking their first lead of the game. Willard pulled out to a 15-point lead to start the fourth quarter. Joplin rallied late but ran out of time before getting a chance to tie the game.
“Willard is a good, well-coached team,” Joplin coach Luke Floyd said. “They play hard and play great team basketball. We got off to a really good start and then hit a lull in the second and third quarters. To our girls’ credit, they kept fighting and made a run in the fourth. Hopefully we can build off of the fourth quarter heading into the last week of the season.”
GAME ACTION
Joplin, which has lost five games in a row, played in front for much of the opening period and held a 12-7 lead with 2:18 to play when Willard found life. The Tigers closed the first quarter on a 7-2 run to tie the game and opened the second period with the first five points to take their first lead of the game. Kailyn Washington gave Willard its first lead with a driving score to open the second quarter before Brielle Adamson knocked down a 3-pointer from the wing to make the score 19-14.
Willard built the lead to eight points with two minutes left in the second quarter before a Brooke Nice 3-pointer and Emma Floyd elbow jumper to close the first half to trim Joplin’s deficit to 29-26 head into the intermission.
Willard took control of the contest while closing out the third quarter with the momentum after a late 12-0 surge led the Tigers to a 15-point lead to start the fourth quarter. Willard led 37-29 early in the third off a 3-pointer from Carolina Crawford before Nice converted from the perimeter and Ella Hafer scored on the drive to cut the deficit to 37-34.
From there, the Tigers scored the next 12 points to extend the lead to double digits. Crawford led the push with five points, while Washington had four points. Morgan Hall added a 3-pointer.
Willard led 52-38 to start the fourth quarter and by as much as 17 points before Joplin rallied to cut the lead to three in the final minute, but the Eagles never gained possession with the chance to tie. Hafer and Brynn Driver each had six points in the fourth quarter to lead the resurgence.
SCORING LEADERS
Willard was led in scoring by Crawford, who finished with four 3-pointers and 18 points. Washington converted twice from the perimeter and finished with 15 points. Adamson had nine points on three 3-pointers. The Tigers hit 10 total shots from beyond the arc.
Joplin was led in scoring by Hafer, who finished with 15 points. Nice had 14 points, while Driver closed the game with 11. Floyd finished with nine points in the loss.
UP NEXT
Joplin hosts Neosho on Monday.
