CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Although the two contests were nothing alike, the final result was the same for the Carl Junction Bulldogs.
With a large homecoming crowd looking on, Carl Junction’s girls and boys basketball teams both suffered Central Ozark Conference setbacks to Ozark on Thursday night.
In a clash between state-ranked foes, Carl Junction’s girls were unable to extend their winning streak to seven, as Ozark pulled away in the second half and left town with a 75-61 win.
In the nightcap, Ozark’s boys took control in the second quarter and upended Carl Junction 78-38.
OZARK GIRLS 75, CARL JUNCTION 61
The key COC clash was tied at halftime, but the Tigers outscored the Bulldogs 46-32 after the break.
“I liked our effort,” Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter said. “We just went through stretches where when they hit 3s we came up empty on the other end. We’ve got to be better for sure. And Ozark’s a really good team. They’re well-coached, they play hard and they play physical. They just beat Kickapoo. You tip your hat to them. We can’t let this loss deter us moving forward and I’m positive our kids will bounce back.”
Ranked sixth in Class 5, Carl Junction slipped to 17-6 overall and 4-2 in the COC.
The loss definitely dampens Carl Junction’s conference title hopes. There are just three COC games remaining on the slate, and Nixa and Republic are both 6-0 in conference action.
“This loss makes it really difficult,” Shorter noted. “I tell our kids this…we’re by far the smallest school in the conference. So to be up there and to have a shot is great.”
Destiny Buerge and Kylie Scott combined to score 50 points for the Bulldogs.
A junior guard, Buerge scored a game-high 26 points for Carl Junction. Buerge made nine field goals, including three 3-pointers, to go with five free throws.
A 6-foot-1 sophomore forward, Scott scored 24 points. She made five field goals, one trey, and went 13-for-20 from the foul line.
Ranked eighth in Class 6, Ozark is now 15-5 overall and 4-1 in the COC.
Jordyn Foley scored 20 points and hit five 3-pointers to lead Ozark, while Lyla Watson added 17 points with three treys. Riley Boggs also reached double figures with 11 points.
The Bulldogs led 14-9 at the end of the first quarter and the game was deadlocked at 29 at intermission.
“We came out really well,” Shorter said. “We turned it over too much in the first half, but we were right there.”
Ozark outscored Carl Junction 21-16 in the competitive third period to go up 50-45.
The Tigers finished strong by outscoring the Bulldogs 25-16 in the final frame. The visitors hit 10 treys in the game, with seven in the second half.
“The difference in the game was when I didn’t call a timeout when they hit four 3s (in the third quarter),” Shorter said. “I used some timeouts early in the game that I usually don’t. I told the kids I’ll take 100 percent of the blame for that…that’s my fault. We do have to do a better job on our assignments and of knowing who to close out on. We didn’t close out to the right kids at times. Our hands weren’t very active and up in the second half. And Ozark hit some big shots.”
Carl Junction hosts Joplin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
OZARK BOYS 78, CARL JUNCTION 38
The Bulldogs hung tough early, only trailing 15-9 at the end of the first quarter.
But the visitors erupted for 27 points in the second period and extended their lead to 42-24 by the break.
Outscoring the hosts 22-9 in the third period, Ozark took a comfortable 64-33 lead into the fourth quarter.
Carl Junction fell to 4-18 and 0-6 in the COC.
Junior guard Ayden Bard led the Bulldogs with 12 points, while senior guard Kyler Perry and senior forward Josh Cory contributed six points apiece.
Ozark, receiving votes in the Class 6 poll, improved to 15-7 and 4-1 in the COC.
Ozark’s Jace Whatley scored 18 points, while Ethan Whatley had 17 and Tyler Harmon added 10.
Carl Junction hosts Joplin at 7:30 on Tuesday. It will be Senior Night for the Bulldogs.
