The Webb City Cardinals overcame a 12-point deficit and finished strong on the way to a 66-62 victory over Jefferson City on Thursday night in the opening round of the 24th annual Kaminsky Classic at Joplin High School.
“The mental toughness they showed was great,” Cardinals coach Jason Horn said. “Jeff City put us on our heels and punched us in the mouth at the start of the game. We got knocked down, but we got ourselves up and we got composed. And we rebounded better and started executing.”
Webb City will take on Poplar Bluff at 9 p.m. on Friday in the semifinals.
The Mules came from behind to beat Carl Junction 53-45.
WEBB CITY 66, JEFFERSON CITY 62
The game was deadlocked at 57 when the Cardinals reeled off nine straight points during a game-changing surge.
The first six points of the spurt came at the charity stripe, with Barron Duda, Holton Keith, Alex Martin and Joe Adams all contributing free throws.
Martin’s old-fashioned 3-point play capped the spurt and all but sealed the come from behind win.
“We started to play with a lot more confidence,” Horn said of overcoming the early deficit. “Early in the game we were a little hesitant and we allowed them to get some easy runouts. Our defense got us going and created some offense. And our guys didn’t give up. It’s a work in progress when you have some young guys on the floor. We played through some adversity on Tuesday at McDonald County. Tonight, we dug a big hole to a really good team. Jeff City just won a tournament championship at the Joe Machens Great 8. I’m really proud of how our guys played and how they persevered tonight.”
With a sixth straight win, Webb City improved to 8-2 on the season.
Four players scored in double figures for the Cardinals.
“That makes us versatile and tough to guard,” Horn said. “We feel like we have a lot of guys who can put the ball in the hole. They’re unselfish and they’re showing growth in every game.”
A 6-5 senior forward, Martin led the way with 22 points and 14 rebounds, while 6-3 junior guard Duda added 16 points. A sophomore guard, Keith scored 13 and senior guard Adams had 10. Sophomore guard Eli Pace handed out seven assists.
The Cardinals made 23 of 52 shots from the floor (44 percent), including 5 for 21 from beyond the arc. Webb City out-rebounded Jeff City 38-28.
The Jays, who had won five of six entering the night, fell to 7-4.
Sophomore guard/forward Jordan Martin scored 22 points to lead Jefferson City. The Jays made 25 of 54 field goal attempts (46 percent), including 6 of 22 from long range.
The Jays used a 9-0 run to take a 21-9 lead. During the stretch, the Cardinals were plagued by empty possessions and turnovers. Jefferson City’s lead was 21-11 at the end of the first quarter.
Down 10 in the second quarter, Webb City used an 8-2 run to pull within four. Keith scored three hoops during the spurt, while Omari Jackson hit two free throws.
The Jays received a basket inside by Rowen Buffington for a 32-26 halftime advantage.
The Cardinals began the second half on a 13-2 burst to take a 39-34 lead before the Jays responded with a 9-2 surge of their own. By the end of the third period, Jefferson City was clinging to a 46-45 cushion.
Webb City won the final frame 21-16, with the late-game 9-0 burst key to victory.
Overall, the Cardinals outscored the Jays 40-30 in the second half.
Key to that advantage was the fact the Cardinals were able to get high-percentage shots out of their halfcourt offense time and time again.
“We executed pretty well off our sets,” Horn said. “They did a good job of mixing their defenses, but I thought our kids did a good job of countering that. The big difference in the second half was we were more inside-out. Offensively, the execution was there tonight. Tonight was one more step. Every one of these games is a dress rehearsal for the district tournament, so we need to continue to improve.”
POPLAR BLUFF 53, CARL JUNCTION 45
Like Jefferson City, the Carl Junction Bulldogs were unable to hold on to an early double-digit lead.
Poplar Bluff fought back from a 12-point hole and outscored the Bulldogs 45-25 after the first quarter.
“They out-rebounded us and they were more physical than we were,” Bulldogs coach Justin Pock said of the Mules. “We weren’t blocking out. We were trying to out-jump them. If we give up rebounds like we did tonight, we’re not going to beat anybody. I think we went away from the things that worked in the first quarter. I don’t know if we panicked or what…but we gave them way too many chances and way too many opportunities.”
Carl Junction won the first quarter 20-8, and things were looking good for the Bulldogs, who were coming off a nice win at McDonald County earlier this week.
The Bulldogs made 9 of 13 field goal attempts in the first eight minutes, while limiting the Mules to just four field goals.
Pock noted he was pleased with his team’s performance in the opening period.
“In the first quarter, we came out and played our game,” Pock said. “We attacked them offensively and I thought we played pretty well defensively. We did the things we needed to do. But in the last three quarters, we changed how we played the game.”
Poplar Bluff outscored the Bulldogs 18-9 in the second period, and the Bulldogs’ lead was down to three at the break, 29-26.
Jett Hocutt’s 3-pointer gave Carl Junction a 36-33 lead, but the Mules scored the final six points of the third quarter to take a 39-36 advantage.
The game was tied at 41 in the fourth quarter when the Mules closed the game on a 12-4 run. The Bulldogs were limited to one field goal in the fourth period.
Gavin Rivers led the Mules (6-4) with 14 points and nine rebounds.
Poplar Bluff shot 37 percent (22 of 59), but out-rebounded Carl Junction 41-21.
Freshman guard Cooper Vediz scored 15 points to lead the Bulldogs (5-6), while senior guard/forward Ayden Bard added 13 points and five rebounds. Hocutt added eight points.
The Bulldogs went 17-for-38 from the field (45 percent), but also had 20 turnovers.
Carl Junction will meet Jefferson City in the consolation semifinals at 6 p.m. on Friday.
2023 Kaminsky Classic
Thursday’s scores
Joplin 53, William Chrisman 45
Francis Howell 57, Neosho 23
Webb City 66, Jefferson City 62
Poplar Bluff 53, Carl Junction 45
Friday’s schedule
4:30—William Chrisman vs. Neosho
6—Jefferson City vs. Carl Junction
7:30—Joplin vs. Francis Howell
9—Webb City vs. Poplar Bluff
