ANDERSON, Mo. — A dominant first half propelled Carl Junction to a 67-37 victory over Gentry (Arkansas) on Monday in an opening-round contest of the 2022 Lady Mustang Classic at McDonald County High School.
Carl Junction will meet Springdale (Arkansas) in the semifinals at 6:30 on Tuesday night.
Clicking on all cylinders from the start, the Bulldogs built a 19-4 advantage by the end of the first period and held a commanding 38-15 lead by intermission en route to the lopsided win.
Ranked fourth in Class 5 by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association, Carl Junction is now 6-1 on the season.
Carl Junction scored 14 unanswered points in the opening period, and Destiny Buerge’s buzzer-beating runner in the lane gave the Bulldogs a 19-4 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
The Bulldogs extended their lead right away in the second period.
Treys from Hali Shorter and Buerge, hoops inside from Kylie Scott and Dezi Williams and two free throws from Klohe Burk gave Carl Junction a commanding 36-9 lead.
The Bulldogs held a comfortable 38-15 lead at intermission.
A pair of hoops from Buerge pushed CJ’s lead to 51-22 with four minutes left in the third period.
Gentry hit three unanswered 3-pointers to cut their deficit to 20, and Carl Junction held a 51-31 lead entering the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs’ lead was never in jeopardy in the final frame. Buerge’s old-fashioned 3-point play made it 59-35.
A senior guard, Buerge poured in 33 points to lead Carl Junction.
Also for the Bulldogs, Burk scored nine points, while Shorter and Williams added six points apiece. Scott, who missed most of Saturday’s Tournament of Champions title game with a sore ankle, contributed five points.
Alyssa McCarty scored 20 points for the Pioneers (4-3).
Springdale overcame a nine-point halftime deficit to beat Farmington 51-47 in overtime.
Just two weeks ago, Carl Junction edged Springdale 62-58 in the semifinals of the CJ Classic. The rematch will determine who plays for the Lady Mustang Classic championship.
In Monday’s other tourney action, Fort Smith Southside defeated McDonald County 51-37 and Bentonville West topped Webb City 66-36.
McDonald County and Webb City will meet in the consolation semifinals at 5 on Tuesday night.
FORT SMITH SOUTHSIDE 51, MCDONALD COUNTY 37
The game was deadlocked at halftime before Southside took control by winning the third quarter 19-5 en route to knocking off the tourney hosts.
Eight points in the paint from Megan Elwood gave McDonald County a 13-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Mustangs led 17-10 after a hoop from Carlie Martin and free throws from Carlee Cooper, but Southside used an 11-1 run to take a 21-18 lead.
After Mac County’s Cooper hit a game-tying trey from the top of the key, the visitors scored in the lane. But Elwood answered with a hoop inside of her own, tying the game at 23 at halftime.
The Mavericks put together a game-changing 13-2 run in the third quarter to pull ahead for good.
McDonald County’s deficit was 42-28 entering the fourth quarter, and the Mustangs were unable to rally late. McDonald County pulled within nine early in the final frame, but the Mavericks reeled off seven straight points.
A senior forward, Elwood scored 11 points to lead the Mustangs (3-4). Cooper scored eight points and hit two 3-pointers, while Anna Clarkson had seven and Martin added six.
BENTONVILLE WEST 66, WEBB CITY 36
Playing without a key performer, Webb City got down early and never recovered in this one.
The Cardinals (3-3) played without the services of 6-5 post player Sami Mancini for undisclosed reasons.
Webb City junior guard Mia Robbins scored eight points in the opening frame, but Bentonville West held a 21-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Cardinals managed only a single tally in the second quarter, a free throw from Malorie Stanley.
On the other hand, West hit seven 3-pointers in the first half and led 41-13 at halftime.
Bentonville West’s lead was 55-25 at the end of the third quarter.
Robbins scored nine points to lead the Cardinals, while Dawsyn Decker had seven. Kirra Long scored five points, Kate Brownfield and Kylee Sargent contributed four points apiece and Stanley had three.
Lady Mustang Classic
Monday’s scores
Carl Junction 67, Gentry 37
Springdale 51, Farmington 47
Fort Smith Southside 51, McDonald County 37
Bentonville West 66, Webb City 36
