BOYS HOOPS ROUNDUP
JOPLIN 66, OZARK 61
OZARK, Mo. — Joplin put a halt to its five-game skid with a big Central Ozark Conference win over Ozark to wrap the regular season on Thursday.
The Eagles (12-12, 3-6 COC) trailed by three heading into the second period before outscoring the Tigers (18-8, 7-2) 17-11 in the second period to take a 26-23 lead into the intermission. Joplin pushed the lead to five to start the fourth and held on down the stretch to earn the win.
Always Wright led Joplin with 22 points, while All Wright added 15. Dante Washington added 10 points, with LT Atherton and Dominick Simmons each finishing with seven.
Joplin opens the Class 6 District 12 tournament as the third seed and will travel to second-seeded Republic for a 7 p.m. matchup on March 2.
NEVADA 58, SPRINGFIELD CATHOLIC 50
NEVADA, Mo. — Senior guard Logan Applegate poured in a career-high 44 points for the Tigers, making 17-of-18 free throws along the way.
Nevada coach Shaun Gray said Applegate scored 21 of his team’s 23 fourth quarter points.
The Tigers have won 12 straight games and are now 19-5.
Nevada hosts Logan-Rogersville (18-5) at 7:30 on Friday night.
The second-seeded Tigers host third-seeded Harrisonville on Tuesday in the semifinals of the Class 5 District 12 tournament.
GOLDEN CITY 65, LOCKWOOD 43
BOLIVAR, Mo. — The Eagles captured the Class 1 District 8 championship.
Golden City, now 22-4, advances to the sectional round on Tuesday against either St. Elizabeth or Climax Springs.
Lane Dunlap scored 27 points, Joshua Reeves had 22 and Chain Parrill added 13 for the Eagles, who outscored the Tigers 42-23 after intermission.
Kane Cooper scored 17 for the Tigers.
Lockwood finished the season at 23-2. Both losses were to Golden City.
GIRLS HOOPS ROUNDUP
OZARK 66, JOPLIN 25
OZARK, Mo. — Ozark outscored Joplin 30-4 in the first quarter and never looked back in a Central Ozark Conference win to wrap the regular season for the Eagles.
Anna Hitt led Ozark with 19 points, while Mariah Putt added 12. Riley Boggs closed with nine. All 10 Tigers scored in the win over Joplin.
Emma Floyd led Joplin with 10 points, while Brooke Nice finished with six.
Fourth-seeded Joplin travels to top-seeded Kickapoo for a 7 p.m. matchup to open the Class 6 District 12 semifinals on Monday.
MOUNT VERNON 68, SPRINGFIELD CATHOLIC 38
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Missouri Southern recruit Lacy Stokes poured in 41 points and hit eight 3-pointers to lead the Mountaineers to a lopsided win.
Mount Vernon used a 26-9 third quarter to pull away.
Grant Berendt’s Mountaineers (23-3) are the No. 1 seed for next week’s Class 4 District 12 tournament.
Mount Vernon awaits either No. 4 East Newton or No. 5 Cassville in the March 4 semifinals.
