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NEOSHO HOLIDAY CLASSIC: Fast start leads Mustangs past Patriots for 7th place

 

MCDONALD COUNTY BOYS 54, EAST NEWTON 35

NEOSHO, Mo. — The McDonald County Mustangs raced out to a big early lead and never looked back in the Black bracket’s seventh-place game on Friday at Neosho Junior High.

In a game they never trailed, McDonald County led 21-3 by the end of the first quarter. 

The Mustangs took their biggest lead, 22 points, at the 6:41 mark of the fourth quarter.

Sterling Woods scored 21 points, handed out six assists and grabbed four steals to lead the Mustangs (6-6), while Josh Pacheco recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Cross Dowd added 10 points for the Mustangs, while Weston Gordon scored seven.

East Newton received 11 points from Marshall Renner and nine apiece from Chase Sorrell and Braxton Wolfe. 

Wolfe had 12 rebounds for the Patriots (5-7).

McDonald County scored 20 points off East Newton’s 16 turnovers and the Mustangs outscored the Patriots 34-8 inside the paint.

 

SAPULPA 55, CASSVILLE 42

Sapulpa used a 12-4 run in the second quarter to pull away in the Black bracket’s fifth-place game on Friday at Neosho High School.

The first, third and fourth quarters were nearly even.

Aidan Cook scored 11 points to lead the Wildcats (7-4). 

HOOPS: 22 teams prepare for Neosho Holiday Classic

The 68th annual Neosho Holiday Classic begins Wednesday, Dec. 28, and lasts through Friday, Dec. 30 with 16 boys teams in two divisions (Black, Gold) and six girls teams.

On the boys side, tournament host Neosho will look to defend its Black Division title and the Wildcats open against their fellow Wildcats in Cassville for the second year in a row.

The other three Black Division quarterfinal games are Sapulpa (Okla.) and Monett, Huntsville (Ark.) and McDonald County, and East Newton and Crooked Oak (Okla).

Neosho defeated archrival McDonald County 70-63 for the championship last season, earning the Wildcats their first Holiday Classic title since 2002.

The Gold Division quarterfinal games are Atascocita (Texas) against St. Joseph Lafayette, Van Buren (Ark.) against Morrilton (Ark.), Bentonville (Ark.) against Maumelle (Ark.), and Cypress Falls (Texas) against Memphis Mitchell (Tenn).

Texas schools Atascocita and Cypress Falls both make return appearances in the Holiday Classic after making significant waves several years ago.

Atascocita, driven by sharpshooting guard Carsen Edwards and the explosive 6-foot-8 big man Fabian White, dominated the Holiday Classic and took over Neosho for four days back in 2015. The Eagles were ranked No. 1 in the nation at the time of their appearance in Neosho.

Edwards and White both enjoyed outstanding collegiate careers — Edwards twice earned All-American honors at Purdue and White started more than 100 career games for Houston.

Edwards now plays professionally in Turkey after his NBA career did not pan out, while White plays for the South Bay Lakers in the NBA G League.

Meanwhile, Cypress Falls entered the 2017 Holiday Classic nationally ranked and placed third in a tournament won by North Little Rock, who featured future Arkansas Razorback star and current Golden State Warrior shooting guard Moses Moody.

Other notable players from the Holiday Classic past include current and former NBA players Malik Monk, Buddy Hield, Hasheem Thabeet, and the twins Aaron and Andrew Harrison, as well as former NFL quarterback Josh Freeman.

Maumelle defeated fellow Arkansas school Mills 84-73 for the Gold Division title last season.

On the girls side, defending champion Fort Smith (Ark.) Northside, Stoutland, Neosho, Van Buren (Ark.), St. Joseph Lafayette, and Whitehaven (Tenn.) make up the field.

Neosho, the only local team on the girls side, plays Van Buren on Wednesday and Whitehaven on Thursday.

Van Buren won three straight Holiday Classic titles from 2015 to 2017.

Former Tennessee and WNBA player Shekinna Stricklen propelled the Morrilton Devil Dogs to three straight girls titles from 2003 through 2005, and she became the most notable girls player from the Holiday Classic.

 

2022 Neosho Holiday Classic

Wednesday, Dec. 28

at Neosho High School

Cypress Falls (Texas) vs. Memphis Mitchell (Tenn.), 11 a.m.

Sapulpa (Okla.) vs. Monett, 12:30 p.m.

East Newton vs. Crooked Oak (Okla.), 2 p.m.

Bentonville (Ark.) vs. Maumelle (Ark.), 4 p.m.

Neosho vs. Cassville, 5:30 p.m.

Atascocita (Texas) vs. St. Joseph Lafayette, 7 p.m.

 

at Neosho Junior High

Huntsville (Ark.) vs. McDonald County, Noon

Van Buren (Ark.) vs. Morrilton (Ark.), 1:30 p.m.

Fort Smith Northside (Ark.) girls vs. Stoutland, 3 p.m.

Neosho girls vs. Van Buren (Ark.), 4:30 p.m.

St. Joseph Lafayette girls vs. Whitehaven (Tenn.), 6 p.m.

 

Thursday, Dec. 29

at Neosho High School

Gold Consolation Semifinal No. 1, 10 a.m.

Gold Consolation Semifinal No. 2, 11:30 a.m.

Black Semifinal No. 1, 1 p.m.

Gold Semifinal No. 1, 3 p.m.

Black Semifinal No. 2, 4:30 p.m.

Gold Semifinal No. 2, 6 p.m.

 

at Neosho Junior High

Black Consolation Semifinal No. 1, 10 a.m.

Black Consolation Semifinal No. 2, 11:30 a.m.

Fort Smith Northside vs. Lafayette, 1 p.m.

Neosho vs. Whitehaven, 2:30 p.m.

Stoutland vs. Van Buren, 4 p.m.

 

Friday, Dec. 30

at Neosho High School

Black Third Place Game, 9 a.m.

Gold Third Place Game, 10:30 a.m.

Black Fifth Place Game, Noon

Gold Fifth Place Game, 1:30 p.m.

Girls Championship Game, 3:30 p.m.

Black Championship Game, 5 p.m.

Gold Championship Game, 6:30 p.m.

 

at Neosho Junior High

Black Seventh Place Game, 9 a.m.

Gold Seventh Place Game, 10:30 a.m.

Girls Fifth Place Game, Noon

Girls Third Place Game, 1:30 p.m.

Past Tournament Champions

Boys

2021 — Neosho (Black)

2021 — Maumelle (Gold)

2020 — East Newton

2019 — Bentonville (Black)

2019 — West Memphis (Gold)

2018 — Bentonville (Black)

2018 — West Memphis (Gold)

2017 — North Little Rock

2016 — Wichita Life Prep

2015 — Atascocita

2014 — East Newton (Black)

2014 — St. Joseph Lafayette (Gold)

2013 — Morrilton (Black)

2013 — Sagemont (Gold)

2012 — Sunrise Christian

2011 — Sunrise Christian

2010 — Carthage

2009 — Central Park Christian

2008 — Van Buren

2007 — Marietta

2006 — Kansas City Ruskin

2005 — Cypress Christian

2004 — Springdale

2003 — Fayetteville

2002 — Neosho

2001 — Neosho

2000 — Neosho

1999 — Neosho

1998 — Springfield Hillcrest

1997 — Siloam Springs

1996 — Owasso

1995 — Neosho

1994 — Neosho

1993 — Siloam Springs

1992 — Diamond

1991 — Siloam Springs

1990 — Neosho

1989 — McDonald County

1988 — McDonald County

1987 — East Newton

1986 — Carthage

1985 — McDonald County

1984 — Joplin Memorial

1983 — Rogers

1982 — Neosho

1981 — Carthage

1980 — Joplin Memorial

1979 — Joplin Memorial

1978 — Joplin Memorial

1977 — Joplin Memorial

1976 — Joplin Memorial

1975 — Carthage

1974 — McDonald County

1973 — McDonald County

1972 — Webb City

1971 — Carthage

1970 — Carthage

1969 — Mount Vernon

1968 — Carthage

1967 — Wheaton

1966 — Wheaton

1965 — Neosho

1964 — Lamar

1963 — Goodman

1962 — Granby

1961 — Carthage

1960 — Carthage

1959 — Springfield Central

1958 — Neosho

1957 — Carthage

1956 — Carthage

1955 — Joplin

 

Girls

2021 — Fort Smith Northside

2020 — No Tournament

2019 — Whitehaven

2018 — St. Joseph Central

2017 — Van Buren

2016 — Van Buren

2015 — Van Buren

2014 — Neosho (Black)

2014 — Springdale (Gold)

2013 — Neosho (Black)

2013 — Bentonville (Gold)

2012 — Webb City (Black)

2012 — Pierce City (Gold)

2011 — Bentonville

2010 — Bentonville

2009 — Fair Grove

2008 — Neosho

2007 — Morrilton

2006 — Siloam Springs

2005 — Morrilton

2004 — Morrilton

2003 — Morrilton

2002 — Republic

2001 — Sapulpa

NHC ROUNDUP: Maumelle pulls away in 4th quarter to win Gold bracket championship

NEOSHO, Mo. — Tied at a 53 to start the final quarter of action, Maumelle outscored Mills University Studies 31-20 over the final eight minutes on the way to an 84-73 win in the Gold bracket of the 67th rendition of the Neosho Holiday Classic on Thursday.

Maumelle started the fourth quarter on a 14-5 run to build a 67-58 cushion with 4:53 left in the game on a three-point play by Wade Riley. 

Mills University cut the lead to six on a 3-pointer from QJ King with four minutes to play, but that would be as close to the lead as the Comets would get before the final horn.

Maumelle shot 56 percent from the field in the win and had the 20-8 advantage in second-chance scoring after out-rebounding Mills University 40-23, which included 13 offensive boards.

Nico Davillier led Maumelle with 20 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double. Colby Garland added 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Jamaal Summons had 15 points and three rebounds, while Carl Daughtery and Riley each finished with 13 points in the win. 

Marcus Kendrick had 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting for Mills University. King added 17 points and five assists, while Jabrae Shaw had 14 points, seven boards and three assists.

 

JOSEPH LAFAYETTE 60, MORRILTON (ARK) 43

St. Joseph Lafayette built a 10-point cushion by the end of the first quarter and rode the momentum all the way to a win in the third-place game of Gold Bracket play in the Neosho Holiday Classic on Thursday

Lafayette held a 19-9 lead after the first eight minutes and held on over the final three periods, pushing the lead out double digits in the third. 

Morrilton shot 37.5 percent in the loss while Lafayette converted at a 50 percent clip from the field in the win. St. Joseph also won the battle in the paint 38-24 and outscored Morrilton 21-8 on the break.

Camden Bennett had 24 points and seven rebounds to lead Lafayette. Drake Davison had 13 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Kevin Shell had 12 points and nine boards.

JaCorey Mosley had 20 points and 10 rebounds to finish with a double-double for Morrilton in the loss. Joseph Pinion had 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists in the loss.

 

EAST NEWTON 71, SAPULPA (OKLA) 63

East Newton rallied from an early deficit to defeat Sapulpa in the fifth-place game of the Gold Bracket in the Neosho Holiday Classic on Thursday.

Sapulpa took a three-point lead into the second period before East Newton rallied to take a 35-33 lead at the intermission. Holding the same margin heading in the fourth quarter, the Patriots outscored Sapulpa 18-12 in the final eight minutes to earn the win.

East Newton had the advantage in paint points, 34-24, and second-chance points, 14-7. The Patriots shot 49 percent from the field in the win, while Sapulpa closed shooting 40 percent from the field.

East Newton finished with five players in double figures, led by Kelton Sorrell’s 16 points. Gabe Bergen finished with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Robert McFarland had 12 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Marshall Rennner had 10 points and nine rebounds, while Braxton Wolfe had 10 points and three boards.

CJ Hobbs had 17 points, five rebounds and five steals to lead Sapulpa. Kylen Edwards had 15 points, while Jamar Durant added 11 points and five rebounds.

 

WEST MEMPHIS (ARK) 71, MEMPHIS MITCHELL (TEN) 41

West Memphis limited Memphis Mitchell to 28 percent shooting on the way to a win in the seventh-place game of the Gold Bracket on Thursday.

West Memphis dominated in paint points (50-8) and second-chance points (20-3), pulling down 47 rebounds as a team to Memphis Mitchell’s 19.

West Memphis was led in scoring by Kameron Barnes and Keiarras Townsend’s 16 points each. Barnes had nine rebounds and two steals, while Townsend had five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Tyler Lucas and Paul Wooten had 11 points each to lead Memphis Mitchell in scoring. Wooten had six rebounds. Cameron Brown added nine points in the loss.

 

BLACK BRACKET

HUNTSVILLE 71, LAMAR 60

Huntsville built up a 57-51 advantage with eight minutes to play and outscored Lamar 14-9 in the fourth quarter on the way to a win in the Black Bracket third-place game on Thursday in the Neosho Holiday Classic.

Huntsville shot 59 percent from the field and made 7-of-15 3-point attempts in the win. Lamar shot 51 percent in the game and made 8-of-16 shots from the perimeter. Huntsville’s only real advantage came at the free-throw line, making 18-of-20 charity shots. Lamar was 8-of-13 from the stripe in the loss.

Hayden Dotson had 22 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals to lead Huntsville. Kolton Reynolds finished with 16 points, six boards and five assists. Mason Davidson had 13 points and five rebounds.

Lamar was led in scoring by Conner Shoff and Ian Ngugi, who each finished with 16 points. Mason Gastel added 11 points, three rebounds and three assists.

 

CROOKED OAK (OKLA) 54, MONETT 41

Crooked Oak took the momentum in the second period and never looked back in a win over Monett in the Black Bracket fifth-place game on Thursday.

Tied at 11s after one quarter, Crooked Oak took a 30-21 lead at the intermission after holding Monett to 10 points in the second quarter of play. That margin held up through the final horn.

Crooked Oak shot 45 percent from the floor while limiting Monett to 38.5 percent shooting in the loss. 

Crooked Oak was led in scoring by Tymie Adkins-Freeman, who finished with a game-high 28 points on 11-of-25 shooting. He knocked down four 3-pointers and added six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Daevion Hill had 19 points and four rebounds.

Monett’s Blaine Salsman had 14 points and three rebounds, while Tyler Waterman had 11 points and two assists.

 

MAUMELLE JV (ARK) 67, CASSVILLE 57

Maumelle junior varsity rallied in the middle quarters to earn a win over Cassville in the Black Bracket seventh-place game on Thursday.

Cassville held a three-point advantage after the first quarter. Maumelle JV cut the lead to one by halftime, 28-27, before doubling up Cassville on the scoreboard in the third quarter to take a 51-40 lead with eight minutes left. Cassville was unable to make a run at the lead in the final stretch.

While Cassville dominated in paint points, 42-28, Maumelle JV had a 23-9 advantage in points off turnovers thanks to totaling just seven turnovers as a team while forcing the Wildcats into 19 turnovers.

Evan Taylor had 21 points and three rebounds to lead Maumelle JV, while Elijah Newell finished 15 points and five boards. Prince Islam had 13 points and four steals.

 

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS

GOLD BRACKET

MVP – Nico Davillier – Maumelle

QJ King – Mills University Studies 

Joseph Pinion – Morrilton

Gavin Read – Sapulpa

Camden Bennett – St. Joseph Lafayette

Gabe Bergen – East Newton

Carl Daughtery – Maumelle 

Colby Garland – Maumelle 

 

BLACK BRACKET

MVP – K’dyn Waters – Neosho

Mason Davidson – Huntsville

Eli McClain – McDonald County

Jonathan Dunbar – Cassville

Conner Shoff – Lamar

Tymie Adkins-Freeman – Crooked Oak

 

NHC ROUNDUP: McDonald County, Lamar earn wins in Black Bracket; Maumelle, Mills University earn dominant Gold Bracket wins

McDonald County found little resistance in the first half while building an insurmountable lead on the way to an 80-66 win against Maumelle JV in Black Bracket play on Tuesday.

The Mustangs outscored Maumelle JV by eight in the first quarter and eight in the second quarter to build a lead too great for a rally.

McDonald County won the points in the paint (56-34), points off turnovers (29-19) and the bench points (19-11) categories in the win.

Teddy Reedybacon led McDonald County with 20 points and 18 rebounds to finish with a double-double. Sterling Woods added 19 points and five assists, while Eli McClain added 16 points and Cole Martin 11 points.

Evan Taylor had 17 points to lead Maumelle JV, while Elijah Newell added 14 points and nine rebounds and Dajon Brown 11 points.

McDonald County battles Lamar at noon on Wednesday in the Black Bracket semifinals.

Crooked Oak takes on Maumelle JV at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the junior high. 

 

LAMAR 59, CROOKED OAK 57 (OK) (OVERTIME)

Crooked Oak took a 10-point lead after the first quarter before Lamar rallied for the win in overtime in the opening round of Black Bracket play in the Neosho Holiday Classic.

Crooked Oak outscored Lamar 18-8 in the first period to build a lead before Lamar cut the lead to four by the start of the fourth. The Tigers forced overtime by the end of regulation and upended Crooked Oak in the extra four-minute period to advance in the winner’s bracket. 

Lamar, which shot 49 percent as a team, had three players in double figures, with Conner Shoff leading the way with 19 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field. Mason Gastel added 15 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Joel Beshore finished with 10 points in the win.

McDonald County battles Lamar at noon on Wednesday in the Black Bracket semifinals.

Crooked Oak takes on Maumelle JV at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the junior high. 

 

HUNTSVILLE (ARK) 62, MONETT 48

Huntsville turned a four-point lead after the first quarter into a double-digit margin by halftime and pulled away in the third period on the way to the win.

Leading 22-18 after the first quarter, Huntsville outscored Monett by eight in the second quarter and six in the third to build a 54-36 advantage with eight minutes to play—a lead the Cubs wouldn’t make a run out before time ran out.

Huntsville had the advantage in paint points (36-24) and second-chance points (15-6), while winning the turnover battle with 10 to Monett’s 16.

Hayden Dotson led Huntsville with 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, while Mason Davidson had 15 points and eight rebounds. Kolton Reynolds and Kole McElhaney each finished with 10 points.

Blaine Salsman had 12 points to lead Monett in scoring, with Cameron Erwin finishing with nine and Wyatt Sitton-Barrows with eight.

Huntsville battles Neosho at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the semifinals, while Cassville plays Monett at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the junior high.


GOLD BRACKET

MAUMELLE (ARK) 104, MEMPHIS MITCHELL (TEN) 89

Maumelle scored 23 points in the first quarter and didn’t slow down on the way to the win over Memphis Mitchell.

Maumelle scored 29 in the second quarter to build a 52-37 lead. Maumelle added a 27-point third quarter and a 25-point fourth quarter en route to the win.

Maumelle had 62 points in the paint and outscored Memphis Mitchell 22-13 in second-chance points and almost doubled them in rebounds, 42-25.

Maumelle had five players in double figures and three players scoring more than 20 points in the win. Carl Daughtery led the way with 28 points on 11-of-20 shooting, while Colby Garland and Nico Davillier each finished with 21 points in the win. Davillier added 10 rebounds to finish with a double-double, while Garland added seven assists and five boards. Kaleb Thurman had 15 points and eight rebounds, while Jamaal Summons finished with 10 points and six boards.

Lucas Tyler had 27 points on 12-of-16 shooting to lead Memphis Mitchell, while Kaden Smith had 22 points. Andre Watson had 16 points and Cameron Brown added 13 points and eight rebounds.  

Maumelle plays Morrilton at 5 p.m. on Wednesday in the Gold Bracket semifinals.

Memphis Mitchell battles East Newton at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday in the Gold Bracket consolation semifinals. 

 

MORRILTON (ARK) 54, EAST NEWTON 40

The first and the third quarters were kind to Morrilton in its win over East Newton in opening-round play in the Gold Bracket in the Neosho Holiday Classic.

Morrilton jumped out to a 16-10 lead after the first quarter before stretching that six-point halftime lead to 41-28 by the end of the third quarter before sealing the win down the stretch.

Joseph Pinion had a game-high 23 points to lead Morrilton, knocking down 8-of-15 shots from the field while grabbing five boards and accounting for two assists and two blocks. JaCorey Mosley added 13 points and nine rebounds.

East Newton was led by Marshall Renner in scoring with 14 points and he added seven rebounds and five assists. Gabe Bergen finished with a double-double after scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. 

Maumelle plays Morrilton at 5 p.m. on Wednesday in the Gold Bracket semifinals.

Memphis Mitchell battles East Newton at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday in the Gold Bracket consolation semifinals.

 

JOSEPH LAFAYETTE 50, WEST MEMPHIS (ARK) 47

St. Joseph Lafayette’s Mikey Thomas broke a 47-all tie with a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the win over West Memphis on Tuesday in the opening round of the Neosho Holiday Classic.

Thomas scored eight of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead triple, to finish second in scoring for St. Joseph. Camden Bennett led St. Joseph with 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to finish with a double-double. 

Kameron Barnes led West Memphis with 16 points and nine rebounds, while D’Quarious Birdo had 12 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Keiarras Townsend finished with 10 points and four rebounds.

West Memphis outscored St. Joseph 26-20 on the paint and 14-8 on second-chance points, but St. Joseph won the turnover battle 18-15 and made the most of them with a 17-9 advantage in points off turnovers.

St. Joseph Lafayette plays Mills University Studies at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. West Memphis plays Sapulpa at 1 :30 p.m. on Wednesday.

 

MILLS UNIVERSITY STUDIES (ARK) 68, SAPULPA (OK) 34

Mills University ballooned a seven-point advantage after the first eight minutes to a 43-14 lead by the intermission and never looked back on the way to the win over Sapulpa in the final game of the opening round of the Neosho Holiday Classic.

Mills University—which shot 57 percent in the third quarter on the way to a 27-11 advantage in the period—dominated inside all game, outscoring Sapulpa 32-8 in the paint, and also won the turnover battle 20-10, which led to a 30-10 advantage in points off turnovers. Second-chance points were also an advantage for Mills University, 16-4, thanks to out-rebounding Sapulpa 38-24 in the win.

Mills University had 10 players score in the win, with three players finishing in double figures. QJ King led the way with 12 points, five assists and four steals. Marcus Kendrick had 11 points and three steals, while Jabrae Shaw finished with 10 points and five rebounds.

Sapulpa was held to 31 percent shooting in the loss and was led in scoring by Gavin Read’s nine points. CJ Hobbs added eight points and had six rebounds and two steals.

St. Joseph Lafayette plays Mills University Studies at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. West Memphis plays Sapulpa at 1 :30 p.m. on Wednesday.

NEOSHO HOLIDAY CLASSIC: Neosho cruises past Cassville to open NHC with win

NEOSHO, Mo. — Neosho opened the game with Cassville on a large scoring run and played with that momentum the rest of the way en route to a 67-40 win in the opening round of Black Bracket play in the 2021 Neosho Holiday Classic on Tuesday.

“I think we play pretty well when we get ahead because we play stout defense and try to suffocate teams as best we can,” Neosho coach Zane Culp said. “When we play with a lead, we can kind of do some different things—play different guys and stay fresh. It was good to get out to a hot start … jump on top of it and finish it out.”

Neosho (6-2) dominated the turnover battle, 24-10, and used takeaways for a 29-1 advantage in points off turnovers. Neosho also shot 43 percent from the field in the win and converted seven times from the perimeter. 

K’dyn Waters attacks the basket in Neosho’s win over Cassville in the opening round of the Neosho Holiday Classic on Tuesday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

K’dyn Waters, who was honored before the game after entering the 1,000-point scoring club in Neosho’s 66-36 win over Seneca on Dec. 18, finished with a game-high 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting. He had three rebounds, two assists and a steal.

“He is obviously a great player and we don’t even have to talk about that because he shows it every night,” Culp said. “But he is also a great kid, a great man. He is super polite, is nice to everyone and gets along with his teammates, his teachers and his coaches. He is just a joy to be around and you couldn’t ask for a better move-in (player).”

Carter Baslee added 11 points and five rebounds for Neosho, while Jared Siler finished with 10 points and three boards. Isaiah Green and Kael Smith each finished with seven points. Green added six rebounds, five assists and six steals.

Jonathan Dunbar finished the game with 12 points, four rebounds and four blocks to lead Cassville. Aidan Cook and Timothy Hudson each finished with six points.

The host Wildcats, playing in just their second home game of the season, kicked off the Holiday Classic in a big way, pushing their way to a 15-2 advantage over the first four minutes of action. Waters led the way in the opening surge with eight points, while Smith also knocked down a 3-pointer.

“That was really big,” Culp said of the run. “We hit a couple of 3s and we were getting some steals and runouts. When you jump on a team 15-2, you are usually sitting pretty good if you keep scoring, and we did.”

Neosho pushed its lead to 22-5 late in the first quarter on a Siler 3-pointer.

Isaiah Green scores on the break in Neosho’s win over Cassville in the opening round of the Neosho Holiday Classic on Tuesday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

NHS continued with the momentum into the second quarter, pushing the lead to 20 with 1:30 when Baslee converted inside to make the score 34-14.

“It doesn’t happen very often, but if you can put doubt in a team’s mind in the first half, you are usually in a pretty good spot,” Culp said. “We just kept putting it on them and we weren’t satisfied with a 15-2 run. That was big for us.”

Neosho took a 35-17 advantage into the intermission, but Cassville showed signs of life early in the third quarter, using a 6-2 run to trim the lead down to 14. But Neosho responded to the adversity by outscoring Cassville 14-6 through the rest of the quarter, building an insurmountable cushion for the final eight minutes of play.

“If you are going to beat the good teams, you can’t have long lulls in your game,” Culp said of his team’s ability to stave off Cassville early in the third. “We just reset and made sure the next few possessions really mattered.”

Neosho advances to play Huntsville in the Black Bracket semifinals at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, while Cassville takes on Monett at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the junior high.

HOLIDAY CLASSIC GIRLS ROUNDUP: East Newton falls short against North KC; Lafayette, Northside earn convincing wins

 

NEOSHO, Mo. — East Newton’s late rally fell short, as North Kansas City held on late for a 29-22 win over the Patriots on Tuesday in a girls division contest of the Neosho Holiday Classic. 

In other girls games played at Neosho Junior High, St. Joseph Lafayette beat Huntsville 47-32 and Ft. Smith Northside blasted Stoutland 70-20.

In Wednesday’s semifinals, Northside takes on Lafayette at 5, while North Kansas City meets Neosho at 6:30. 

In Wednesday’s consolation games, Stoutland meets Huntsville at 10:30 a.m. and East Newton takes on the Huntsville JV squad at noon. 

 

NORTH KC 29, EAST NEWTON 22

A scoreless first quarter doomed the Patriots in this low-scoring affair.

North KC led 14-7 at halftime.

The Patriots outscored the Hornets 9-8 in the third quarter, but still trailed 22-16 entering the fourth quarter. 

The final frame was nearly even, as the Hornets outscored the Patriots 7-6. 

Josie Guinn scored nine points to lead East Newton (4-4), while Shaw Coburn, Alyssa Coffey, Cameran Clement and Kylee Cole all chipped in three points apiece. East Newton made 8 of 29 field goal attempts.

North Kansas City (3-3) received seven points apiece from LaNicia Parker and Yar Manyiel. 

The Hornets, who made 9 of 28 shots from the floor, out-rebounded the Patriots 27-15.

 

ST. JOSEPH LAFAYETTE 47, HUNTSVILLE (ARK.) 32

The game was deadlocked when Lafayette used a 14-3 second quarter to take control. 

Talicia Byrd scored 16 points to lead the Irish (7-3), while Jazlyn King added 15. Lafayette made 17 of 46 shots (37 percent) and forced 24 turnovers. 

Allisa Pillow scored 15 points for Huntsville (4-7). The Eagles connected on 11 of 42 shots from the floor (26 percent). 

 

FT. SMITH NORTHSIDE (ARK.) 70, STOUTLAND 20

Undefeated Northside led 26-2 by the end of the first quarter en route to a lopsided win.

Three players scored in double figures for Northside, as Erianna Gooden had 15, Khassidy Warr added 14 and Zoey Bershers chipped in 12. 

The Bears, who are now 11-0, made 31 of 61 field goal attempts.

Schona Looney led Stoutland (5-6) with seven points. Stoutland was held to eight field goals in the game. 

 

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE

The schedule for Day 2 of the Neosho Holiday Classic is below. 

 

Neosho High School

10:30 am – East Newton vs. Memphis Mitchell – Gold Bracket Consolation

12:00 pm – McDonald County vs. Lamar – Black Bracket Semifinal

1:30 pm – Sapulpa vs. West Memphis – Gold Bracket Consolation

3:30 pm – Neosho vs. Huntsville – Black Bracket Semifinal

5:00 pm – Morrilton vs. Maumelle – Gold Bracket Semifinal

6:30 pm – Mills University Studies vs. St. Joseph Lafayette – Gold Bracket Semifinal

8:00 pm – Three point & Slam Dunk Contest

 

Neosho Junior High School

10:30 am – Stoutland vs. Huntsville – Girls Bracket Consolation

12:00 pm – Huntsville JV vs. East Newton – Girls Bracket Consolation

1:30 pm – Cassville vs. Monett – Boys Black Bracket Consolation

3:30 pm – Maumelle JV vs. Crooked Oak – Boys Black Bracket Consolation

5:00 pm – Ft. Smith Northside vs. St. Joseph Lafayette – Girls Bracket Semifinal

6:30 pm – Neosho vs. North Kansas City – Girls Bracket Semifinal

MORE INFORMATION: Neosho Holiday Classic

NEOSHO HOLIDAY CLASSIC: Neosho girls roll in tourney opener; Wildcats playing with heavy hearts

 

NEOSHO, Mo. — Neosho rattled off 20 unanswered points during a first-half surge en route to a commanding 45-15 victory over the Huntsville (Ark.) junior varsity squad on Tuesday night in an opening-round girls division contest of the 2021 Neosho Holiday Classic.

Up 27-9 at halftime, the Wildcats continued to extend their advantage throughout the second half, eventually forcing a running clock. 

“We played pretty well,” Neosho coach Ryan Madison said. “Obviously, we were playing a JV squad, so you just hope you play well and get a win. I thought we executed pretty well and I thought we did some good things. Overall, I’m pretty happy.” 

The Wildcats were originally scheduled to play Arkadelphia in the opening round, but the Badgers pulled out of the tournament for undisclosed reasons. With that, the Huntsville JV team took Arkadelphia’s spot in the bracket. 

In a game played at Neosho Junior High, the Eagles led 8-7 early, but the Wildcats scored the final eight points of the first quarter, as free throws from Taigen Mitchell, a bucket from Maelynn Garrett and two hoops inside from Reagan McInturff gave Neosho a 15-8 lead.

Neosho’s Taigen Mitchell looks for an open teammate during Tuesday’s game against the Huntsville JV squad.

The Wildcats outscored the Eagles 12-1 in the second quarter, with five different players recording points. Huntsville’s lone free throw came in the final second of the first half after Neosho began the period on a 12-0 spurt that capped 20 unanswered points overall.  

“We weren’t great defensively in the first quarter,” Madison said. “But in the second quarter we only gave them one point there at the end. That was good to see.” 

The Wildcats were up 27-9 at the break. Neosho’s lead went to 32-12 after an old-fashioned 3-point play from Raine Harris. 

Overall, the Wildcats outscored the Eagles 18-6 in the second half. 

Neosho (5-5) relied on a balanced attack, as eight different players scored. 

“If we can keep doing that, it makes us hard to guard,” Madison noted.

A junior, McInturff scored 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting and also grabbed seven rebounds, while classmate Karlee Ellick compiled nine points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals. 

Also for the Wildcats, Harris scored seven points and Mitchell had six. Maelynn Garrett and Carleigh Kinnaird added four points apiece. 

Neosho’s Maelynn Garrett plays defense against Huntsville’s Morgan Limson on Tuesday at Neosho Junior High.

Neosho made 19 of 40 field goal attempts, but converted just 7 of 20 free throws.

Throughout the contest, the Wildcats were able to pick apart Huntsville’s halfcourt defense to get high-percentage shots.

“I thought we ran our offense well,” Madison said. “We were more patient than we’ve been. I felt like we did some good things and got some quick hitters early in our offense. And I thought Taigen Mitchell was really good for us. She played with great energy and attacked the rim. And Jayden Adams came off the bench and ran the point well. Both of those girls got us in our sets.” 

Mena Thomas scored nine of Huntsville’s 15 points. The Eagles from Arkansas made just 4 of 47 shots from the field.

The Wildcats will meet North Kansas City at 6:30 on Wednesday night in the semifinals. North Kansas City knocked off East Newton 29-22.

 

PLAYING WITH HEAVY HEARTS

The Wildcats are playing with heavy hearts after one of their teammates passed away earlier this month in a tragic car accident.

Samantha Hilgenberg passed away on the evening of Dec. 17 after her vehicle left the roadway, struck a tree and caught fire. A junior, Hilgenberg was 17 years old.

“Sami was a fantastic young lady,” Coach Madison said. “She loved being part of the team and just loved being at practice. She was a great, great girl. She’ll always be part of this program. It’s been a tough situation, but I think this has brought us closer together as a team.” 

In addition to being on the basketball team, Hilgenberg was active in FFA and debate and was a member of the track and field squad. 

 

SAMI HILGENBERG OBIT: https://www.clarkfuneralhomes.com/obituary/samantha-hilgenberg

 

 

Neosho coach Ryan Madison talks to his Wildcats during a timeout on Tuesday night at the Neosho Holiday Classic.

 

PREP HOOPS: Neosho Holiday Classic brackets released

 

The brackets have been released for the 2021 Neosho Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament. 

There are two boys brackets and a girls bracket. The tournaments begin on Dec. 28. Brackets are printed below.

 

BOYS GOLD BRACKET

Dec. 28 games at NHS

10 a.m.—Mitchell vs. Maumelle

2:30—Morrilton vs. East Newton

4—West Memphis vs. Lafayette

7—Mills vs. Sapulpa

 

Dec. 29 games

10:30 & 1:30—Consolation games

5 & 6:30—Semifinals

 

Dec. 30 games

10:30—Fifth place

Noon—Seventh place (Junior High Gym)

3:30—Third place

8—Championship game

 

BOYS BLACK BRACKET

Dec. 28 games at NHS

11:30—McDonald County vs. Maumelle JV

1—Monett vs. Huntsville

2:30—Lamar vs. Crooked Oak (Junior High Gym)

5:30—Neosho vs. Cassville

 

Dec. 29 games

1:30 & 3:30—Consolation games

Noon & 3:30—Semifinals

 

Dec. 30 games

10:30—Seventh place (JH Gym)

Noon—Third place

2—Fifth place (JH Gym)

6:30—Championship game

GIRLS BRACKET

Dec. 28 games at Neosho Junior High

11:30—Lafayette vs. Huntsville

1—Northside vs. Stoutland

4—North KC vs. East Newton

5:30—Neosho vs. Arkadelphia

 

Dec. 29 games

10:30 & noon—Consolation games

5 & 6:30—Semifinals

 

Dec. 30 games

2—Third place (HS gym)

3:30—Seventh place

5—Fifth place

5—Title game (HS gym)

 

NEOSHO HOLIDAY CLASSIC BRACKETS:

FinalBrackets 2021 – Final Black

 

FinalBrackets 2021 – Final Gold

 

FinalBrackets 2021 – Final Girls

 

Neosho Holiday Classic adapts to pandemic in order to keep tradition alive

NEOSHO, Mo. — In a normal year, the Neosho Holiday Classic is one of the biggest winter basketball tournaments in Southwest Missouri and the four-state area. Local, regional and even teams from the farthest stretches of the country have traveled to Neosho to take part in the long history of the Holiday Classic.

Unfortunately, 2020 has been anything but normal, and like so many other events, the Neosho Holiday Classic had to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local construction company Branco Enterprises has sponsored the Neosho Holiday Classic since 1998, and company president Justin Branham admitted this year was a weird challenge.

“It was a lot easier,” Branham said jokingly. “Almost everything was out of our control. We had almost a full field for both boys and girls, and then the pandemic hit. At that point, all of our decisions were going to be made by other people—states, athletic associations, individual school districts. The overall effort that we had to put in wasn’t as much, but I hate to say it was easier because it was disappointing. 

“The biggest thing, like everything in the pandemic, was the unknowns. Everybody was trying to make the right decisions, but they weren’t making decisions quickly. There was no consistency in the decisions. Arkansas was handling it one way and Missouri was handling it another way. States and cities were doing one thing, school districts and athletic associations like MSHSAA and stuff were doing things a different way. It was just the unknowns and trying to balance all of the different approaches and figuring out where the middle ground was.”

Despite the pandemic hindering the tournament’s full potential, Branham was quick to point out that at the end of the day, everyone involved was just happy to put on the 66th rendition of the Neosho Holiday Classic in order to provide the local community with some familiar entertainment while keeping the tradition alive.

“The goal for everyone is to get back to some sort of normal,” Branham said. “This is normal for us around Christmas time. We were always proponents of making sure we could have the tournament, but it was more about the reality of whether the environment and the authorities who control these types of things would allow us to. Fortunately, we were able to have it in this capacity at least.

“I think this (tournament) is important to the community, and I think the crowds that we have seen come through the doors over the last several days validate that. Everybody is looking for something, looking for the ability to get out and attend these types of events. I think, from a personal standpoint, seeing the attendance being a little higher, seeing that everyone has been respectful and not having any issues with the political division that comes with the pandemic, it was very refreshing. There are 66 years of history with this tournament, and this year will just go down as another chapter.”

Usually, the Neosho Holiday Classic would feature a boys tournament consisting of 16 teams from different parts of the country as well as a girls tournament with eight teams to be played in a week’s time after the Christmas holiday. In 2020, the NHC had to drop the girls tournament altogether while the boys tournament was whittled down to six local teams played over a period of three days.

“We have always tried to make sure that we have a competitive side to the girls’ tournament,” Branham said about being forced to cancel the girls tournament. “I think maybe a month ago we were still planning to have it. It was going to be just a small round-robin tournament based on the teams that could attend. At the last minute, we had a team drop out because they were not able to play. So, at that point, it just didn’t make sense to have it. It was disappointing, but we are still committed to having that girls tournament and, hopefully, it will be even bigger and better than normal next year.”

With the number of teams normally committed to attending the Neosho Holiday Classic year in and year out, the tournament is generally a big money maker for the city of Neosho and its businesses. Sadly, like thousands of events impacted by pandemic health protocols, it is impossible for the 2020 version of the Holiday Classic to generate the same amount of revenue it has in years past. 

“It will not have an economic impact like it normally does,” Branham said. “There is just no way. When you look at the amount of people who usually visit from out of town, the hotel rooms that we normally book or the travel arrangements we make from renting vans or using travel agencies, the meal services—all of those things coming together. There is no way that we could ever replicate that with this particular rendition.

“Now, I think it will be a little bit of a boom. … This is bringing people to town and they are spending dollars here, so it is still important (for the community). But if you are looking at it from the magnitude of what it usually is, there’s just no comparison to prior years.”

Even though it has been mostly doom and gloom for the country during the pandemic, there is hope on the horizon, particularly for the Neosho Holiday Classic. If travel restrictions are lifted and safety protocols are relaxed by this time next year, Branham confirmed Branco Enterprises is anticipating putting on the Neosho Holiday Classic that the area is accustomed to.

“We are not going anywhere,” Branham said. “We are going to start pre-planning for next year and reaching out to teams in hopes that the 2021 version is bigger and better than any in the past. … The plan for next year, provided we are allowed to, is to get back to a 16-team boys side with two eight-team brackets—black and gold. And we will also have a minimum of an eight-team girls bracket as well. We’ll do the same thing that we’ve done, mixing in some local teams with a lot of regional talent and some national talent as well. … We’re not going to let one bad year get us down. We are going to come back stronger and better than ever.”

Neosho closes Holiday Classic with win over Monett

NEOSHO, Mo. — It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, and that sentiment was on display for Neosho in the Wildcats’ 68-61 win over Monett on Wednesday to open action on the final day of the 66th Neosho Holiday Classic.

Neosho and Monett were in a back-and-forth battle all game, though, when it came down to closing out the quarter, the Wildcats always had the edge. Neosho used pivotal scoring runs to finish each of the first three quarters to ultimately build a double-digit lead to start the fourth. Monett fought back and pulled within one possession late, but Neosho’s closing effort showed up once again to seal the win.

“That is a good motto of what happened tonight—finishing,” Neosho coach Zane Culp said. “It seemed like every time we were just about to break it open they would run down or hit a three or make a shot. It just seemed like we were a couple of plays from breaking it open but Monett played a great game. I am just glad we pulled it out.”

Neosho’s Landon Austin drives to the rim while absorbing contact in the Wildcats win over Monett on Wednesday in the Neosho Holiday Classic. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

With the win, Neosho finished the Holiday Classic with a 2-1 record in three days of action, improving to 7-2 on the season.

“We beat Lamar (on Monday), and that is always good because they are a tough opponent,” Culp said. “Last night (against Hillcrest), it was an intense, and hard-fought game. … Anytime you play three games in three days, you will take that win on the last day. 

“I was really proud of the five guys in the second half. I don’t think we substituted once in the second half. That was pretty impressive and shows some grit.”

STATS

Landon Austin led Neosho with a game-high 26 points, adding nine rebounds, five assists and three steals. Dalton Brodie scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to finish with a double-double. Isaiah Green scored 15 points, had six rebounds and finished with three steals. 

Tyler Waterman led Monett with 18 points and five rebounds, while Daniel Navarro scored 11 points and finished with six assists and two steals. Cameron George scored 10 points and had five rebounds. 

GAME ACTION

The first quarter saw two ties and six lead changes before Neosho scored the final seven points of the period to take a 15-12 lead into the second. Green scored inside and Austin added two free throws before Brodie knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key with two seconds left.

Neosho’s Dalton Brodie goes up strong for a basket in the Wildcats’ win over Monett on Wednesday in the Neosho Holiday Classic. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

Monett opened the second with momentum, using an inside score from Aleks Salas and two 3-pointers from Cameron Erwin to build a 20-15 advantage at the 6:23 mark. The Cubs extended the lead to 26-17 after a mid-range jumper from George, but the Wildcats answered with an 8-2 run to regain the momentum with a 28-25 lead.

Monett surged to a five-point lead with 2:40 to play in the half before Neosho scored the final eight points of the second quarter to take a 33-30 lead into the intermission. 

Neosho kept the momentum out of the break and pushed the lead to 42-34 after consecutive baskets from Austin, Green and Brodie. Back-to-back 3-pointers from George followed by a score on the drive from Waterman tied the game at 42-42 with 3:40 left in the third.

The Wildcats’ defense locked in from there, holding the Cubs off the scoreboard for more than three minutes of game action while the offense scored 12 unanswered to ultimately build a 54-45 lead to start the fourth quarter.

Both teams traded scores to open the fourth until three straight baskets from Navarro, Waterman and Erwin brought the Cubs within one possession of the lead, 61-59, with less than 90 seconds to play.

As it had all evening, Neosho closed the game strong, outscoring Monett 7-2 down the stretch, including a steal and fast-break score by Green with 55 seconds left and four free throws inside of the final 40 seconds from Austin to seal the win.

“You want to be ahead so free throws don’t matter, but this (type of win) really matters for later in the year,” Culp said. “One big play when we were up two or three and Isaiah (Green) got the steal and runout layup. … That was a big play.”

NEOSHO HOLIDAY CLASSIC: Hillcrest knocks off host Neosho; Lamar and East Newton earn wins

NEOSHO, Mo. — Hillcrest caught fire from the perimeter midway through the first half to build an insurmountable cushion on the way to a 70-63 win over Neosho in the nightcap on the second day of the 66th Neosho Holiday Classic on Tuesday.

“We struggled putting the ball in the hole, and they made seven 3s in a half,” Neosho coach Zane Culp said. “We didn’t guard them well, but good basketball teams make shots. They only made one (3-pointer) in the second half. So, you’d like to think if they made one or two less 3s and we throw a few balls in then it could have been a different game down the stretch.

“Honestly, I am proud of the guys. It is common when a team gets up big and you play pretty much even (the rest of the way), but we cut it down to six with the possession for a chance to cut it to one possession. … That was good to see.”

Hillcrest took an 18-11 lead into the second quarter before opening the period with a 11-0 run to push the margin to 29-11 through the first four minutes. Crishawn Haggard opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer before Devin Oliver added a triple moments later to make the score 24-11. After a driving score by AJ Collins, Oliver knocked down his second 3-ball from the top of the key to push the Hornets’ lead to 29-11.

“We felt like we needed to change up our defense because we had two or three guys with two fouls,” Culp said. “We just switched up our defense. Hillcrest is a good team and they started to hit their shots as soon as we went to a zone.”

Neosho (6-2) broke its scoring drought with a Chase Flynn score on the drive at the 3:40 mark, but a corner 3-pointer from Anthony Keltner followed by a fast-break score from Cooper Huett and an old-fashioned three-point play from Oliver with two minutes left in the first half gave Hillcrest a 37-13 advantage. 

The Wildcats finished with just four field goals and shot 28.6 percent in the second period, going into the half trailing 37-20.

“They had some big, athletic guys that we haven’t faced really,” Culp said. “When you try to do too much against a team like that, I think you start to force shots you wouldn’t normally take. Hopefully, that will be a learning experience.”

Neosho, which outscored Hillcrest 26-16 in the final period, cut the lead to single digits, 58-49, with 4:15 left following a 6-0 run fueled by baskets from Dalton Brodie, Isaiah Green and Landon Austin. The Wildcats trimmed the lead to 62-56 with 2:25 to play on a three-point play from Austin, but got no closer before the final horn sounded.

STATS

Hillcrest was led in scoring by Haggard’s game-high 24 points. Oliver finished with 13 points and four rebounds, while Cole Griesemer finished with a double-double after scoring 11 and pulling down 11 rebounds.

Austin led Neosho with 23 points on 10-of-21 shooting. Brodie scored a career-high 19 points and added a team-high eight rebounds, while Green, a sophomore, finished with 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

“It’s fun as a coach to see a kid progress,” Culp said of Green. “As you watched him in the first couple games, he looked like a kid with talent who didn’t know what to do with it yet. He is getting more aggressive and more confident in himself, and he does a lot of good things. 

“Dalton Brodie set his career high in points and also had eight rebounds. He is always in there banging with the big guys and never comes out of the game. He is fun to watch as well.”

UP NEXT

Neosho closes the Holiday Classic with a 5 p.m. matchup against Monett on Wednesday, while Hillcrest takes on East Newton at 8.

 

LAMAR 61, MONETT 56

Lamar and Monett opened the fourth quarter tied at 43-43 before the Tigers used a 14-2 run to open the final eight minutes en route to the win on Tuesday to open the second day of the Neosho Holiday Classic.

Lamar dominated in paint points, 30-18, and on the boards, 41-20, while outscoring Monett 12-0 in second-chance points.

Mason Gastel led the Tigers with a game-high 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting, with six free throws. He added 12 rebounds to finish with a double-double. Conner Shoff added 13 points and four rebounds, while Gunnar Dillon added six points, seven rebounds and four blocks.

Daniel Navarro led Monett with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field as well as four assists. Blaine Salsman scored 14 points and finished with two assists and two steals, while Tyler Waterman added 11 points and five rebounds and two assists.

Lamar takes on McDonald County at 6:30 on Wednesday, while Monett and Neosho square off at 5.

 

EAST NEWTON 64, MCDONALD COUNTY 42

East Newton held a six-point lead after the first eight minutes of action before limiting McDonald County to single digit scoring totals in the second and third quarters to pull away for the win on Tuesday in the Neosho Holiday Classic.

The Patriots outscored the Mustangs 14-9 in the second period and 17-6 in the third to pace the way down the stretch on the way to victory.

McDonald County committed 19 turnovers to East Newton’s seven, leading the Patriots to a 26-5 advantage in points off turnovers.

Connor Killion led East Newton with 22 points off 7-of-11 shooting and grabbed six rebounds. Tanner Youngblood had 11 points and six boards, while Lucas Kimbrough finished with nine points, four rebounds and three assists. Kyson Lahman scored seven and Kelton Sorrell six.

McDonald County was led in scoring by Pierce Harman, who finished with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting. Teddy Reedybacon scored 10 and had seven rebounds.

McDonald County takes on Lamar at 6:30 on Wednesday, while East Newton battles Hillcrest at 8 p.m.