Apparently, the third time truly was the charm for Bradleyville.
After a pair of regular season losses to rival Hurley, the Eagles won when it mattered most, topping Hurley 64-54 in the Class 1 – District 4 semifinals Monday at Keeter Gymnasium in Point Lookout.
PHOTOS: BRADLEYVILLE VS. HURLEY – CLICK HERE
“It’s tough to beat a team three times,” said Bradleyville coach Josh Hume. “We combed through the game tape and felt confident going into this one. Coach Curtis does a great job over there but we were able to make a few adjustments offensively and defensively that just made a huge difference.”
Bradleyville lost to Hurley twice in the same week, falling 77-65 in the Mark Twain Conference Tournament and losing just six days later to the Tigers in regular season conference play, 58-55.
The Eagles scored nine of the game’s first 13 points on Monday, grabbing a quick 9-4 lead before Hurley responded with a 8-3 counter punch to end the quarter, tying it up at 12.
However, a 17-6 advantage in the second quarter, keyed by six points from senior Cole Thomas, helped Bradleyville grab a lead that it wouldn’t give back.
The difference between the first nine quarters and the last three for Bradleyville was its ability to get to the rim at will.
“We have tested out all kinds of different strategies against them and they got us the first two times,” said Hume. “We adjusted a few things defensively and just attacked and kept attacking offensively and it seemed to work. We emphasized attacking and rebounding the basketball and it paid off.”
Thomas finished with a game-high 26 points, 13 of which came in each half, with many of his second-half buckets coming at crucial times, countering each Hurley run.
“He’s the nucleus; we feed off of him in so many different ways,” said Hume. “He goes hard regardless of if it’s a game or in practice and he never lets up. He puts a tremendous amount of pressure on an opposing defense and it frees up the game for everyone.”
Bradleyville was also able to slow down Hurley standout Dyllon Jackson.
The senior scored a team-high 19 points with 15 of it coming in the third quarter when Hurley outscored Bradleyville 18-10, cutting the deficit to just three entering the fourth quarter, 39-36.
Jackson was held scoreless in the fourth quarter and Bradleyville outscored Hurley 25-18 in the pivotal frame.
“With a guy as talented as Dyllon the only thing you can do is contest his shot and try to keep him off the boards,” said Hume. “He’s so talented offensively and they have a bunch of guys that can shoot it so we just wanted to contest, box out, and hope for the best.”
CJ Horsey and Keylan Beeler added 11 points for Bradleyville. William Pope added 12 for Hurley.
School of the Ozarks wins 16th straight with semifinal win against New Covenant
For eight minutes it seemed like New Covenant had withered the storm.
School of the Ozarks held a 19-11 lead after the first quarter, but the margin didn’t seem that wide as the play of freshman Timmy Smith kept the Warriors competitive.
Then it happened… and kept happening.
The Patriots used a 25-3 run to start the second quarter to open up a 44-14 lead, outscoring NCA 31-8 in the frame, on their way to a 78-38 win.
PHOTOS: SCHOOL OF THE OZARKS VS. NEW COVENANT – CLICK HERE
S of O coach Jerry Martin didn’t give his team a big speech after the first quarter, something he does less frequently these days with four seniors and a junior in his starting five, many of which have been seeing varsity action since their freshman year.
“I just told them to keep plugging away,” said Martin. “Defensively I thought we were doing exactly what we needed to do, we just hadn’t rebounded well enough to get out in transition. That was the catalyst for us, we got a few transition baskets and everything ramped up for us. It just took us a little bit to get going.”
Keying the run was senior guard Cade Martin.
In a starting lineup that includes 6-foot-4 likely all-stater Keaton Tillack, Martin’s ability to run the offense, both scoring and facilitating, allows the Patriots to be lethal in transition and the halfcourt alike.
“My mentor told me a long time ago about the importance of a good point guard, one that has a head for the game,” said Martin. “Cade is calm, he doesn’t get too riled up, and he gets people where they need to be. It’s like having a quarterback out there; he can read defenses and get the ball where it needs to be. It’s invaluable.”
Tillack did finish with a game-high 23 points despite sitting out the entire fourth quarter. Martin tallied 11, all of which came in the first half. Junior Billy Evans chipped in 14.
Silas Seibert scored a team-high for 16 points for the Warriors.
There is a silver lining for NCA, which returns nearly everyone from a team that won four of six to end the season. That includes a pair of freshmen starters.
For S of O, this season continues to be about unfinished business.
After losing to South Iron in last year’s sectional round, the Patriots are hungry for a deep playoff run. But, riding a 16-game win streak and owning one of the best records in the Ozarks won’t allow S of O to sneak up on anyone.
There’s a firm target on their back.
“It’s fun for kids to get to experience that,” said Martin. “Last year we were not on anyone’s radar and by the middle of the season we thought we were alright and capable of making a run. It’s fun being on this side of it and a fun mental challenge for the kids and something they can grow from. You have to lock-in mentally and it’s good for kids to have to deal with.”
School of the Ozarks and Bradleyville have met five times in the last two seasons, with S of O holding a 3-2 edge in those games. The total scoring margin in those five meetings is just one, with Bradleyville outscoring the Patriots 316-315 in those five matchups.
Thursday’s Class 1 – District 4 Championship is set to tipoff at 7:30 p.m. at Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of College of the Ozarks.
