In a game that will go down in Greenwood basketball lore, Julius Walker still found a way to talk about his other favorite sport: soccer.
The Blue Jays had seen a 17-point halftime lead turn into a one-point deficit with less than three minutes remaining in Wednesday night’s Class 2 sectional. Walker drew inspiration from the soccer Blue Jays’ trip to state last November.
“Our last game at state, our coach Chris Shull said to us, ‘You don’t want to make that 3-hour drive home and think there was anything more you could have gave or done,’” Walker said. “I said that to some of the guys tonight and they all took it to heart and gave it everything they had.”
That afternoon in Fenton, Greenwood overcame a pair of one-goal deficits in the second half to forge a 2-all tie with Sacred Heart and finish 3rd in Class 1. Walker scored the game’s final goal.
The Blue Jays delivered an even better outcome on Wednesday night, backed by Walker’s superb performance.
Greenwood bested Iberia in a battle of wills over a back-and-forth final four minutes, as the Blue Jays twice came back from one-point deficits to earn a 73-70 victory at Lebanon High School. Greenwood (25-3 overall) advances to the Class 2 quarterfinals and faces Crane at 1 p.m. Saturday at Drury’s O’Reilly Family Event Center.
Walker led the way with 45 points, including 19 in the first quarter to give Greenwood an early 24-7 lead. His efforts were nearly matched by Iberia senior Devyn Bloodgood, who poured in 39 points, including 21 in the fourth quarter.
Bloodgood’s fourth-quarter onslaught – fueled by a pair of three-point plays, three 3-pointers and Greenwood’s struggles against on-ball screens that led to layups – gave the Rangers a 67-66 lead with 2:21 remaining and put Greenwood’s season on the brink.
“I looked up at the scoreboard and thought, ‘I really don’t want my career to end in this gym. I really don’t want to lose this 17-point lead,’” Walker said. “I think all the guys knew that. As seniors this time of year, you really don’t need any motivation to play hard because we know if we don’t give it our all, our careers are going to be over.”
Greenwood retook the lead, 68-67, on a basket from Walker with 1:55 remaining. The Rangers committed a turnover, but Greenwood missed a layup on its end.
Iberia was about to retake the lead, but Blue Jays point guard Tony Brandt – injured right hand and all – blocked a layup attempt. Joseph Brock made three of four free throw attempts in the final 1:15 to help the Blue Jays seal the victory.
“(Brock’s) had big fourth quarters in our last few games,” said Greenwood coach Darren Taylor. “He’s got confidence. He can make those free throws. We have confidence in him.
“That block was huge and Tony’s a difference-maker when he’s out there.”
Iberia was fouled shooting a 3 with 6.6 seconds remaining and made all three of its ensuing free throw attempts. The Blue Jays split a pair of free throws on their end to make it 73-70. A desperation heave from beyond half-court by Iberia at the buzzer was well of the mark.
Iberia finishes its season 20-8 overall. The Rangers finished runner-up in Class 2 last season and graduated a stellar senior class, including 6’10” center Dexter Frisbie, who’s now playing for Missouri Southern State University.
This year’s group – led again by the senior class – helped the program win its fourth district title in five seasons. Iberia had only made the state final four one time before the 2016 class entered the school.
The 2017 seniors – Bloodgood, Mason and Collin Murray – added to Iberia’s tradition.
“We lost a bunch (of players) from last year’s team,” said Rangers coach Steve Scholfield. “People didn’t think – and it’s natural – that we’d be that good. These kids didn’t get to play (much) on varsity last year. They didn’t get to play because the kids in front of them were that good.
“I’m so proud of my kids. I can’t say enough. It all starts with seniors. My senior leadership is as good as I’ve ever had.”
Tony Brandt added 16 points for Greenwood, 12 coming in the first half. He and Walker accounted for all 35 of Greenwood’s first-half points as the Blue Jays led 35-18 at intermission.
Walker punished Iberia early as the Rangers try to guard him one-on-one in the post – without fronting – before switching to a variety of defenses over the remainder of the game.
“We just didn’t have a good matchup for him,” Scholfield said. “He’s so good. I was there Saturday night, watching him play Fair Play. He’s such a smooth player that sometimes it doesn’t look like he’s playing hard. Man, he’s a monster.
“We had to run multiple people at him and hope he wears down. Heck of a player. We haven’t seen anyone better.”
Iberia quickly cut into Greenwood’s lead in the second half. Nine of Iberia’s 10 made 3-pointers in the game occurred in the second half.
“I knew (Iberia) had potential to come back in a hurry. I had seen them on film and in person,” Taylor said. “All of them can shoot the 3. There’s no place you can hide somebody.”
Added Walker: “In the first half, I believe they hit one 3. In the second half, it felt like they missed one 3.”
Wesley’s Bergen’s 3-pointer gave the Blue Jays a 52-46 lead with about five minutes remaining. That’s when Bloodgood erupted, scoring Iberia’s next 18 points to give the Rangers the lead (67-66) with 2:21 remaining.
“He’s a killer,” Walker said.
Bloodgood fouled out with 5.2 seconds remaining and Greenwood leading 72-70.
Saturday’s game at Drury is a rematch from earlier this season, when Crane defeated Greenwood 55-50 on Dec. 3 in the championship game of the Pierce City Tournament. The Blue Jays are undefeated in 2017, having won 16 straight since the Blue and Gold.
Greenwood last made the state final four in the 1990-91 season, as a Class 1 school.
“This group is so easy to coach,” Taylor said. “They like each other, they take care of each and they TRY – you can put that in capital letters – to do what I ask most of the time. It’s really made it easy for me.”
Greenwood 73, Iberia 70
Greenwood 24 11 14 24 — 73
Iberia 12 6 23 29 — 70
Greenwood – Julius Walker 45, Tony Brandt 16, Wesley Bergen 6, Joseph Brock 6
Iberia – Devyn Bloodgood 39, Carter Halley 9, Collin Murray 8, Hayden Humphrey 8, Cole Mason 5, Sam Huth 1
