[wpbvideo id=’302596′]
By Jordan Burton/For OzarksSportsZone.com
Conley Garrison emerged from the locker room wearing a shirt that had three simple words… Polk County Grind.
It was just a shirt to many, but for the Liberators it has become a way of life.
The ‘Polk County Grind’ is taking a 17-point halftime lead…
The ‘Polk County Grind’ is battling back when that lead evaporates in just one quarter…
The ‘Polk County Grind’ is taking and making the biggest shot of your career…
The ‘Polk County Grind’ has Bolivar headed back to Columbia for the second time in the last three years following an epic 59-52 overtime win over Grandview on Saturday at SBU.
The Liberators were 0-3 in overtime games this season entering Saturday.
“These guys are what we call ‘20 years down the road’ guys,” said Bolivar coach Robby Hoegh. “They’ve already won, anything else is cream on top. We’ve had four heart-breaking losses in games like this. The shot that Conley (Garrison) made was a low percentage shot, but those are the same kinds of shots we’ve lost on this season. Our kids are high-character kids and they knew we’d be proud of them regardless of the outcome.”
For Garrison, the only acceptable outcome was a win.
In what was his final game in a Liberator uniform in Bolivar, Garrison put together one of the most clutch performances in program history, scoring 31 points including all 16 of Bolivar’s third and fourth quarter points.
GAME PHOTOS: BOLIVAR VS. GRANDVIEW
No bucket was bigger than Garrison’s overtime-forcing 3 at the end of regulation, one of four 3s he hit in the game.
By basketball standards it was a tough shot. A contested, 23-footer probably isn’t the best option for a game-tying shot, but it’s the look Garrison got and he wasn’t going to have it any other way.
“I knew I wanted to take the shot; it sounds selfish, but I wasn’t going to let anyone else take the shot,” said Garrison. “Honestly when it left my hands it didn’t feel good. It didn’t go in clean. It had the crappiest bounce in the world, but it went in so I thank God for that bounce. I didn’t want it to be my last game, I did whatever I could to help my team win.”
Bolivar trailed 45-41 with 45 seconds remaining. Garrison hit a three to pull the Libs within one, 45-44, with 21.6 seconds left, preceding his late heroics.
Grandview scored the first two points of overtime before senior Brandon Emmert broke a scoreless streak by anyone without the last name Garrison.
Emmert finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds, 15 of those points came while Bolivar built a 31-14 lead in the first half.
But, Emmert’s biggest play wasn’t on the defensive end, it was a charge he took at the 2:02 in overtime on Grandview junior Jordan Lathon.
Lathon, who is currently ranked in the top 150 by Rivals, scored 18 points in the third and fourth quarters to help help the Bulldogs battle back from an early hole. His jumper midway through the fourth quarter capped a 26-8 spurt, giving Grandview its first lead of the game, 40-39.
“We knew they were going to make a run,” said Hoegh. “That team is a load. They beat Kearney by 35 and that’s a final four team. We were prepared for that. What we didn’t like is that it came off of turnovers, which is what we wanted to avoid.”
Garrison’s 31 points matched a season-high. Emmert continues to pile on to his school records in points, rebounds and blocks. The dynamic senior duo scored 27 of Bolivar’s 28 points after the intermission.
Hoegh and the Liberators are heading back to Columbia after a disappointing trip in 2015 saw Bolivar drop its two games by a combined 45 points.
Returning to the final four with a senior-led group has the Libs hungry for a different outcome.
“We have six seniors, we’ve thought about this moment for a long time,” said Hoegh.”We know there will be four good teams and we’re fortunate to be there. The last time we went I did a poor job of preparing these guys. We came up the day of and it was too hectic and we never got settled in. I don’t think it would have matter because like us this year they are full of seniors and on a mission. This team reminds me of that St. Charles team with two really good players and everyone else that does their job well.”
Bolivar will meet Parkway Central on March 16 at 5:10 p.m. in Mizzou Arena.
Bolivar 59, Grandview 52 (OT)
Grandview 6-8-21-12-5 – 52
Bolivar 17-14-8-8-12 – 59
Grandivew (24-5): Lathon 18, Sorrells 14, Taylor 7, Crook-Jones 5, Boston 4, Eze 2, Banks 2.
Bolivar (26-4): Garrison 31, Emmert 21, Pitts 4, Jones 3.
