By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
It wasn’t quite LeBron’s chase down block, but it was the high school equivalent.
After leading Webb City for nearly the entirety of the second half, back-to-back baskets by Alex Pickett and Tevaris Young cut Joplin’s lead in half.
Classmate Grant Ellis then pulled a steal and was on the verge of making it a one possession game until sophomore Evan Guillory’s rejection ignited a quick spurt, leading Joplin to a 64-56 road win over future COC rival Webb City.
Photos: Joplin vs. Webb City – CLICK HERE
“That play went from me calling a timeout to us getting a layup,” said Joplin coach Jeff Hafer. “It changed the entire course of the fourth quarter. That’s a big-time play. That’s a difference-making play that not everyone has the ability to make. I don’t do a drill in practice that teaches that, he just went and made a play. It changed the dynamic of the game. That was one of those plays that decided the game.”
To that point, the game had enjoyed little flow.
Both Joplin and Webb City want to pressure and live in transition, but 46 fouls and 54 free throw attempts between the two teams limited both squads.
Webb City scored the first five points of the game before the Eagles responded with a 13-0 run capped by senior Austin Higdon’s and-1 dunk.
Joplin led 20-11 after the game’s first eight minutes with Higdon scoring 14 of his game-high 23 points in the opening quarter.
The Eagles seemed likely to run away with it until seniors Preston Ellis and Colton Carpenter got going in the second quarter, scoring 13 of Webb City’s 15 points.
The Cardinals struggled with some turnovers and continuity, issues of a team that has had just eight practices together as a full group.
“I would like to be able to practice right now, but we’re getting some lessons in game situations,” said Webb City head coach Jason Horn. “We’ve had a couple of tight games that we can evaluate the film on what we did wrong and get those corrected. We’re in a tough stretch of the season but as we continue to practice we’ll have an opportunity to grow.”
Maybe the most impressive aspect of Joplin’s effort is what they did defensively. The Eagles held Webb City’s leading scorer Alex Pickett to just seven points, all of which came in the fourth quarter.
The 6-foot-5 senior led the Cardinals in scoring as a junior and was averaging 14.5 points entering Tuesday. It was his first time not reaching double figures this season.
“We wanted to make it tough for him to get to the rim because that’s what he really wants to do,” said Hafer. “It’s not easy with a guy that’s as determined as him, especially in a game with a lot of whistles. We did a good job early of limiting his touches. We were able to take away his transition looks and second chance points and make every look contested.”
The Cardinals lone lead of the second half came on back-to-back 3-pointers by junior Alex Gaskill and senior Kyle Nichols, giving Webb City a 32-30 lead.
Joplin rallied almost immediately with three straight bombs of their own, extending the lead back to nine at 43-34.
The sophomore Guillory finished with 20 points and three blocks for Joplin. He finished 14-for-17 from the free throw line.
Ellis led Webb City with 19 points. Nichols added 11 and Carpenter chipped in 10 off the bench.
Joplin is now 6-0, the program’s best start in more than a decade. Last year Joplin didn’t win its sixth game until January 13th.
With a pair of wins over Nevada and Webb City, the Eagles now enter Ozark Conference play with an unblemished record and plenty of momentum.
Friday’s OC opener at home against Lebanon will give Joplin a chance to start its farewell tour in the conference off with a bang.
The Yellowjackets beat the Eagles 66-63 last season.
Just one year removed from losing six games by single digits, this year’s group seems determined to reestablish the legacy of Joplin Basketball.
Winning three games by eight points already is the perfect way for Hafer’s Eagles to start.
“This is huge for us; we lost so many close games last year,” said Hafer. “We found a way to win a few more this summer and now we’re winning games in different ways. This group has bought into the fact that if we defend and rebound we can be in any game. To beat teams in the Ozark Conference and good teams in this state you’ve got to be able to get stops late. We’ve done that.
“Our confidence couldn’t be higher. We lost a tough game with them last year. It was a one possession game and we missed a dunk and a three late. We have a great opportunity heading into the break to finish the first part of the season the right way. Conference games are never easy and I’m excited. We need some of these tough battles.”
