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By Tyler Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The time-tested adage states the early, aggressive bird gets the worm.
For the seventh-seeded Crane Pirates, while their tip-off against the Houston Tigers did not commence until 5:30 p.m. Thursday, they served as the aggressors on both ends of the floor in their 51-34 final at the Blue Division quarterfinals.
Isaiah Smith led all scorers with 20 points, and he and his Pirates counterparts only trailed once in the game — improving their record to 9-0 on the young season.
“I thought Isaiah played well,” Crane head coach Kevin Smith said. “He shot the ball well, got to the line, and showed some grit tonight.”
Smith finished 9-for-9 from the charity stripe.
While trailing once is a tough narrative to author, Smith said his unbeaten Pirates team welcomes any challenge on the hardwood: especially when that hardwood is on the Missouri State campus.
“Our team, we have good chemistry throughout our whole squad,” Smith said, who tallied 14 of his 20 points in the second half. “We come in and are confident in everybody who gives us good minutes. Whenever we trust people and are moving the ball — making the extra pass — I think it is easy to feel good about your team and your situation.”
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While most fans don’t fully grasp just what it takes to lead the opposition for 99 percent of a game, the Pirates did it with three guards and being shorthanded, as junior Brecken Vaught was unable to play due to illness — making the win that much more impressive.
While the Tigers had size on their side, the Pirates used a slash-and-dash offensive game plan to secure the win.
The Pirates’ motor never ceased on either end, and it’s that internal fire and fortitude that has the rest of Class 2 scratching their heads.
The Pirates tossed around their bodies with reckless abandon as they hit the floor fighting for 50-50 balls.
“We don’t like to take a possession lightly, because you never know whenever you are going to need that one possession back. I think we communicate as a team that we are not going to take off a possession, and make sure we are doing that together.”
After the Tigers connected for the first bucket and their lone lead of the game, the Pirates produced a 9-5 run to close out the opening quarter.
In the second, Smith hit the 3-pointer and Tyler Campbell used his precision to drive the lane and penetrate the interior, and all of a sudden, the Pirates were running and gunning — forcing the Tigers to back pedal and honor all components.
Smith and his counterpart guards defended the perimeter, cut down the passing lanes, and forced the opposition into unfavorable positions.
Smith said their style begins and ends on the defensive end of the court, as the smothering, stingy unit forced errant passes throughout the game.
“When we come out, we are kind of known for our defense, so we try to work our energy off that,” Smith said. “If you are giving up lay-ups, you are not going to win ballgames. So, if we are pressuring and getting energy, then you are going to shoot it with confidence.”
Houston mixed up man and zone defense in an effort to ignite its offense, but the Pirates’ patience around the perimeter and in the paint proved to be the difference maker on this night.
[Kevin] Smith said setting the tone from the onset and sustaining runs illuminated his modified pregame to-do list.
Said Smith: “We wanted to get good ball pressure on them and control the tempo if we could, but we couldn’t do it like we normally do, with a couple kids out who play heavy minutes. We wanted to get pressure on the ball because we knew how big they were.”
The annual Greenwood Blue and Gold Tournament is the perfect opportunity for the smaller schools throughout the Ozarks to showcase their product against the larger schools — and the Crane Pirates took full advantage once again.
[Kevin] Smith said there are a plethora of positives surrounding the tournament.
Added Smith: “We are basically the smallest school here because of our size. We always enjoy the moment and, hopefully, will make a run and beat somebody we’d never get the chance to play anywhere else but the Blue and Gold. When we get here, we try to measure ourselves against bigger schools with larger enrollment.”
The Pirates now prepare for Nixa — who routed Willow Springs, 63-31.
The two face off at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow at JQH Arena.
Scoring:
Crane: Smith (20), Campbell (14), Woodward (7), Branstetter (6), Aiden Vaught (4).
Scoring for Houston: Burchett (9), Moore (8), Ramsey (6), Franklin (6), Tune (4) and Jackson (1).
