By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
Cooper Cribbs kept Bolivar’s spirits high Saturday, even after the Liberators lost all-state guard Kyle Pock.
Pock fouled out with 6:49 remaining in the Willard Tournament championship game, but Bolivar never gave up the lead on its way to a 55-53 triumph over the host Tigers.
Cribbs supplied 13 points and immeasurable energy the entire night.
“Cooper is incredible,” Bolivar coach Robby Hoegh said. “He’s a big-time competitor and we love his energy. He’s our Energizer Bunny. He has a tremendous amount of heart. He’s in it for the team. He cares about Bolivar basketball. He’s put his thumbprint on it and not just with his play, but with his enthusiasm, energy and the way he invests in his teammates.”
“He brings really good energy to the table,” guard Kaden Griswold said.
Cribbs was both fired up and on fire. He had a trio of 3-point goals in the opening quarter while feeding off energy from the Liberators’ fans.
“It helps when you’ve got a great student section and bench,” Cribbs said. “It’s a great atmosphere when we play.”
The Liberators not only kept their energy level high without Pock, but stayed composed without their chief ball-handler. Griswold and Jack Larimore didn’t panic against Willard’s pressure.
“That was clutch, young guys in their first year of varsity stepping up big-time down the stretch,” Cribbs said. “That was good to see.”
“They did a good job stepping up and having poise,” Hoegh said.
Griswold welcomed the chance to set up Bolivar’s offense as a point guard. Cribbs and Josh Bowes both topped the Liberators with 13 points.
“I’ve played the point before,” Grisworld said. “I’m normally a two-guard. But I can handle the ball when I have to.”
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Griswold made one of two free throws in the final seconds to make it a two-possession ball game and give Bolivar a four-point lead.
As proud as Hoegh was of his players, he took responsibility for putting them in a tough spot minus Pock. Pock picked up his fourth foul with 7:36 left to play and was out of the game with his fifth foul less than a minute later.
“I probably should have took Kyle out for a moment,” Hoegh said. “He’s such a smart, heady kid. But I should have taken him out to give him a little down time and for the officials to lose him a bit.”
Pock had a rare sub-par night. He was 2-for-11 from the floor and 8-of-10 at the free-throw line en route to 12 points.
Willard’s Gavin Davis hounded Pock and on the other end of the court scored a game-high 18 points.
“Gavin has emerged,” Tigers coach Jeremy Dresslear said. “He’s been our best defender for two years. Now, he’s starting to become a well-rounded player. I thought he was the second best player in the tournament right behind (Pock).”
Willard’s Trey Pulford scored 13 of his 17 points in third quarter.
“Trey is one of those kids who catches fire after one shot,” Dresslear said. “When he gets rolling, he is hard to guard.”
The Tigers put up 33 points in the second half, after being down 29-20 at halftime.
“We didn’t execute offensively as well as we wanted,” Dresslear said. “To lose by two and not feel we played as good as we could have is a good spot to be in for early December. We’re on the rise.”
Bolivar and Willard have another regular-season meeting and could face each other again in Districts.
“We’re both going to get better, so it will be interesting to see them again down the road,” Cribbs said.
The All-Tournament Team included Pock, Davis, Bolivar’s Lukas Gabani, Willard’s Haden Brown, Greenwood’s James Tanner and Tommy Pinegar, Camdenton’s Oscar Robbins, Belton’s Greg Lyles and Harrison’s Gatlin James and Logan Plumlee.
BOLIVAR (55) — Larimore 0 2-2 2, Pock 2 8-10 12, Cribbs 5 0-0 13, Gabani 2 2-2 6, Griswold 3 2-3 9, Bowes 3 7-7 13.
WILLARD (53) — Wilken 3 0-0 6, Hall 3 0-1 8, Pulford 7 1-3 17, Brown 2 0-1 4, Davis 7 2-4 18.
Bolivar 19 10 13 13 – 55
Willard 7 13 21 12 – 53
3-point goals – Cribbs 3, Pulford 2, Hall 2, Davis 2, Griswold.
