By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
LEBANON — Scottie Osborn made many of the same post moves Saturday that helped him lead Willow Springs to 22 victories this season.
But in Father Tolton Catholic, Osborn and the Bears faced an opponent like they hadn’t seen all season. The Trailblazers stopped Willow Springs’ post-season run by handing the Bears a 65-26 Class 4 Quarterfinal loss.
“Everyone has been about an inch or so taller than me this season,” The 6-foot-0 Osborn said of his battles in the paint his senior year. “But when I looked up to (Father Tolton 6-foot-11 center Jevon Porter), I thought, ‘Oh my, he’s like a tree on the court.’ I would try to go behind the rim and not get blocked. But I still got blocked.
“We tried our best,” Osborn added. “But it was difficult because there were four or five of them who are over 6-5. None of us are taller than 6-0. It was hard against those big boys and they’re good.”
Willow Springs (22-6) couldn’t make up for the many mismatches. Father Tolton didn’t miss many field-goal attempts, but when the Trailblazers did miss, they got to the offensive board and converted repeated second-chance points.
“Nobody in southwest Missouri has that kind of length,” Bears coach Mike Wilson said. “We haven’t seen that all year long. They weren’t complacent. They played harder against us than I’ve seen them play.
“We thought maybe we could get the ball to Scottie and he could get to the rim and get them in foul trouble,” Wilson added. “We needed to get some of them bigger guys out to negate the length they had on us. It didn’t happen.”
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Over Wilson’s career, he’s had other teams experience a similar end to their post-season opposite a private school with a bevy of talent. His Strafford teams lost a state championship game to Hogan Prep in 2011, a state semifinal game to Cardinal Ritter in 2014 and a state finals contest to Barstow in 2015.
“I’ve run into mid-class private schools several times,” Wilson said.
This was Wilson’s seventh trip to the Elite Eight. He’s on a short list of coaches with that many Quarterfinal berths and even on a shorter list of coaches who have done so with four schools (Willow Springs, Forsyth, Hartville and Forsyth).
“I am proud of that,” Wilson said. ‘I’ve been lucky enough to be at four quality places that have kids who love to play. The kids have taken me there. I just ride with them.”
Osborn is one of five seniors for Willow Springs to close their careers.
“Us seniors made a good run for it,” Osborn said. “We’ll be happy we got 22 wins, that’s a pretty big accomplishment. The town loves us and would do anything for us. What we did for them is what they did for us. Everyone in town is going to remember us for a long time.”
TOLTON (65) — Rowe 7 2-2 18, McCluney 2 0-0 6, Boyer 4 0-0 9, Chievous 4 2-2 11, Porter 4 5-5 14, Appolon 1 0-0 2, Fretwell 2 1-2 5.
WILLOW SPRINGS (26) — Scottie Osborn 4 3-7 11, Colvin 2 1-2 5, Scooter Osborn 1 0-0 2, Duddridge 2 1-2 6, Thompson 0 0-2 0, Rothermich 0 2-2 2.
Tolton 19 24 21 1 – 65
Willow Springs 9 7 7 3 – 26
3-point goals – Rowe 2, McCluney 2, Boyer, Chievous, Porter, Duddridge.
