By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
WILLARD — The timing was right Saturday, finally, for Nixa’s Kael Combs and Bolivar’s Kyle Pock to lead their teams against each other.
In what figures to be the one and only game Combs and Pock face off during their high school careers, Combs got the best of Pock in the scorebook and on the scoreboard.
Combs poured in 28 points to Pock’s 26 and Nixa edged Bolivar 75-71 in the Willard Classic championship game.
It was a friendly showdown between the two senior playmakers generally considered the premier players in southwest Missouri this season.
They both embraced the duel.
“Everybody thinks Kyle might be the best player around here and some people think I might be the best player around here,” Combs said. “I kind of wanted to give everybody a show and Kyle gave everybody a show, too. It was a fun game.”
“I was kind of waiting on this four years, seeing if we would ever match up against each other,” Pock said. “It was a lot of fun. It was a great game.”
“I think a lot of people enjoyed watching those two tonight,” Nixa coach Brock Blansit said. “They put on a show. They’re two of the better players not only in the area, but the state.”
Over the years, Combs and Pock have been on the same court for numerous games, but as teammates. They played AAU ball together for MoKan out of Kansas City.
“We played together our ninth- and 10th-grade years,” Combs said. “I’ve known him since the fifth grade. I love Kyle. He’s a really good guy.”
“We’ve been close since the fifth grade,” Pock said. “We played on local teams together and then we both went to MoKan. He’s a fun guy to be around. He has a lot of energy. I loved being his teammate. I wished he had moved to Bolivar. I tried to get him the best I could, but he wouldn’t budge.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
Bolivar broke out to a 27-17 lead midway through what turned out to be a highly entertaining second quarter.
Both teams were on fire in the quarter. Bolivar scored 27 points in the second quarter yet was outscored. Nixa put up 31 points in the period and still trailed.
The Liberators were up 43-42 at the half.
Josh Peters emerged for Nixa with a 13-point second quarter en route to a 24-point performance. He netted six 3-pointers on the night.
Pock had 14 points in the first half, as did teammate Mason Wilson, who finished with 20.
“Pock is a nightmare to defend,” Blansit said. “There’s really nothing he can’t do. The scouting report is pretty obvious, put two guys on him and hope he misses.”
“It was kind of what I expected,” Pock said of the double-teams he faced. “There’s been a lot of physicality in the games we’ve played. We did better stepping up to that challenge tonight and matching their physicality.”
Combs showed off his 3-point stroke, as well, making a trio of treys. He also wisely drove to the hoop and repeatedly lured Bolivar defenders into fouls to help Nixa gain the upper hand.
Combs made his first 13 free-throw attempts and finished 15-of-18 at the foul line.
He made six freebies over the final minute to help fend off Bolivar’s comeback bid.
Pock had a shot to tie things up 74, but his 3-point try with :03 from 25 feet out near the top of the key bounced off a side of the rim.
“We brought out their best and we played a good game, as well,” Pock said. “We gave it our best shot.”
After going 5-2 in games decided by five points or less last season, Nixa (3-0) took the first of what Blansit envisions will be many close encounters.
“This was a battle. We knew coming in would go down to the wire,” Blansit siad. “We handled (the pressure) well and stepped up at the end to hit some big free throws. We were able to finish it. We’re going to be in a lot of these games this year, so we better get used to it.”
