The McDonald County seventh-grade boys basketball team got better each game of last week's Seneca Seventh-Grade Basketball Tournament, culminating with a 46-16 win over Joplin North for the tournament championship.
McDonald County was led in scoring in the championship game by Bo Leach, Junior Eliam and Garrett Gricks with 11 points each followed by Cole Martin with five points and Pierce Harmon and S.J. Joseph with four points each.
The Mustangs advanced to the finals with a 40-20 win over East Newton in the semifinals. McDonald County led 9-6 after the first quarter before using a 16-3 edge in the second quarter to open a 25-9 lead at intermission.
Leach scored 15 points to lead the Mustangs. Rounding out the scoring for McDonald County were Eliam with 10, Harmon and Matthew Mora four each, Colton Ruddick three and Gricks and Devin Swanson two each.
In the season and tournament opener for McDonald County, the Mustangs trailed for most of the game before rallying in the fourth quarter for a win over Lamar.
Leach scored 16 points, 14 in the second half, and Gricks had 14 to lead McDonald County. Rounding out the scoring for the Mustangs were Eliam with four points, Mora and Cross Dowd with three each and Harmon with two.
McDonald County, 3-0, faced Neosho on Jan. 9 and East Newton on Jan. 10 before the Mustangs host Mount Vernon on Jan. 13.
Sports on 01/12/2017