If it was a game of horse, Joplin "proved" its winning shot with a second consecutive win over the McDonald County Mustangs with a 68-42 decision in the opening round of the 71st Carthage Invitational Boys Basketball Tournament on Monday night at Carthage High School.
Joplin previously claimed a 56-47 win on Nov. 20 at McDonald County High School in a regular-season game to open the 2017-2018 season.
In the rematch, McDonald County scored the first five points of the game but, from then on, it was all Joplin.
Cooper Reece scored the game's opening basket after grabbing an offensive rebound before Peyton Barton converted an old-fashioned three-point play to give the Mustangs an early 5-0 lead.
But Joplin answered by scoring 14 consecutive points on the way to scoring 23 of the final 27 points of the first quarter to take a 23-9 lead at the end of the first period.
Leading 29-17 midway through the second quarter, Joplin closed out the first half by outscoring the Mustangs, 10-4, to take a 39-21 lead at intermission.
The teams traded baskets in the third period until Joplin scored the final eight points of the quarter to stretch its margin to 57-31 entering the fourth quarter.
The closest the Mustangs could get in the fourth quarter was 62-42 midway through the period before Joplin scored the final six points of the game.
"We just are taking baby steps right now," said coach Kyle Fields. "We are still in the process of learning. We have some kids that are green who are trying to figure out things. Joplin is a tough team to play your first two games of the season. They are a lot more athletic than we are and, when a team is more athletic than you, it really shows your weaknesses. We are just going to go back to the drawing board and continue to work hard and compete. I think we are starting to get tougher, and we did a good job on the boards against a team that has some good athletes."
Reece finished with 10 points to lead a balanced McDonald County scoring attack, while DelosSantos added eight points and Blake Gravette and Barton had seven each. Rounding out the scoring for the Mustangs were Boston Dowd with five points, Cade Smith with three and Tim Shields two.
McDonald County falls to 0-2 for the season heading into the consolation bracket of the tournament. The Mustangs will face Neosho in the consolation semifinals at a time and date to be determined (based on a West Plains win or loss in the opening round). McDonald County will play at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, in either the fifth-place or seventh-place game.
Sports on 11/30/2017