MCHS Boys BB Take a Double Hit Loss

RICK PECK/SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS McDonald County's Boston Dowd makes a reverse layup while being defended by Joplin's Tommy Hafer during the Mustangs' 90-61 loss on Dec. 21 at Joplin High School.
RICK PECK/SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS McDonald County's Boston Dowd makes a reverse layup while being defended by Joplin's Tommy Hafer during the Mustangs' 90-61 loss on Dec. 21 at Joplin High School.

The Joplin Eagles took advantage of their high percentage shooting opportunities -- dunks by Evan Guillory and Zach Westmoreland and three-pointers by Always Wright -- to rout McDonald County, 91-60, on Dec. 21 at Joplin High School.

Westmoreland scored 21 points and Guillory finished with 14 points, with most of those coming on dunks, while Wright also scored 21 points, hitting seven of his eight three-point attempts.

Joplin led just 6-4 early in the first quarter before using an 11-0 run to stretch its lead to 17-4 to get the rout started.

Cooper Reece scored from the block for the Mustangs to cut the lead to 17-6, but Wright hit his second consecutive three-pointer to get the Eagles going again on the way to a 22-8 lead after the first quarter.

Kobe McAlister hit a pair of free throws for McDonald County to open the second quarter, but Westmoreland scored on a fast break and then hit a pair of free throws to give Joplin a 28-10 lead.

Cade Smith's jumper cut the Eagles' lead to 30-14, but Joplin went on a 15-0 run on the way to a 50-20 halftime lead.

The Eagles largest lead of the game came when Westmoreland ended the third quarter with a slam to give Joplin a 72-39 advantage entering the fourth quarter.

Reece kept the Mustangs close in the third quarter, scoring 13 of his team-high 31 points in the period.

In addition to Reece's 31 points, McDonald County received 10 from Smith, seven from Boston Dowd, five from Saul Garcia, four from McAlister and three from Devin Price to round out the scoring for the Mustangs.

Joplin added a 55-42 win in the junior varsity game, holding off the Mustangs after building a 32-point lead in the third quarter.

Tae-Shaun Alik scored 18 points, including five three-pointers, to lead McDonald County. Jackson Clarkson added eight points, followed by Cale Adamson and Irael Marcos with five points each, Pierce Harmon with three, McAlister two and Garrett Gricks one.

McDonald County falls to 2-6 entering its next game against Bentonville High School on Dec. 27 at the Neosho Holiday Classic. Game time is 1 p.m.

Carthage

Sophomore Patrick Carlton scored 18 points in the first quarter to stake the Carthage Tigers to a 24-12 lead on the way to a 71-45 win on Dec. 20 at Carthage High School.

Carlton scored the Tigers' first seven points and nine of their first 12, but Carthage only led 12-10 after a three-pointer by Dowd midway through the first period.

Carthage answered by closing out the quarter on a 12-2 run, including nine more from the 6-2 Carlton, who played quarterback on the Tigers' state semifinal football team.

Carthage stretched its lead to 28-12 early in the second quarter, but McDonald County closed out the period with an 8-4 advantage to cut the margin to 32-20 at halftime.

The former Southwest Conference rivals traded baskets for most the third quarter until Carthage scored the final four points of the period to take a 50-33 lead into the fourth quarter.

Dowd opened the fourth period with trey, but Carthage followed with a 14-1 spurt to put the game away.

Reece scored 15 points and Dowd 10 to lead McDonald County. Rounding out the scoring for the Mustangs were Cade Smith with eight points, Ben Mora six and Clarkson, McAlister and Parker Harris with two each.

Carthage won the junior varsity game 60-37.

Adamson led the Mustangs with 10 points, followed by Harmon with seven, McAlister and Marcos six each, Cole Martin five, Harris two and Price one.

Sports on 12/27/2018