The McDonald County High School boys' basketball team had several questions heading into the season under first-year coach Brandon Joines.
After the Mustangs' first game of the year, the question on everyone's mind was, "When was the last time McDonald County scored 92 points in a game."
The answer, prior to that first game, was not known. The answer after that first game is Dec. 3, 2019, in a 92-85 win over Aurora.
Cade Smith scored 25 points to lead four players in double figures as McDonald County pulled away in the final four minutes to help Joines win in his first chance as leader of the Mustangs.
"It's a pretty good feeling getting that first one," Joines said. "If you walked in that locker room after the game, the environment, the atmosphere and everybody's temperament were just completely different than where it was when we walked in at the beginning of the summer. That is just exciting to see and to know what we can do in the future. I don't know how in the world we scored over 90 points -- I don't think that will be our season average, but if it is, my goodness, let's roll with it."
Smith scored McDonald County's first six points as the Mustangs jumped out to a 13-5 lead midway through the first quarter. Pierce Harmon then hit back-to-back three-pointers late in the period to help McDonald County take a 27-18 lead at the end of the period.
But Aurora answered with a 13-0 run to start the second quarter for a 31-28 lead with 5:16 left in the first half.
The teams traded baskets over the final five minutes before Cole Martin hit a trey in the final 30 seconds to tie the score at 42-42 at intermission.
McDonald County opened the second half with three straight three-pointers and outscored the Houn' Dawgs, 13-2, in the first two minutes of the half to build a 55-44 lead. Aurora closed to seven points at 63-56 before McDonald County scored the final five points of the quarter to take a 68-56 lead into the fourth quarter.
McDonald County led 72-61 early in the fourth quarter, but Aurora scored eight straight points to cut the lead to 72-69 with 5:24 left in the game. Irael Marcos hit a pair of layups to stretch the lead to 76-69, but the never-say-die Houn' Dawgs cut the lead to three again at 76-73 and 78-75 before Cale Adamson got loose for two more layups to give McDonald County an 82-75 lead with 2:07 left.
Smith then put an exclamation mark on his big night with consecutive dunks before Harmon and Martin hit two free throws in the final 40 seconds to seal the win.
"Our defense at times was just kind of rough at best, but with that being said, the guys didn't ever stop working," Joines said. "We let them have a run to start the second quarter to get them right back in the game. We fought back in the third with hot shooting. Hopefully, we can keep shooting like that. If you had any doubt about the enthusiasm in the building when Cade Smith knocked down two slams, the entire atmosphere was exploding. I couldn't stop jumping. My coaching style is 'I am full in with you.' The kids needed this. That locker was exactly what it needed to be after that game. It doesn't matter the quality of the opponent, what we needed was that win."
Harmon finished with 16 points and Adamson 15, while Dylan Allison had 12 to join Smith in double figures. Rounding out the scoring for McDonald County were Martin and Marcos seven points each, Koby McAlister five, Jackson Clarkson three and Colliar Gottfried two.
Trey Mulholland led Aurora with 24 points. Aaron Fisher added 20.
McDonald County is off until Dec. 12 when the Mustangs travel to the Pea Ridge tournament in Arkansas to play the hosts in the Battle at the Ridge.
"We have nine days to prep for Pea Ridge and we'll see what we can pull off there," Joines said. "If nothing else, we know we have stuff to look at. We are going to work to get better and, hopefully, we can build on tonight."
McDonald County made it a three-game sweep with wins in the freshman and junior varsity games.
The McDonald County freshman claimed a 70-39 win behind 26 points form Cross Dowd and 23 from Dalton McClain. Rounding out the scoring for McDonald County were Weston Gordon with 11 points, Isaac Behm five, Sterling Woods four and Jack Parnell one.
The Mustang junior varsity added a 69-39 win. Teddy Reddybacon scored 26 points to lead McDonald County. Dowd added 16 points, followed by Garrett Gricks with seven points, Bo Leach six, Woods five, Franky Villatoro three and Devin Swanson, Colton Ruddick and Eli McClain with two each.
Sports on 12/05/2019