By Mark Eddlemon
sports@joplinglobe.com
WILLARD, Mo. — Top seed Neosho powered past Hillcrest 61-50 and second seed Central edged Carthage 53-49 in the semifinals of the Class 5 District 12 Girls Basketball Tournament on Thursday night, setting up a final tonight between teams that have not won a district title in more than 20 years.
Neosho (20-6) will be looking for its first district title in girls basketball. Central (17-8) last won a district title in 1984.
Neosho 61, Hillcrest 50
Sophomore Kayln Vlasin scored 24 points, pulled down 12 rebounds, blocked five shots and picked up four steals to lead Neosho.
Vlasin, a 6-2 center, scored eight points in the first period as the Wildcats built a 13-9 lead.
“Hillcrest did a good job with their pressure,” Neosho head coach Grant Young said. “And I thought we did a very good job of allowing them just one opportunity.”
Neosho won the battle of the boards 49-31. Melanie White pulled down 10 boards for the Wildcats in addition to 2 points, two steals and a block.
Neosho almost had a third player post a double-double as Lorelei Snow finished with 10 points, nine assists and six rebounds, and Amelia White added seven points and eight rebounds.
Neosho led 35-19 at intermission.
“Any win this time of year is a good win,” Young said. “Will just try to carry it over and be more consistent tomorrow.”
“Neosho did a nice job of taking the ball at the basket,” Hillcrest coach Jeni Hopkins said.
Bailey Irvine led Hillcrest (13-14) with 16 points. Taylor Parham added 12 points and led the Hornets with six rebounds.
Central 53, Carthage 49
Carthage trailed Central 28-17 at intermission, then came roaring back in the second half.
Central was on top 38-27 midway through the third quarter when Carthage center Denise Taylor scored four points and handed out two assists during an 8-0 run. Chelsea Williams hit three free throws early in the final period, tying the score at 40 with 7 minutes to play.
Williams scored consecutive baskets, one with a nifty assist from Taylor on the inside, giving the Lady Tigers a 45-40 lead midway through the final period. Carthage led 47-42 after a basket by Kaylee Morgan with 3:25 to play.
But Central’s pressure defense forced consecutive turnovers, and the Bulldogs scored nine unanswered points. Danielle Bennett scored four points and Kamesha Jones had two steals during that key run, which ended with Brittany McClelland getting a steal and two free throws in the final minute.
Taylor scored on a follow shot to cut the lead to 51-49, but the Bulldogs closed out the game when Myriah Hicks hit two pressure free throws down the stretch.
“I thought it was like a college game,” Carthage coach Bobby Waggoner said. “Very physical, with bodies flying around all over the place. It was just a great game. I thought we kept fighting and gave ourselves a chance to win. We didn’t execute on a couple of plays at the end, but that’s what high school basketball is all about. You keep fighting to the end.”
Taylor posted a double-double for the Tigers (17-9) with 16 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots. Williams, just a freshman, finished with 20 points and eight rebounds, hitting 7-of-10 from the floor.
Central’s Pazsley Looney finished with 15 points and six rebounds, scoring most of her points around the basket despite being only 5-foot-2. Hicks added 12 points and seven steals for the Bulldogs.
Carthage won the battle of the boards 42-30, but Central got off 63 field goal attempts in the game to just 35 by the Lady Tigers.
