CARTHAGE, Mo. —
Charlie Brown scored 18 points in the last 10 1/2 minutes as Joplin outlasted Neosho 70-61 Tuesday night in the first round of the Class 5 District 12 boys basketball tournament.
Brown, a sophomore guard, made 11 of 13 free throws and had 29 points in leading the Eagles into the semifinals at 6 p.m. Thursday against top-seeded Carthage.
Neosho’s Ethan Murray, a senior who played his final high school game, scored 26 of his 37 points in the second half as the Wildcats rallied from a 16-point deficit late in the first half.
“We’re just glad to be alive,” said Joplin head coach Jeff Williams.
Junior center Adam St. Peter scored the Eagles’ first eight points and led Joplin to a 27-11 lead with 2 minutes, 47 seconds left in the first half.
Neosho, 4-22, scored the last eight points of the half, then extended the rally into a 22-4 run that gave the Wildcats a 35-31 lead midway through the third quarter.
“At the beginning of the game, we settled into too many jump shots,” said Neosho head coach Ben Ponce. “Once we started finding our rhythm, we got back into the game and built a lead.”
Joplin, 10-15, regained the lead less than a minute later on a pair of baskets by senior forward Cord Franks and led 51-42 going into the fourth quarter. The Eagles led by at least five points the rest of the game.
St. Peter scored 14 of his 19 points in the first half. Franks, Justin Washington and Connor McCord, who sank a pair of 3-pointers, each had six points.
Brown scored 11 points, including a 3-pointer, during a five-minute span late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter.
“Charlie played a great game,” Ponce said. “He hit some shots when he needed to and made some passes when he needed to. He really put it on us there late in the third and into the fourth.”
Willard defeated Springfield Central 75-49 in Tuesday’s second game and will play No. 2 Webb City in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The championship game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
In the girls’ semifinals, No. 1-seed Carthage faces Springfield Central at 6 p.m. today, followed by No. 2 Willard and No. 3 Webb City at 7:30 p.m.
Sports
Related Photos
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Joplin's Justin Washington takes a shot between Neosho's Preston Johnson (left) and Blake Nagurne during their Class 5 district tournament game in Carthage.
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Joplin's Charlie Brown shoots over Neosho's Balke Nagurne (10) and Preston Johnson.
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Joplin's Cord Franks works inside against Neosho's Blake Nagurne.
Discussion
February 22, 2012
Brown, St. Peter spark Joplin past Neosho in district opener
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Outlaws open season Thursday on the road
Chris Oldner takes a cut during the Joplin Outlaws practice Tuesday afternoon. The Outlaws open their season on Thursday night at Rossville and play seven road games before their home opener on June 5.
The Joplin Outlaws and new coach Rob Vessell have set some lofty goals for the 2012 baseball season.
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- Pittsburg State Sports
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- Vengels sixth in heptathlon; PSU picks up two seventh-place finishes
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- Lions, Gorillas begin competition in outdoor track and field championship
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- Missouri Southern Sports
- High School Sports
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Area athletes turn shine at state meet
Webb City's Jarvis Jones takes sixth in the 200.
- Cleo Elbert steps down at Thomas Jefferson
- Frontenac wins first state baseball title
- Joplin's Jeremy Lynn takes fifth at state tennis
- Frontenac advances at state baseball
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