By Jim Henry
jhenry@joplinglobe.com
One day after a sub-par shooting performance, Jolea Apon popped in 18 points to lead Missouri Southern past Arkansas-Fort Smith 68-49 Saturday afternoon in the final game of the Pizza Hut/Fairfield Inn Thanksgiving Classic at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
Apon, 5-foot-8 senior, had two 3-pointers in the Lions’ victory over Avila on Friday, but she bounced back against Fort Smith by hitting 7-of-14 shots overall, including four treys. She also drove from beyond the arc to make three layups.
“I shot a little bit (Saturday) morning. It helped a little bit,” Apon said. “I figured I was off a litle bit, so take a couple of layups and then move back out.”
Jasmine Lovejoy, 5-8 junior, tallied 14 points for Missouri Southern (4-1) and was named the tourament’s most outstanding player. Operating on the inside, Lovejoy was 6-of-18 from the floor but she also dished out three assists, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked three shots.
“I struggled a lot today,” she said. “Coaches kept telling me to keep going to the basket, and my teammates were talking to me. I was able to find Jolea a couple of times and the post player. Even though my shot was not falling, we could get everyone else involved.”
Assessing her weekend performance, “I think it was all right,” Lovejoy said. “It needs to be better. I have to knock down easy shots, like layups I missed today. I need to step up on defense, rebound a lot, get things done we need to have a successful game.”
“She is just evolving at a rate that is a lot faster than most,” MSSU head coach Maryann Mitts said. “Her maturity on the basketball floor has been tremendous the last two weeks. When I look at the player who played in the Northeastern game versus the player who played this weekend, there is no comparison. And all the credit belongs to her. … When she reaches her true potential offensively, she is going to be one of the most explosive offensive players in our league.”
Forward LaTice Jones provided a first-half spark off the bench with eight points and finished with 10 points, hitting 4-of-6 from the field and 2-of-5 free throws.
Guard Tracey Parsons had 10 points to lead Fort Smith (0-5), which is playing its first year at the Division II level.
Missouri Southern never trailed after the first three minutes, and the Lions expanded a 35-25 halftime lead to 50-33 on a basket by Jones, trey by Apon and steal and layup by Lovejoy with 11:15 remaining.
The Lions sputtered on offense, shooting 41 percent from the floor.
“Style of play … it was the first time we played against a team that would press us for 40 minutes,” Mitts said. “That was the first issue, and the second issue is I don’t think our players went into the game realizing how wide open they would be. I think they thought it would be so much more contested.”
“Coach kept telling us to keep the ball moving against their pressure, cut backdoor and keep driving,” Apon said. “Then the outside shots would be open. We were able to do that.”
Fort Smith shot 32 percent, had more turnovers (20) than field goals (18), and both teams were just above 40 percent at the foul line – MSSU 7-of-17 and Fort Smith 12-of-27.
Joining Lovejoy and Apon on the all-tournament team were Erin Rice of Missouri Southern, Jamie Augustyn and Cassondra Boston of Emporia State and Jaime Kenney of Avila.
Emporia State 84, Avila 50
Boston’s 16 points led four players in double figures for the No. 7 Lady Hornets.
Emporia State (5-0) outscored Avila 28-9 in the final 10 minutes of the first half to turn a 23-20 deficit into a 48-32 halftime lead.
Lacy Corker added 11 points for ESU, and Brittney Miller and Alli Volkens both had 10.
Kenney scored 13 to pace Avila (5-5).
