From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. — Phillip Davis scored 10 of his game-best 23 points in the first quarter as Joplin defeated Waynesville 62-44 in an Ozark Conference basketball game Saturday.
Joplin, 3-1 in the conference and 16-4 overall, faces Springfield Hillcrest at home Tuesday night in a key conference matchup. Joplin, Hillcrest, Springfield Glendale and Springfield Parkview each have lost one conference game.
Davis made all six of his free-throw attempts in the first quarter and Derek Stokes hit a 3 at the buzzer as the Eagles sprinted to a 20-9 lead.
“It was a must win to stay in the thick of it,” Joplin head coach Jeff Williams said. “There’s a lot of parity in the conference.
“It was big for us to come out and play well. We played well from the start.”
Nick Brown scored seven points for the Eagles and Stokes scored six on a pair of 3s as the Joplin remained in a tie for the lead in the conference standings.
Waynesville forward Kevin Vereen, 6-3 senior, was held to nine points. Junior forward Adam Grosskreutz and Marquette Bennett also scored nine points each to led the Tigers in scoring.
“We played pretty well defensively,” Williams said. “I thought our defense was consistent.
“Early in the game, we did the best job of blocking out we’ve done all year. If we can continue that and get stronger, then the sky’s the limit. It was one and out the whole first quarter for them. It was gratifying.”
Waynesville was in a zone defense until the last three minutes, then tried to get back into the game by sending Joplin to the free-throw line. The Eagles responded by making 11 of 14 free throws in the fourth quarter.
Waynesville, which defeated Springfield Glendale 63-62 on Monday night at Glendale, fell to 3-2 in the conference and 10-10 overall.
Joplin won the junior varsity game, 52-40.
“Tuesday’s game (against Hillcrest) is huge,” Williams said. “We’re right in the middle of the conference schedule. It’s going to be a big, big game Tuesday night. We’d like all of our fans to be there.”
Webb City girls 56, Branson 45
BRANSON, Mo. — Webb City left behind a 26-all halftime deadlock with a big third quarter and went on to defeat Branson and remain undefeated in the Central Ozark Conference Large Division.
Kaitlin Jaeger collected 17 points and Hailey Roderique added 10 to lead the Cardinals, who outscored the host team 20-12 in the third period.
Webb City went to 4-0 in the league and 19-1 overall.
Cailynn Hayter and Michaella Deprith each had 14 points for Branson.
WRESTLING
Miner takes crown
CAMDENTON, Mo. — Joplin’s Brycen Miner won the 103-pound championship in the Ozark Conference Tournament held at Camdenton High School.
Miner, a junior, hiked his record to 19-2.
Joplin, with 93 points, placed fourth in the team scores behind champion Waynesville (213), Rolla (201) and Lebanon (168).
Joplin individual highlights also included seconds for sophomore Alex Karns and junior Brent Eagles at 119 and 130, respectively.
Eagle Billy Nguyen, a sophomore, and junior Dustin Hill finished fourth at 140 and 160, respectively.
Karns and Eagles improved their records to 22-7 and 24-8.
Completing the team standings were Parkview 81, Camdenton 76, Kickapoo 57, Hillcrest 49.5 and Glendale 20.
