GIRLS
Truman 57
Central 49 (10-5, 0-2 Suburban)
CAMERON TOURNAMENT – 1ST ROUND
Chillicothe 72
Bishop LeBlond 20 (2-14)
Author: Dave Riggert
Royals’ Ventura killed in car crash in Dominican Republic
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yordano Ventura quit school as a teenager so he could begin working a construction job to help his family make ends meet, laboring day after day in the hot sun of the Dominican Republic.
It was a chance tryout with the Kansas City Royals that changed the trajectory of his life.
Yordano wowed scouts with an electrifying fastball, the best they had seen in years, and a confident demeanor that bordered on brash and arrogant. And both of those traits served him well as he rocketed to the major leagues, helped the Royals win a long-awaited World Series championship in 2015, and became one of the most popular players in a city that embraced baseball one again.
Ventura, whose nickname “Ace” fit so perfectly, died Sunday in a car crash on a stretch of highway near the town of San Adrian in his native Dominican Republic. He was 25.
“Our team and our organization is hurting deeply,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. “It’s certainly something that puts everything into strong perspective, and challenges us all to never grow tired or weary or cease to do what is right, and loving others. Nobody is guaranteed tomorrow.
“We loved Yordano,” Moore said. “We loved his heart, we loved who he was as a teammate, a friend. He was somebody that challenged us all and made us better and I’m going to miss him.”
Highway patrol spokesman Jacobo Mateo said Ventura died on a stretch of highway 40 miles northwest of Santo Domingo, the nation’s capital. Mateo did not say whether Ventura was driving.
He’s the second young star pitcher to die in past four months. Marlins ace Jose Fernandez was 24 when he was killed along with two other men in a boating accident near Miami Beach in late September.
Also Sunday, former major league infielder Andy Marte died in a separate car accident in the Dominican Republic. Metropolitan traffic authorities said he died about 95 miles north of the capital.
“I was traveling to the airport this morning and I got a phone call wanting to know if I’d heard about Yordano, and I thought they meant Marte,” Moore said. “My first thought was, ‘Were they together?’
“Then shortly afterwards, I got a call from Major League Baseball confirming this tragedy.”
The Dominican Republic has the second-highest traffic-related death rate in the world — officials there believe alcohol, speed and a blatant disregard for traffic laws is to blame. Oscar Taveras, Jose Oliva, Rufino Linares and Jose Uribe are among players who have died in crashes in the country.
It wasn’t known whether Ventura had been drinking or speeding at the time of his accident.
Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez, a fellow Dominican whom Ventura called his hero, posted pictures of Ventura and Marte on Twitter and said, “Guys, the only way we can pay tribute to you, is by reflecting on the adjustments we all have to make in this game called life.”
Moore speaks frequently with Latin American players about dangers of returning home, including driving on the perilous roads.
“I’m more intentional about it to the point where it probably goes in one ear and out the other,” Moore said, “but we’re constantly discussing these things.”
The Royals lowered flags at Kauffman Stadium to half-staff Sunday, and displayed Ventura’s photograph on the large, crown-shaped scoreboard in centerfield of the empty ballpark. Fans were leaving flowers, hats and other mementos within hours of learning of his death.
Royals teammates learned the news in a text chain and took to Twitter to share their sorrow.
“I love you my brother. I’m in disbelief and don’t know what to say,” first baseman Eric Hosmer said.
Third baseman Mike Moustakas also expressed disbelief, tweeting: “I love you Ace. I don’t know what to say other than I’m going to miss you a lot. RIP ACE.”
Ventura will be buried Tuesday in the Dominican Republic. Moore, manager Ned Yost and other members of the Royals are planning to attend.
Before his start in Game 6 of the 2014 World Series, Ventura paid tribute to Taveras, his close friend and countryman who had been killed days earlier in a car accident in the Dominican Republic. Ventura wrote “RIP O.T #18” on his hat and also wrote messages on his glove, cleats and the mound before shutting out San Francisco for seven innings in a win.
“If he was still here, I would for sure be talking to him, and Oscar would be very happy for me,” Ventura said afterward. “Oscar was a very humble guy and very likable, and I’m going to miss him a lot.”
Ventura signed a $23 million, five-year deal with the Royals shortly before he started on opening day in 2015. He then helped them bounce back from their loss to the Giants in Game 7 by returning to the World Series and beating the New York Mets in five games for their first crown since 1985.
The right-hander went 11-12 with a 4.45 ERA last season, and his fiery demeanor was never more evident than when he hit Orioles star Manny Machado with a fastball to trigger a brawl. Ventura was suspended nine games for the pitch, though it was cut to eight on appeal.
In a surreal coincidence, the 33-year-old Marte played his final game in the big leagues for Arizona on Aug. 6, 2014. Ventura started that game for Kansas City.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Andy Marte and Yordano Ventura,” players’ union executive Tony Clark said. “It’s never easy to lose a member of our fraternity, and there are no words to describe the feeling of losing two young men in the prime of their lives. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families, friends, teammates and fans throughout the United States and Latin America.”
Moore said he spoke to Miami general manager Mike Hill early Sunday, in part because Moore admired the grace and heart in which the Marlins organization dealt with Fernandez’s death.
It wasn’t certain whether Fernandez was driving the boat when it crashed on Sept. 25. He had a blood-alcohol content level of 0.147, above Florida’s legal limit of 0.08, according to autopsy reports released by the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office.
“That was one of the first things that came to mind when I began to figure out how we were going to process this,” Moore said. “Mike was able to provide some insight. Just give me some comfort, really.”
Ventura wound up pitching his entire career for the Royals, going 38-31 with a 3.89 ERA.
Born June 3, 1991, in Samana, Dominican Republic, Ventura was a true rags-to-riches story. He quit school at 14 and was laboring on a construction crew to support his family when he heard about a tryout, which led to a spot in the Royals’ academy located on his picturesque island home.
Still, the odds were long that Ventura would ever make it to the big leagues. Very few players from the Dominican academies reached the pinnacle of the sport.
But over time, Ventura was able to harness one of the most electric fastballs that scouts had seen in years, and his headstrong and confident nature was essential to his rapid rise. He made his debut to great fanfare in 2013, allowing just one run again Cleveland in a sign of things to come.
He eventually became a cornerstone of a youth movement that included young stars such as Hosmer and Moustakas, one that carried the Royals first to respectability, then to the top of the American League.
He was 14-10 with a 3.20 ERA in 2014, his first full season in the big leagues, and helped the Royals reach the World Series for the first time in nearly three decades. Then he helped to lead them back to the Fall Classic in 2015, this time completing the job on a crisp night in New York.
“He always had a zest for life, an innocence about the game, a freshness, a fearlessness,” Moore said, his voice cracking. “He was a very compassionate human being, loved to compete, no doubt challenged us, but that made us better. Nobody could ever doubt how much he cared about his teammates, how much he cared about the fans, and how much he loved to compete and to pitch.”
— Associated Press —
Griffons use balanced attack to roll past Nebraska-Kearney
ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western men’s basketball team used a 15-0 run to end the first half and begin the second and they cruised to an 80-63 victory over Nebraska-Kearney Saturday inside the MWSU Fieldhouse.
NOTABLES
– The Griffons shot 71.4 percent from the three-point arc in the first half
– Missouri Western started a 15-0 run with 3:22 left in the first half and never trailed after that
– MWSU had two 7-0 runs throughout the game to go along with the 15-0 run
– The Griffons held a 33-29 rebounding advantage over the Lopers
– UNK was held to a season-low of 63 points
TOP PERFORMERS
– Seth Bonifas dropped a career-high 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds
– TJ Evans scored 21 points, going 3-4 from three-point and 4-5 on the free-throw stripe
– Cole Clearman had 15 points and went 3-4 from the three-point arc
UP NEXT
Missouri Western is back in action Saturday as they host No. 1 Northwest Missouri State at 4:00 p.m. inside the MWSU Fieldhouse.
— MWSU Athletics —
No. 1 Bearcats remain unbeaten with win over Fort Hays State
MARYVILLE, Mo. – Sharing the basketball is a hallmark for the No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State men’s basketball team. But in uncharacteristic fashion, the Bearcats went into halftime with only two assists against Fort Hays State.
This one statistic helped explain why Northwest held a slim three-point lead after the first half.
The Bearcats quickly returned to form at the start of the second half. They scored their first two field goals on assists by junior Justin Pitts. The Bearcats’ basketball world was back in order.
Northwest built a double-digit lead and carried it to an 82-72 victory Saturday afternoon at Bearcat Arena. Northwest improved to 18-0 overall an 10-0 in the MIAA.
“It is just game by game,” said Northwest junior Brett Dougherty about the undefeated start to the season. “We don’t look too far ahead. This week, when we played Nebraska-Kearney, we focused on Kearney. When that game is done, we take it to the next one.
“Coach always preaches that being undefeated is a result, but the way you get there is taking it one step at a time.”
The Bearcats set the tone in the second half when Pitts passed the ball inside to Dougherty for a layup. On the next possession, Pitts hit junior Xavier Kurth in the corner for a three-pointer. The back-to-back field goals gave Northwest a 41-33 lead.
“I think when you are assisting the ball, it is a good sign your offense is doing well and moving it,” said Dougherty, who finished with 10 points. “In the first half, we struggled a little bit with that. In the second half, we did a little bit better.”
Fort Hays, which dropped to 10-7 and 4-5 in the MIAA, kept battling. Northwest held a 45-39 lead with 13 minutes left, and that was when the Bearcats got real separation from the pesky Tigers.
A three-pointer by senior Zach Schneider pushed Northwest’s lead to 48-39. On the next possession, senior Anthony Woods slipped a nice pass inside that Dougherty turned into a reverse layup, making it 50-39.
“That was huge,” said Northwest associate head coach Austin Meyer said. “There wasn’t a lot of flow to the game.”
Pitts, who finished with 23 points, followed with two free throws and then scored a two-point field goal off an assist from Schneider. The 14-0 run ended with two free throws from freshman Ryan Welty, making it 59-39.
To the Tigers’ credit, they didn’t quit. They started firing three-pointers and making them. They closed to 70-60 with 5 minutes, 58 seconds left on a three-pointer by Rob Davis.
And with 1:30 left, Northwest held a 72-64 lead. Two free throws by Pitts with 1:04 left put the Bearcats up 74-64.
It was fitting that the last field goal by Northwest came on a nice pass from senior Chris-Ebou Ndow that led to a layup by Woods with 44 seconds remaining that pushed Northwest’s lead back to 10 at 76-66
“We were pleased with our energy and effort most of the game,” Meyer said. “We knew they were a good offensive rebounding team. We didn’t do a good job of blocking out.
“As far as being in the game, and playing hard, we did a good job of that.”
After jumping to a 21-9 lead, Northwest hit the cruise control button and coasted into halftime ahead 36-33 lead.
The Bearcats never trailed in the first half, but after their initial burst, they didn’t quite have the energy they displayed in the second half against Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday.
Early on, it appeared Northwest was going to take a double-digit lead into halftime. Back-to-back three-pointers by Ndow gave the Bearcats a 12-4 lead.
Northwest held a 29-20 lead when the sputtering began. A few times Northwest made great passes to setup a layup, but the layup didn’t fall through the nets.
The Bearcats also lost some focus at the free throw line, missing seven in 20 attempts. Those misses allowed Fort Hays to slowly crawl back into the game.
“We stepped off the peddle a little bit and let them get a chance to come back and they took the chance and played really well,” said Ndow, who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds. “It wasn’t just us playing bad. They came ready. They really wanted this game and they showed it.”
Fort Hays ended the first half with all the momentum when Trey O’Neil nailed a 30-foot trey with a few seconds on the clock that helped the Tigers close to three.
The focus was definitely there for the Bearcats in the second half. They made all 16 of their free throw attempts.
“I think everybody has the confidence to step up and hit free throws when they are in the game,” Ndow said. “In the second half, we needed some big free throws and everybody stepped up and knocked them down.”
— Northwest Athletics —
Western women grind out four-point win over Nebraska-Kearney
ST. JOSEPH – If nothing else, the Missouri Western women’s basketball team discovered it can win a game despite shooting worse than 35 percent from the field and getting out-rebounded by 10. That’s exactly what the Griffons (14-5, 6-4) did Saturday afternoon in a 55-51 win over Nebraska Kearney (5-12, 1-8).
NOTABLES
– Missouri Western’s 55 points were the fewest the team has scored in a victory this season
– The Griffons shot just 36.4 percent from the field, 16.7 percent from three-point range and 68.4 percent from the free throw line
– Nebraska-Kearney out-rebounded Missouri Western 42-42
– The Griffons were aided by outscoring Nebraska Kearney 22-11 in the second quarter after being outscored 16-10 in the first
TOP PERFORMERS
– Chelsea Dewey had 14 points and a team-high six rebounds
– Dwanisha Tate led Missouri Western with 15 points on 6-13 shooting from the field to go with her four rebounds
– Melia Richardson went 4-9 from the field and scored a season-high 12 points
– Sefulu Faavae also had six rebounds and a team-high three assists to go with her five points
UP NEXT
Missouri Western gets a break next week with no midweek game before hosting Northwest Missouri (7-10, 2-8) next Saturday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m.
— MWSU Athletics —
Mizzou’s skid reaches 10 with close loss to Ole Miss
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Sebastian Saiz recorded his third-consecutive double-double, scoring 19 points to go with 10 rebounds as Ole Miss defeated Missouri 75-71 Saturday.
It’s the 22nd career double-double for Saiz, who is the Southeastern Conference’s active rebounding leader and the only player in the conference averaging a double-double at 15.2 points and 11.6 rebounds per game.
Terrence Davis had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Deandre Burnett added 14 points, shooting 3-for-6 from 3-point ranges.
Missouri coach Kim Anderson said double-teaming Saiz was the Tigers’ primary game plan.
“We did a decent job, but there were probably five times where we were late doubling him,” Anderson said. “So, consequently, when you don’t get a good double, (Saiz) did a pretty good job of clearing the double, making the pass, and then you’ve got to scamper back and they make one extra pass and they’ve got a wide open shot. I thought that burned us a few times.”
Kevin Puryear led all scorers with a career-high 26 points to go with eight rebounds, shooting 11-for-14 from the field and hitting all four of his 3-point shots. Russell Woods finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Terrence Phillips had 10 points, 10 assists and five rebounds, but fouled out with 14 seconds remaining.
Puryear, who had struggled in conference play, making just 5 of his last 26 shot attempts, was not thrilled about achieving a career-high in a loss, but said he can still build off the performance.
“These last three or four games have been really frustrating,” Puryear said. “Our whole coaching staff has done a great job of just trying to keep me calm…This gives me momentum going into further games.”
Ole Miss (12-7, 3-4 Southeastern Conference) assumed an early double-digit lead following a peculiar start, in which Saiz was assessed a flagrant foul in the first 16 seconds for elbowing Missouri’s Russell Woods while going after a loose ball. The Rebels were up 22-10 within 6 minutes of play, but Missouri steadily closed the gap behind 11-point first halves from Woods and Kevin Puryear, and trailed 39-33 at halftime.
The Tigers (5-13, 0-6) put on arguably their best offensive performance of the season in the second half, shooting 9-for-17 from 3-point range — including 4 of 5 to start — and eventually taking a one-point lead following a 3-pointer by Cullen Van Leer with 7:34 remaining.
Following that sequence, Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy called timeout and the Rebels responded with an 11-1 run that seemed to halt any remaining momentum for Missouri.
However, 3-pointers by Jordan Barnett and Van Leer in the final minute made for an interesting finish, as Van Leer was fouled on a made shot with 6 seconds remaining, but missed the free-throw to make it a one-point deficit. The Rebels were 17-for-23 from the free-throw line, including 4 for 6 in the final minute.
“I told our team, I just told them and I challenged them throughout the course of the game, I thought, from an approach standpoint, we were fairly locked in,” Kennedy said. “We obviously have issues as it relates to personnel.But, we had to make some plays. If you want to win SEC games, you’ve got to make SEC plays.”
Barnett finished with 11 points and five rebounds, and Van Leer had nine points, making 3 of 6 3-pointers.
MASH UNIT
Ole Miss guard Rasheed Brooks did not play after suffering a seizure during a timeout of the Rebels’ 80-69 win over Tennessee on Tuesday. Brooks was carted off the court on a stretcher and taken to a local hospital. He was released Thursday night, and no timeline has been announced for his return.
BIG PICTURE
Ole Miss: Saiz’s double-double is his 13th of the season, which ranks sixth nationally and leads all SEC players. After being outrebounded 23-17 in the first half, Saiz’s tenacity on the glass helped Ole Miss close the rebounding gap in the second half.
Missouri: The Tigers have now lost 10 games in a row, including six straight conference losses. It’s the longest losing streak since the 2014-15 season, when the Tigers dropped 13 straight before defeating Florida at home late in the season.
UP NEXT
Ole Miss: Hosts Texas A&M Wednesday.
Missouri: Visits Mississippi State Wednesday.
— Associated Press —
No. 2 Kansas’ backcourt shines in 79-67 win over Texas
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Shaquille Cleare turned the ball over on Texas’ first two possessions. Not even 40 seconds had expired before Kansas’ Devonte’ Graham drained a 3-pointer in transition.
Thirty seconds later, Frank Mason III pulled up for a shot outside the arc to put Kansas up 6-0.
“I think that’s the best we started a game in the past few games that we’ve played in,” Mason said. “We have to do that every game moving forward.”
Graham scored 18 points, Mason added 17 and No. 2 Kansas beat Texas 79-67 on Saturday.
Freshman Josh Jackson chipped in 15 points for the Jayhawks while Svi Mykhailiuk added 12 points and Landen Lucas had 12 rebounds.
Kansas (18-1, 7-0 Big 12) hovered between a six- and eight-point lead for most of the second half. The Jayhawks only pulled away with 60 seconds remaining, as Graham and Mykhailiuk hit corner 3-pointers in front of the Kansas bench.
“We were so good early, you’re not going to keep playing that way,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “Texas, we kind of staggered them early and then the law of averages prevailed. They fought back. I don’t think you should apologize for playing somebody even.”
Texas (7-12, 1-6) opened the game with five turnovers in the first 4 minutes, letting the Jayhawks run out to a quick 10-point lead. Texas managed to cut the deficit to three points with 6 1/2 minutes remaining in the first half, but that was as close as the Longhorns would get.
Freshman Jarrett Allen posted season-highs with 22 points and 19 rebounds for Texas. Eric Davis Jr. added 12 points and Cleare scored 11.
BIG PICTURE
The next three games for Kansas are going to be the biggest test the Jayhawks have had all season. In a span of nine days, the Jayhawks will play three top seven teams. Two of those games take place in hostile road environments.
Kansas goes to No. 7 West Virginia on Tuesday and remains on the road to play at No. 5 Kentucky on the following Saturday. Kansas returns home that following Wednesday to host No. 6 Baylor.
The big win over the Longhorns should give the Jayhawks confidence heading into their tough test, but the big question is: Will Kansas have enough energy to get through it?
“This is a stretch that is probably as tough as we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Self said.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Villanova leapfrogged Kansas for the No. 1 spot on Monday. With the Wildcats’ definitive 30- and 10-point wins over Seton Hall and Providence this week, expect the top two spots to remain the same.
QUOTABLE
“It’s kind of like the `Twilight Zone’ because it feels like there’s nothing else going on here besides the game,” Texas coach Shaka Smart said of Lawrence and the University of Kansas. “Everybody’s locked in on the game. That’s a testament to the program and Coach Self and what they’ve built over the years.”
GOIN’ STREAKING
The win over Texas gave Kansas its 50th straight win in Allen Fieldhouse and its 36th straight at home in conference play.
UP NEXT
Texas returns home to host Oklahoma on Monday.
Kansas hits the road to start its gauntlet, playing at West Virginia on Tuesday.
— Associated Press —
K-State hands No. 7 West Virginia second straight loss
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — After coming close on a few occasions this season, Kansas State finally picked up that elusive win over a ranked opponent.
Kamau Stokes and Barry Brown each scored 13 points to help Kansas State rally to upset No. 7 West Virginia 79-75 on Saturday night. Brown reflected on the team’s ability to finally get over the hump and defeat a ranked team this season.
“It’s great, I mean especially being on this team last year and not being able to get over the hump besides beating OU. Coach talked about playing with maturity, courage and just coming out with a win at home feels good.”
The Wildcats (15-4, 4-3 Big 12) trailed by 12 late in the first half before Stokes keyed a late burst, hitting a layup right before the halftime buzzer to cut the deficit to two at the half.
Buoyed by that run, Kansas State went on a 14-6 run to start the second half and take a 50-44 lead on a layup by Dean Wade.
The Mountaineers (15-4, 4-3 Big 12) trailed 65-55 with 7:43 left before taking a 68-67 lead on Nathan Adrian’s jumper with just under 5 minutes left.
Turnovers by the Mountaineers would eventually be their undoing. After averaging just a shade over 11 turnovers per game, the Mountaineers committed 23 in the loss.
“When you look at the amount of turnovers, and their halfcourt defense is not something to turn people over.” West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins said following the contest.
“We just threw it away. What kiss you is unforced turnovers. It us one that you are forced to play at a pace you cannot play, or your will have guys with the ball that do not know what to do with the ball. The unforced ones absolutely kill you.”
Wesley Iwundu and Stokes combined to score the next seven points to help Kansas State get the win.
Tarik Phillip led West Virginia with 20 points.
BIG PICTURE
West Virginia: The loss by West Virginia marks the first time the Mountaineers have lost back to back games this season.
Kansas State: Saturday’s victory against No. 7 marks the first time Kansas State has defeated a ranked opponent this season.
POLL IMPLICATIONS: West Virginia will surely take a tumble in next week’s rankings after losing two in a row after being ranked 7th in the nation this past week. Kansas State may receive a few more votes in the AP poll this week, the Wildcats only received one in this past week’s ranking.
STAT OF THE NIGHT: Iwundu became the first player in Kansas State history to compile over 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists and 100 steals in his career.
HE SAID IT: Huggins on Brown’s 2nd Half Performance
“We decided to stand on the side of him and let him drive to the basket instead of staying in from him. I do not know why we do what we do. It is not what we practice. I promise you that is not what we practice.”
UP NEXT
West Virginia travels home and will host Kansas on Tuesday night.
Kansas State will travel to Iowa State on Tuesday night.
— Associated Press —
Northwest Missouri State women upset No. 23 Fort Hays State
By David Boyce
MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State’s women’s basketball team put together its most impressive performance in over two years Saturday afternoon at Bearcat Arena.
Facing Fort Hays State, the 23rd -ranked team in the WBCA top 25, the Bearcats led from start to finish in their 92-80 victory. Northwest has now won two of its last three games.
“Since I have been here, this is one of the biggest wins we have had,” said junior Tanya Meyer, who finished with a game-high 28 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. “This was a good game for us. I think it will definitely help with the games coming up, especially Missouri Western next weekend.”
The performance caught Northwest coach Buck Scheel by surprise.
“After today’s shoot-around, I thought we would be on the losing end. I am glad they proved me wrong,” Scheel said. “They stepped up bigtime today. They really played inspired, and they played together for 40 minutes.”
As nice as the Bearcats’ win at Southwest Baptist was a week ago, Northwest was more impressive against Fort Hays, particularly in the fourth quarter when the Tigers unleashed a full-court press.
For the most part, the Bearcats handled it and once they got the ball across half court, they executed their offense at a high level.
“It was a little dicey at times,” Scheel said of breaking the press. “They weathered the storm and in the second half, they handled it much better because they were more aggressive against it.”
Northwest took an 11-point lead into the final quarter and maintained a double-digit advantage most of the final 10 minutes. The best example of it occurred with 5 minutes, 10 seconds remaining in the game. Arbrie Benson tossed a perfect pass inside to Meyer, who made the layup. The field goal gave Northwest an 80-64 lead.
“We just didn’t want to panic,” said Benson, who finished with 22 points. “We wanted to keep competing and execute on offense and stay aggressive on defense to get the big lead back.”
The Bearcats simply had too many players operating at a high level on offense for Fort Hays to defend. Benson had nice drives to the baskets. Jasmin Howe was knocking down three-point bombs. Meyer was scoring inside and outside. Mallory McAndrews hit several timely three-pointers.
“We have kids who are very capable of putting up those numbers,” Scheel said. “We just have to do it consistently. You have to come in with that focus and demand it of yourself.”
And every Northwest player who stepped on the court hustled on defense. It was the type of performance that Scheel wants to see the rest of the season.
“I told them in the locker room that this is how you want to feel after a game,” Scheel said. “They competed the full 40 minutes. I am extremely proud of them.”
Midway through the third quarter, Northwest faced its stiffest challenge in the game. The Bearcats’ comfortable lead had dipped to 47-45. Fort Hays was charging hard.
Northwest stayed composed, scoring the next four points. With those two baskets, the Bearcats had the confidence to finish the quarter strong. Leading 53-48, Northwest got a basket from Meyer followed by a three-pointer from Howe that gave the Bearcats a 58-48 lead.
The Bearcats were so on top of their game that when third quarter buzzer was close to sounding, Howe hit an off-balanced three-pointer at the top of the key that sent Northwest into the fourth quarter with a 65-54 lead.
In the first half, Northwest scored the first seven points of the game and never had an offensive lull. The strong performance on the offensive end allowed the Bearcats to take a 40-31 lead into halftime.
The game started with Howe knocking down a three-pointer and she followed with a two-point bucket. The 7-0 run concluded with a basket by Benson.
“That is huge for us to come out of the gates firing. That really helped us throughout the game,” said Howe, who finished with 25 points. “We came out ready to go.”
Fort Hays never got closer than four points the rest of the first quarter. When the Tigers closed to 14-10, Northwest responded with a three-pointer. And when it was 17-13, Carlie Wilhelmi had a put-back basket.
The Bearcats went into the second quarter with a 23-16 lead. Fort Hays once again closed to four points on a three-pointer to start the quarter. Northwest scored the next six points on baskets by Meyer, Howe and Benson that prompted Fort Hays to call timeout. The Bearcats held a 29-19 lead.
After the timeout, Northwest scored four more points. The 10-0 run put the Bearcats up 33-19.
Over the next 4 minutes, the Tigers cut their deficit to single digits until Meyer drained a three-pointer with about a minute left, giving Northwest a 40-30 lead.
Northwest made 15 of 30 shots from the field for 50 percent while holding the Tigers to 33.3 percent shooting from the field.
“We needed this one game against one of the top five teams in conference, and better yet, they are one of the top 25 teams in the country. That makes it even better,” Meyer said.
— Northwest Athletics —
Miller ties career best, Missouri St. beats Bradley 76-62
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Dequon Miller matched his career high with 24 points and Alize Johnson added 13 points while grabbing 13 rebounds as Missouri State pulled away late to beat Bradley 76-62 on Saturday.
Johnson, who garnered his 12th double-double this season and had his ninth straight game with 10 or more rebounds, hauled in seven offensive boards.
Miller drilled 3 of 5 from distance and Chris Kendrix chipped in 17 points with four steals and one block.
Missouri State (14-7, 5-3 Missouri Valley Conference) led 41-31 at the break and was up 59-50 at the midpoint of the second period. A Koch Bar jumper closed the gap to 59-55 with 6:32 left but Kendrix made two free throws and Johnson drilled a 3-pointer for a 64-55 lead two minutes later and the Bears cruised home.
DonteThomas had 17 points and Jayden Hodgson added 16 for Bradley (8-13, 3-5).
— Associated Press —