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What's up ya'll,
The Lebron dunk was better than the Blake Griffin dunk.
As impressive as the verticality of Griffin's dunk was, it wasn't really a dunk.
You have to hit the rim with your hand to make it count...
Signature Wins for The Corner
Carthage boys takes down #9 ranked (Class 3) Mt. Vernon 72-63
Kyle Reed did it again. With Mt. Vernon on a big run (cutting a 21 point Carthage lead to 7) in the 4th qtr,
Kyle Reed hit back to back floaters in the lane to push the Tigers lead back to 11 and took the air out of the Mountaineers run.
He only had 6 total points so as usual he chooses big times to make it happen.
Reed was also on the giving end of 2 alley-oop dunks by Desmond Buerge
Desmond Buerge was brilliant on the night putting in a game high 35 points (17 in the first quarter).
He made big shots and played with great confidence in a game Carthage knew was huge! Buerge had 3 dunks on the night along with scoring from inside and outside.
Nathan Reid put in 11, had a big dunk of his own and played really strong inside for the Tigers.
Sam Hilton put in 10 and continues to be a clutch shooter that keeps defenses honest on Buerge.
The win was the first win for Carthage against a ranked opponent since 2008. The Tigers are legit.
Webb City girls defeat Girard (KS) 51-47
Down 28-21 at the half, Webb came out strong in the second frame to capture the big victory. Mikeala Burgess poured in 18 but got lots of help as Kaitlin Beason scored 12 and Megan Heman put in 10. Girard came into the game with 11-4 record.
The Corner January Awards
Girls
Defensive Player of the Month: Ashton Pratt, McDonald County
Runner-Up: Stephanie Thomas, Diamond
Thomas is back after some time on the sidelines with a concussion. The difference she makes inside is very noticeable.
Pratt is digging in on defense for the red-hot Lady Mustangs. Gives great effort on the ball and is active in help-side and on the boards.
She's pretty good on defense in another sport as well. The Lady Mustangs star center fielder just signed to play softball at NEO...
Congrats Ashton and I hope you and Ashley Gilion (Neosho, senior) have fun over there :)
Offensive Player of the Month: Vanessa Pawlak, Carthage
Runner-Up: Kourtney Brewster, East Newton
Brewster, a freshman, gets double figures every night. Has a real nose for the basket and a soft touch inside.
Forget how good she's gonna be, she's already pretty good right now!
Pawlak has become Weapon X for the surging Lady Tigers. In the championship game of the Nevada Tourney (versus the host team) she put up 18 of her game high 22 points in the first quarter. She's deadly from the outside, but just as skilled getting to the basket.
What's up ya'll,
The Lebron dunk was better than the Blake Griffin dunk.
As impressive as the verticality of Griffin's dunk was, it wasn't really a dunk.
You have to hit the rim with your hand to make it count...
Signature Wins for The Corner
Carthage boys takes down #9 ranked (Class 3) Mt. Vernon 72-63
Kyle Reed did it again. With Mt. Vernon on a big run (cutting a 21 point Carthage lead to 7) in the 4th qtr,
Kyle Reed hit back to back floaters in the lane to push the Tigers lead back to 11 and took the air out of the Mountaineers run.
He only had 6 total points so as usual he chooses big times to make it happen.
Reed was also on the giving end of 2 alley-oop dunks by Desmond Buerge
Desmond Buerge was brilliant on the night putting in a game high 35 points (17 in the first quarter).
He made big shots and played with great confidence in a game Carthage knew was huge! Buerge had 3 dunks on the night along with scoring from inside and outside.
Nathan Reid put in 11, had a big dunk of his own and played really strong inside for the Tigers.
Sam Hilton put in 10 and continues to be a clutch shooter that keeps defenses honest on Buerge.
The win was the first win for Carthage against a ranked opponent since 2008. The Tigers are legit.
Webb City girls defeat Girard (KS) 51-47
Down 28-21 at the half, Webb came out strong in the second frame to capture the big victory. Mikeala Burgess poured in 18 but got lots of help as Kaitlin Beason scored 12 and Megan Heman put in 10. Girard came into the game with 11-4 record.
The Corner January Awards
Girls
Defensive Player of the Month: Ashton Pratt, McDonald County
Runner-Up: Stephanie Thomas, Diamond
Thomas is back after some time on the sidelines with a concussion. The difference she makes inside is very noticeable.
Pratt is digging in on defense for the red-hot Lady Mustangs. Gives great effort on the ball and is active in help-side and on the boards.
She's pretty good on defense in another sport as well. The Lady Mustangs star center fielder just signed to play softball at NEO...
Congrats Ashton and I hope you and Ashley Gilion (Neosho, senior) have fun over there :)
Offensive Player of the Month: Vanessa Pawlak, Carthage
Runner-Up: Kourtney Brewster, East Newton
Brewster, a freshman, gets double figures every night. Has a real nose for the basket and a soft touch inside.
Forget how good she's gonna be, she's already pretty good right now!
Pawlak has become Weapon X for the surging Lady Tigers. In the championship game of the Nevada Tourney (versus the host team) she put up 18 of her game high 22 points in the first quarter. She's deadly from the outside, but just as skilled getting to the basket.
January MVP: Chloe Shepherd, Carthage
Runner-Up: Kenzie Dill, McDonald County
I like Kenzie Dill more every day...She influences the game in so many ways. She was instrumental in the big win over Webb City both on offense and defense.
Chloe Shepherd was last month's runner up...not this time. Chloe is just consistently productive. Carthage is 15-5 in large due to her versatile game. She can score inside and outside, rebounds well, runs the floor so well, plays tough defense...I believe she has to have the best vertical leap of any girl in the area. She was named to all tournament team of the Nevada Tournament. She helps the Lady Tigers in so many different ways.
Boys
Defensive Player of the Month: Chance Buttram, McDonald County
Runner-up: Shaw Robertson, MacAuley
Shaw can hold it down inside. Rebounds ferociously, blocks shots, plays tough. Great athleticism, excellent motor
Buttram slides his feet well, good on help side, helps on the glass, plays the passing lanes well, challeges shots.
He did a terrific job on Buerge (Carthage) and Murray (Neosho). He just signed with Mid America Nazarene for football!
Offensive Player of the Month: Alex Oserowsky, Thomas Jefferson
Runner-up(s): Travis Vogt, Carl Junction and Charlie Brown, Joplin
Vogt and Brown had really good months. Consistent scoring, both taken the lead for their teams. Vogt was so good this month you'll see his name again.
"Drago" is killin' it. Alex Oserowsky is showing why he is a special blend of athleticism and skill. His play has been nothing short of phenomenal to finish the month.
On Tuesday night Alex had 35 points, 18 rebounds and 8 assists...that's coming off a 39 point, 10 rebound performance against MacAuley...Oooo weeee!!!
January Corner MVP: Evan Belk, College Heights
Runner-up(s): Travis Vogt, Carl Junction and Desmond Buerge, Carthage
Here's Travis Vogt again...He has been on a serious tear...32 in a win over Joplin, 27 against Savannah, 23 against Eldon, 21 in a win over Monett...
All tournament team at the CJ Classic. Vogt is at the top of his game.
Desmond Buerge. When you're instrumental in 2 signature wins, it's tough to leave your name off the list. Buerge just about stole January with his phenomenal
performance against Mt Vernon on Tuesday night but Belk answered with perhaps his best game of the month as well.
As I said before, nobody's been better this month than Evan Belk. Passes it well, playing with intensity and energy. He's been hot from 3. Two 30 point games in January. Perhaps his most impressive game was Monday night, when he had 17 points and 8 assists while being doubled all night in a win over McAuley.
It wasn't just the numbers but how he handled himself being the target of the other's team defense all night. Great composure, took what the defense gave him.
He led College Heights to the best month they've had in 4 years.
Short Corner:
35 points and 12 rebounds for Ethan Murray (Neosho) on Tuesday night. Logan Davidson had 5 blocks for the Wildcats as well.
Hanna Million's been putting the ball in the hole. She averaged 15 points per game in the Sarcoxie Tournament (which Diamond won), had 21 in a win over Exeter.
Kaylee Morgan (Carthage) will be keeping her world class speed at home. The senior guard has signed to run track at MOSO. Congrats!
Kaylee joined Chloe Shepherd on the All-Tournament Team of the Nevada Tournament!
In that College Heights win over McAuley, Spencer Ming had 22 points and 14 rebounds for the Cougars!
Joplin girls are starting to turn it up! Casee Wheeler put in 21 as Joplin beat Carl Junction 49-40. Laken Eberhart led CJ with 11.
Webb City boys took 2nd at the Bolivar Tournament losing to Morrisville in the finals. That loss ended a month long winning streak.
They bounced back to beat Seneca on Tuesday night convincingly 53-34. Phoenix Johnson led the way for Webb with 20 points. One loss in the month of January, not bad at all.
Webb Boys JV won the Bolivar JV Tournament defeating Springfield Central, Bolivar and Morrisville (the same 3 teams the varsity guys played).
Junior guard Jordan Johnson was amazing in the tournament for Webb leading them to the title but he got lots of help from sophomore point guard Zach Hallacy.
Diamond boys keep doin' their thang! Jared Huffman had 25 points as Diamond beat Monett 56-46 on Tuesday night. That's the closest game they seen in over a month.
As first reported by Neosho Sports Guru Jesse Cordova (roll your "R" when you say "Cordova" it's fun), Diamond had won 7 straight games by 28 points or more. Friday night is a chance for Diamond to join Carthage and Webb City boys in the signature win column as they face Wheaton on the road. Huge game.
Carthage girls beat Mac County on Tuesday night 61-45. Kaylee Morgan led the way with 16 while Chloe Shepherd and Vanessa Pawlak put in 13 a piece. Kenzie Dill had 14 for McDonald County and freshman Preslea Reece had 12.
Speaking of Carthage vs. Mac County, the Mac County boys pushed Carthage to the brink but the Tigers held on for the win. Carthage survived with 49-48 victory. Desmond Buerge led Carthage with 22, while Chance Buttram had 16 while doing a great defensive job on Buerge. Boy would that have been a huge win for Mac.
Sarcoxie boys got a win over Lockwood on Tuesday night 50-40. Justin Myers led the way for the Bears with 16.
Buzzer Beater from The Corner:
Many of us don't like change.
I believe in mixing things up.
I am not afraid of change. Life can't get better without it.
Don't be afraid of change. Tim Duncan once thought he would be an Olympic swimmer. But a natural disaster took away the place where he practiced.
So with no place to swim, he decided to try basketball. Several MVP awards, NBA Finals MVP awards, All-Star teams, and 4 NBA Titles later...
I guess it worked out ok.
So to help you in dealing with change, I end this column with what normally is at the beginning.
Crazy right? Hang in there :)
The 4 Corner (rankings thru Jan. 31)
Boys
4. Thomas Jefferson (12-4)
By a nose over Carl Junction for the 4 spot. With Justin Brown healthy, they're rolling again. And Oserowsky is beastin'....
3. Diamond (16-2)
I'm not gonna lie, it's so stinking close. Diamond is a hair from #2. Friday night looms large for the Wildcats.
2. Webb City (16-5)
Yes they finally lost a game in January, but who they beat this month is the hair that keeps them at #2. SOS is one the strongest of any team in The Corner.
1. Carthage (18-3)
Their grip on the #1 spot just got much tighter!!!
Girls.
4. N/A
There are several teams fighting for it, but none have wrestled it away. There are about 5 teams who are close.
Some one will have to win the games and claim this spot.
3. McDonald County (10-9)
A quality loss to our new #1 is the only blemish these girls have seen in 6 games. They're hot.
2. Webb City (11-8)
The Girard victory got things going the right direction again for the young Lady Cards who have dealt with some injury issues.
1. Carthage (15-5)
Welcome back to the #1 spot. Carthage has caught fired and truly are starting to play with that killer instinct. By the way, I hate the word swagger so I will never use it, but they are playing like they know they can win against anyone. I, for one, think they can.
