Cardinals win first home game of 2005
By JASON VIOX/Daily Journal Sports Writer
Jan 15, 2005 - 23:28:54 CST
PARK HILLS - The Mineral Area Cardinals and the SMSU West Plains Grizzlies basketball teams have had their fair share of close games. Saturday evening was no different. Mineral Area hasn't played a home game in 32 days, but it didn't affect them as they defended their home floor by the score of 52-47.
A very physical effort by both squads called for a rare low-scoring contest. Mineral Area's Dantwan Chillers scored the first two points of the game, but West Plains' Daniel Naranich and James Watson, Jr. each drained a field goal to take the lead. The Cardinals scored seven straight points as Kenny Burke and Matt Foster each knocked down a three to score six of those points.
Burke later came through with another three-pointer and a breakaway for a 14-5 game. West Plains countered with a 6-0 scoring run to narrow the gap. A slam dunk by Chris Dunbar for the Grizzlies pulled them behind the Cardinals by one point. Mineral Area slowly drifted ahead with five straight points that included three free-throws for a 21-15 game.
A six-point run by West Plains tied the game. Out of those six points Raymond Wright made a dunk and a pair of free throws. A jump shot by Burke and a three-pointer by MAC's Ryan Burne closed the first half as the Cardinals regained the lead by the score of 28-23.
Burne picked up where he left off as he immediately knocked down another three to start off the half. After an exchange of two points, West Plains went on a 9-2 scoring drive as Tyrone Brazelton sank the first three-pointer for the Grizzlies. The score was 35-34 when a hook shot by MAC's Jonathan Jackson and another three by Burne gave the Cardinals some breathing room.
West Plains started to cash in on rebounds that came from their own free throws. A three by Brazelton and a basket by Wright tied the game again at 41-41. A hook shot by Aaron Jackson gave the Cardinals the lead once again.
Wright successfully scored two points and drew the foul at the same time. The free throw was good as the Grizzlies took the lead for the second time of the night by the score of 44-43 with 5:53 left to play. A jump shot and a free throw by Jackson gave MAC a 46-44 lead .
Lorenzo Ecford tied the game with a jump shot, but Burke countered with a shot of his own. Wright had a chance to tie the game as he was fouled with less than a minute to go. He made only one free throw as Mineral Area still held on to the lead.
After several time-outs, Burke stepped up to the charity stripe with 12.2 seconds left to go. Burke has pulled his team through several similar scenarios, and it would be no different this time as he drained both of his free throws. Burne made two more free throws to secure victory.
West Plains fell short on the free-throw line as they were 7-16. MAC sank 10 out of 18 attempts from the charity stripe.
"Home court is home court. We practice here everyday so we know what to expect," commented MAC head coach Corey Tate on his first home game in 32 days. "If we come out everyday, do the things we know how to do, and keep competing we'll be okay."
The Cardinals, now 13-6, will have their hands full when they host Moberly on Saturday.
Mineral Area - 28 24 - 52
West Plains - 23 24 - 47
SCORING:
Mineral Area - K Burke 16, R Burne 11, A Jackson 9, R Kennedy 5, T Britton 3, M Foster 3, D Chillers 2, J Jackson 2, T Wilkerson 1
3-Pointers - R Burne 3, K Burke 2, M Foster 1
West Plains - R Wright 13, T Brazelton 12, L Ecford 8, J Watson 6, D Naranich 4, A Thornton 2, C Dunbar 2
3-Pointers - T Brazelton 2
Copyright ©
Pulitzer Missouri Newspapers. All rights reserved.
http://www.dailyjournalonline.com/articles/2005/01/16/sports/sports1.txt
A very physical effort by both squads called for a rare low-scoring contest. Mineral Area's Dantwan Chillers scored the first two points of the game, but West Plains' Daniel Naranich and James Watson, Jr. each drained a field goal to take the lead. The Cardinals scored seven straight points as Kenny Burke and Matt Foster each knocked down a three to score six of those points.
Burke later came through with another three-pointer and a breakaway for a 14-5 game. West Plains countered with a 6-0 scoring run to narrow the gap. A slam dunk by Chris Dunbar for the Grizzlies pulled them behind the Cardinals by one point. Mineral Area slowly drifted ahead with five straight points that included three free-throws for a 21-15 game.
A six-point run by West Plains tied the game. Out of those six points Raymond Wright made a dunk and a pair of free throws. A jump shot by Burke and a three-pointer by MAC's Ryan Burne closed the first half as the Cardinals regained the lead by the score of 28-23.
Burne picked up where he left off as he immediately knocked down another three to start off the half. After an exchange of two points, West Plains went on a 9-2 scoring drive as Tyrone Brazelton sank the first three-pointer for the Grizzlies. The score was 35-34 when a hook shot by MAC's Jonathan Jackson and another three by Burne gave the Cardinals some breathing room.
West Plains started to cash in on rebounds that came from their own free throws. A three by Brazelton and a basket by Wright tied the game again at 41-41. A hook shot by Aaron Jackson gave the Cardinals the lead once again.
Wright successfully scored two points and drew the foul at the same time. The free throw was good as the Grizzlies took the lead for the second time of the night by the score of 44-43 with 5:53 left to play. A jump shot and a free throw by Jackson gave MAC a 46-44 lead .
Lorenzo Ecford tied the game with a jump shot, but Burke countered with a shot of his own. Wright had a chance to tie the game as he was fouled with less than a minute to go. He made only one free throw as Mineral Area still held on to the lead.
After several time-outs, Burke stepped up to the charity stripe with 12.2 seconds left to go. Burke has pulled his team through several similar scenarios, and it would be no different this time as he drained both of his free throws. Burne made two more free throws to secure victory.
West Plains fell short on the free-throw line as they were 7-16. MAC sank 10 out of 18 attempts from the charity stripe.
"Home court is home court. We practice here everyday so we know what to expect," commented MAC head coach Corey Tate on his first home game in 32 days. "If we come out everyday, do the things we know how to do, and keep competing we'll be okay."
The Cardinals, now 13-6, will have their hands full when they host Moberly on Saturday.
Mineral Area - 28 24 - 52
West Plains - 23 24 - 47
SCORING:
Mineral Area - K Burke 16, R Burne 11, A Jackson 9, R Kennedy 5, T Britton 3, M Foster 3, D Chillers 2, J Jackson 2, T Wilkerson 1
3-Pointers - R Burne 3, K Burke 2, M Foster 1
West Plains - R Wright 13, T Brazelton 12, L Ecford 8, J Watson 6, D Naranich 4, A Thornton 2, C Dunbar 2
3-Pointers - T Brazelton 2