Nevada Tigers push state-ranked Warrensburg

Nevada?s versatile senior forward Alex Hardin brings the ball upcourt against Warrensburg. Nick Wright/Daily Mail

Nevada versus the No. 5-ranked team in Class 4 in the state may have looked like a major mismatch, going in.

But as the old cliche goes, that's why they play the games.

The Tigers acquitted themselves quite well in a 48-40 loss to Warrensburg at Wynn Gymnasium on Saturday.

It was our best performance in four or five games," said Nevada coach John McNeley, "just from the standpoint that we competed and believed and played hard enough to win.

Nevada, showing patience on offense and defending well, turned a 13-10 first-quarter deficit into a 25-20 halftime lead over its district rival.

A pivotal point in the contest proved to be a third-quarter 9-0 Warrensburg run. With the Tigers leading 29-21, Warrensburg guard Alex Coffey knocked down three 3-pointers, his only points of the evening, on three consecutive possessions to provide his team a huge momentum lift.

McNeley felt those were the key shots in the game for the opposition.

But the Tigers were still hanging tough in a two-point game with about a minute and a half to go.

With Nevada scrambling late to gain possessions, Dane Watts, Warrensburg's 6-7 Division I recruit, broke loose for a couple of dunks to extend the margin.

Freshman Bryan Campbell, improving with each outing, paced the Tigers with 15 points. Six other Tigers found the scoring column, but none with more than five.

Summing up his team's effort, McNeley said, "We were successful. The scoreboard didn't necessarily say so, but we felt we had a successful night."

The Nevada junior varsity fell 43-32 to Warrensburg.

Justin Reed and Logan Moore led with eight each.

Nevada hosts Southwest Conference foe Webb City tonight.