Tigers rule: Nevada, Lamar advance

Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Nevada junior Jordan Webb (left) works against Joplin's Saysan Jones during Tuesday's Lady Tiger Classic first round game at Nevada Middle School. Webb scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Nevada to a 50-44 victory.

By Joe Warren

Nevada Daily Mail

NEVADA, Mo. -- It'll be Tigers vs. Tigers in one semifinal of the Nevada Lady Tiger Classic Friday, as Nevada and Lamar both advanced with opening round wins Tuesday.

El Dorado Springs sophomore Brooke Hamilton shoots over a pair of Lamar defenders during Tuesday's tournament game at NMS. Lamar won 58-47.

Nevada used a solid defensive effort and a big third quarter to hold off an improved Joplin team 50-44.

Meanwhile, Lamar jumped out to a big first quarter lead and were never challenged by the overmatched Lady Bulldogs of El Dorado Springs, winning 58-47.

Three Lady Tigers were in double figures offensively as Nevada overcame the steady inside play of Joplin duo Saysan Jones and Jessica Hill.

Jordan Webb had team-highs with 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Nevada outscored the Lady Eagles 20-11 in the third period to break open a close game.

Many of Webb's points came after offensive rebounds, as she had seven in the game.

"She played well," Nevada head coach Brent Bartlett said. "Jordan Webb had a tremendous game, offensively, rebounding and defensively. Her mind frame was good."

The game was close throughout the first half as Nevada (10-1) struggled on offense and Joplin led 19-15 with 3:50 to play in the second period.

But the Lady Tigers closed the first half with a 9-2 run, then started the second half with an 8-3 burst to take control of the game.

Webb had four points in the first run, and Afton Baldwin had five to key the second.

Baldwin finished with 11 points, while Amanda Wilson poured in 14 to help Nevada's cause.

Joplin (2-14) made a run late in the game to make the score close, as their inside pair scored all 12 of the Lady Eagles' fourth quarter points.

Jones led all scorers with 18 points. Hill took advantage of liberal officiating regarding the traveling rule and shuffled her way to 17 points. The sophomore also grabbed 11 rebounds.

The game was a far cry from the teams' first meeting this season when Nevada drubbed the Lady Eagles, 53-31, Dec. 12, in Joplin.

"Joplin pushed us tonight," Bartlett said. "It was a good first-round basketball game for us."

Nevada now prepares to play Lamar, which had little trouble with El Dorado Springs.

Lamar had four players in double figures and used a 14-0 run that started in the first quarter and carried into the second to dispatch the Lady Bulldogs.

Kayla Holland led the charge, scoring eight of her team-high 14 points during the run.

Lamar led 10-8 after a bucket by El Dorado's Nikki Friar with 2:34 left in the opening period. El Do didn't score again until the 4:52 mark in the second quarter, but Lamar had already built a 24-8 lead.

El Dorado Springs didn't get any closer than nine points the rest of the way.

Miranda Maberry scored 13 for Lamar, while teammates Olivia Baldwin (12 points) and Nicole Rawlings (10) also chipped in offensively.

Bailey Bush led El Dorado Springs with 15 points, while Brooke Hamilton scored 11 and Kamber Cain 10.

El Dorado Springs will now play Joplin in the consolation bracket. They are scheduled to play at 7 p.m. Friday, at Nevada Middle School.

The Nevada-Lamar game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., at Wynn Gymnasium, assuming its leaking roof is no longer a factor. As it is, tonight's boys' games have been moved to NMS because the roof was still leaking this morning.

The other side of the girls' bracket doesn't play until Thursday, when Carthage takes on Raymore-Peculiar and Pleasant Hill faces Kansas City's Southeast.

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