Mountain Grove Panthers split final two games
Though a seven-game winning streak came to an end in the regular season finale against Springfield Catholic, the Mountain Grove Panthers’ basketball team have some momentum heading into the Class 4, District 11 Tournament.
In their seventh consecutive victory on Feb. 25, the Panthers traveled to Doniphan and left with a 74-55 victory.
The Panthers’ offense exploded in the first half for 52 points.
In a 22-point first quarter, Kale Gardner made a pair of 3-pointers and scored eight points.
Brody Emery and Aden Estep each scored five points while Sam Peterson added four of his own.
Things got better in the second quarter as Mountain Grove went on a 30-11 run to take a 29-point lead into halftime.
Kale Gardner had eight points and both Emery and Estep scored seven a piece in the big frame.
Doniphan rallied in the third quarter with 21 points, but Estep’s 10 points did enough to hold off the momentum as Mountain Grove cruised to the 19-point win over the Dons.
Estep scored a team-high 22 points; Kale Gardner finished with 20 points; Emery added 14 points; Peterson had nine; Destin Unger, Brayden Haughey, Eli Golden and JP Dickey each had two points; while Brett Gardner scored one point.
In a match-up with head coach Jay Osborne’s Springfield Catholic squad, the Panthers had a great first half, but fell late, 81-75.
The loss dropped Mountain Grove’s record to 15-11 on the season.
Mountain Grove led 24-19 at the end of the first quarter as Emery had nine points and Kale Gardner made a pair of 3-pointers and finished with eight points.
Estep made three of Mountain Grove’s five, 3-pointers in a 20-point second quarter to help his team take a 44-37 lead.
Kale Gardner scored seven points in the third quarter, but Springfield Catholic was able to cut the lead to just two points entering the final eight minutes of play.
Springfield Catholic though would outscore the Panthers, 23-15, down the stretch for the road victory.
Kale Gardner led the Panthers with 27 points; Emery added 20 points; Estep made four, 3-pointers for 12 points; Peterson scored 11 points; and Unger had five points.