The Nevada Tigers would face back-to-back teams that wanted to push the pace and challenge them on every square foot of the hardwood. After facing a much larger Pittsburg team on Tuesday, Nevada would turn around on Thursday and take on a very talented Cardinal team to open up play in the Carthage Invitational Tournament. Webb City might not have had quite as much height as Pittsburg did, but what they lacked in that department they made up for in speed and quick hands, turning Nevada over with an aggressive trapping press from the get-go.
After a barrage of turnovers and struggling to get the ball past halfcourt, the first quarter would end with Webb City up 33-13.
While that quarter set the Tigers back, they came back swinging in the 2nd quarter, unwilling to simply go away. As they began to regain their wits and work through the pressure they would find themselves with open opportunities for buckets and great drives to the lane. Riddick Shook would help get things moving in the right direction with three triples in as many possessions. Nevada began to force their own steals against the Cardinals and helping to add to their comeback, Brice Budd would take the ball to the basket and get his own 3-point play the old-fashioned way, with a bucket and a free throw.
Webb City continued to battle as well not allowing Nevada to get multiple stops in a row, as they were able to score from the 3-point line as well as easy lay-ups. Nevada would end the half on a 6-0 run in the final minute-and-a-half capped off with a Kellen Braden 3-pointer at the buzzer giving the Tigers a great morale booster going into the locker room.
The Tigers would start the 3rd quarter with the ball, but Webb City would be the one to put the first bucket in with a 3-pointer as they continued their aggressive pressure the full length of the court. By the end of the 3rd quarter, they had rebuilt their lead to 49-65.
Knowing they still had two games left in the tournament, Nevada began to pull their starters with about 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter, and the pace of the game was definitely beginning to show. The Tigers typically run about 8 players deep, while the Cardinal were consistently rotating out 10-11 players throughout the game, keeping their legs fresh and able to continue the defensive attack that led to multiple basket opportunities.
While the final score of 51-84 seems daunting, it doesn’t give the entire story of the game. The Tigers would love to have that first quarter back and not come at quite as rattled by the pressure. Their ability to come back and win the 2nd quarter showed that they will not be easily intimidated or give up in the face of a challenge.
Coach Shaun Gray said that “we feel like the scoreboard did not indicate the growth we showed tonight, and our guys fight to never give in and to claw back throughout the game is something we are proud of.” He did also see some positive growth from his team in terms of rebounding and 3-point shot selection.
Nevada was led by Brice Budd with 13 points, while Jack Cheaney and Riddick Shook each chipped in 11 points a piece.
The Tigers will be right back on the court at 4:00 pm, Friday, December 8th to take on the Fort Smith Southside Mavericks for a chance to go to the 5th place game in the consolation bracket.
Comments