Bass Pro TOC: First Night Observations
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The Bass Pro Tournament of Champions opened up on Thursday night at the JQH Arena on the campus of Missouri State University in Springfield. The tournament annually features a group of local teams from the SWMO area along with some…
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Continue ReadingThe Bass Pro Tournament of Champions opened up on Thursday night at the JQH Arena on the campus of Missouri State University in Springfield.
The tournament annually features a group of local teams from the SWMO area along with some of the top programs in the nation.
Here are a few observations along with some of the top Missouri standouts from opening night at the Bass Pro TOC.
The Big Takeaway: SWMO Teams Show Out
As usual, the four national teams advanced to Friday night’s semifinals, but not before getting quite a tussle from the local teams in the field. Not only did Springfield Parkview, Nixa and Springfield Catholic go toe-to-toe with the national powers, they nearly pulled off a pair of upsets.
The first team to take a swing at a giant was Parkview, which took on top-five national team Sierra Canyon (CA), which featured Bronny James, the son of NBA star LeBron James. Parkview came out smoking in the first quarter as it 3-point shooting staked them to a 16-6 lead. The smaller Vikings hustled and battled Sierra Canyon for most of the game before the Trailblazers’ size and depth took over in the fourth quarter to take a 63-46 victory.
Nixa came tantalizingly close to pulling off the upset against a strong Milton (GA) team. The Eagles battled on even terms with Milton for the entire game and held a 49-47 lead with six seconds left. That’s when Bruce Thornton happened. The Ohio State recruit took a flea-flicker like pass from teammate Kanaan Carlyle to sink a 35-footer as time expired to give Milton a stunning 50-49 victory.
In the nightcap, Catholic took on Paul VI from Virginia. Catholic was a late replacement for Rainier Beach (WA), who was unable to travel. The Fighting Irish proved that they belong as they threw quite a scare into Paul VI before losing a tough 60-55 decision. Catholic trailed by 11 points in the second half, but battled back to cut the lead to one point with a chance to win late.
Despite the three losses, it was a very productive night for the local teams as they showcased their talent and competitive spirit against some of the nation’s best on the big stage of the JQH Arena.
Missouri Standouts
Zach Howell Zach Howell 6'4" | SG Springfield Catholic | 2022 State MO (Springfield Catholic): The 6’5″ 2022 sharpshooter was the top scorer on opening night as the scored 30 points in Catholic’s near upset of Paul VI. Zach is a walking bucket, regardless of the level of competition he shares the floor with. He displayed his perimeter stroke with five 3-pointers. He also showed his offensive diversity with tough drives to the basket and excellent movement off the ball on back cuts. He was being tightly guarded, but it didn’t matter. He was getting his buckets anyway.
Colin Ruffin Colin Ruffin 6'3" | PG Nixa | 2022 State MO (Nixa): The 6’3″ 2022 point guard scored a team-high 21 points in the Eagles’ close contest with Milton (GA). The talented left displayed all of the elements of why he’s one of the best point guards in the state. He can penetrate, drop dimes and shoot it from distance. What I liked about him was his competitiveness and and ability to step up in the big moments. Whenever the Eagles needed a play, he would penetrate the lane for a big layup or pull up and drain a timely 3-pointer.
Liam O’Reilly (Springfield Catholic): The 6’2″ 2022 guard had an excellent all-around performance in support of Zach Howell Zach Howell 6'4" | SG Springfield Catholic | 2022 State MO ’s offensive exploits. The Missouri State football recruit had a near triple-double as he had 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
Jadis Jones Jadis Jones 6'5" | SF New Madrid Central | 2024 State #248 Nation MO (New Madrid Central): The 6’5″ 2024 forward was one of the lone bright spots for an Eagles’ team that was overmatched by a tall and talented Chicago Whitney Young team in the opening game. He put on his hard hat and battled Whitney Young’s trio of athletic 6’8″ forwards in getting a near double-double.