Wildcats endure tough week
The Cassville boys basketball team (12-13) suffered a trio of Big 8 losses last week and has one more non-conference contest Thursday before district playoffs begin. The Wildcats fell to Aurora on the road on Feb. 14, 72-43, then dropped two home contests on Thursday and Friday to East Newton, 44-34, and Hollister, 77-60. Cassville travels to Glendale on Thursday to cap the regular season. The Class 4, District 12 Tournament begins on Monday in Monett, with the No. 3 Wildcats playing in the nightcap, a 7:30 matchup with No. 6 Mt. Vernon, with the winner facing No. 2 Aurora. Cassville earned a 36-31 win over the Mountaineers on Dec. 9. On the other side of the bracket, No. 1 Seneca will face the winner of No. 4 Monett and No. 5 Reeds Spring, set for 6 p.m. Monday. The semifinals are March 1 at 6 and 7:30 p.m., and the Championship is March 3 at 6 p.m.
Cassville girls split with Aurora, Hollister
The Cassville girls basketball team (13-12) lost and won last week and play at home Thursday in the final regular-season contest. The Lady Wildcats fell to Aurora on the road, 50-21, on Feb. 13, rebounding on Thursday with a 41-40 win over Hollister, also on the road. Cassville next hosts Carthage on Thursday at 6 p.m. to cap the regular season. In the Class 4, District 12 Tournament, also in Monett, the No. 4-ranked Cassville girls will face No. 5 Reeds spring at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, with the winner matching up with No. 1 Aurora at 6 p.m. in a semifinal on March 2. The Lady Wildcats defeated Reeds Spring on Dec. 19, 35-18. The other semifinal is No. 2 Seneca against No. 3 Monett at 7:30 p.m. on March 2, and the championship is at 6 p.m. on March 4.
Trojans take wins into districts
The Southwest boys basketball team (18-7) took a pair of wins into the district tournament that began on Monday. The Trojans defeated Crane at home on Feb. 14, 82-69, then finished the regular season with a 71-45 home win over Billings. No. 3 Southwest faced No. 6 Diamond on Monday in the Class 3, District 12 Tournament in Diamond.
Lady Trojans surge into districts
The Southwest girls basketball team (11-15) turned in three wins in three days to end its regular season. On Feb. 15, the Lady Trojans topped Galena at home, 59-58. Southwest continued to streak with a pair of Barry County road wins, 56-28 over Purdy on Thursday and 64-40 over Wheaton on Friday. No. 6 Southwest faced No. 3 Clever in the Class 3, District 12 Tournament on Tuesday in Diamond, with results not available at presstime.
Tigers turn in 2 more wins ahead of districts
The Exeter boys basketball team (3-20) earned back-toback road wins last week, then fell in a home contest. On Feb. 14, the Tigers defeated Wheaton on the road, 45-43, and to keep the one-possession wins coming, topped School of the Ozarks the next day, 34-31. The Tigers’ regular season ended on Friday with a home loss to Pierce City. No. 7 Exeter faced No. 2 Niangua in the Class 1, District 4 Tournament on Monday in Chadwick.
Exeter girls play in districts
The Exeter girls basketball team (0-25) finished the regular season at home on Thursday with a 50-41 loss to Northeast Vernon County. The Lady Tigers fell to Wheaton on Feb. 14, 51-33, and to School of the Ozarks on Feb. 15, 46-15, both games being on the road. The No. 6 Lady Tigers faced No. 3 School of the Ozarks again on Tuesday in the Class 1, District 3 Tournament in Chadwick, with results not available at presstime.
Wheaton hoops squads turn to districts
The Wheaton boys and girls basketball teams opened district play this week, both coming off losses in their regular-season finales. The Bulldogs (7-19) fell on Feb. 14 to Exeter at home, 43-45. The Lady Bulldogs (5-21) defeated Exeter that same night, 51-33, but fell on the roadtoHurleythenextday, 56-41, then to Southwest at home on Friday, 64-40. The No. 7 Bulldogs faced No. 2 College Heights in the Class 2, District 12 Tournament in Verona on Monday. The No. 4 Lady Bulldogs faced No. 5 Purdy in districts on Tuesday at College Heights, with the result not available at presstime.
Eagles bag wins to end regular season
The Purdy boys basketball team (16-10) earned a pair of wins to end the regular season. The Eagles topped Billings at home on Feb. 10, 52-46, then defeated Galena, also at home, 72-42 on Feb. 14. The No. 3 Eagles face No. 6 Miller in the Class 2, District 12 Tournament in Wheaton on Monday. The Purdy girls basketball team fell in a pair of games last week, 49-35 to Galena on the road on Feb. 13 and 56-28 at home to Southwest on Thursday. The No. 5 Lady Eagles faced No. 4 Wheaton in the Class 2, District 12 Tournament on Tuesday at college Heights, with the result not available at presstime.
