BY KYLE TROUTMAN ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com
A total of 15 teams participated in the Southwest hoops tournaments from Dec. 27-30, 2024, with one local team winning a title and another taking third.
The Cassville girls team took first place in the 11th Annual Southwest Girls Holiday Tournament, defeating Commerce (Okla.) in the championship, 64-52. Hardware also went to the Purdy boys team, which took third place with a comeback win over McAuley Catholic, 49-46, in the 42nd Annual Southwest Boys Holiday Tournament.
Southwest’s girls squad finished in fifth place, earning a 51-45 victory over Wheaton in the consolation championship. Southwest’s boys team saw one of its seniors eclipse 1,000 points during the tournament, but the Trojans were unable to log a win.
Purdy boys
The Eagles (9-5) were the heart-stoppers of the tournament, going 2-1 in three games decided by a total of 7 points. Purdy opened the tournament with a 77-74 victory over Gentry (Ark.), the fell in a semifinal thriller to Monett, 61-60. The Eagles completed the week with a 49-46 win over McAuley Catholic to take third place.
Brad Stewart, Purdy boys basketball coach, said though they don’t play to be, the Eagles’ games were the most entertaining in his opinion.
“All our games being one possession and the lead swings, that takes good basketball,” he said. “At times, we didn’t play well, especially in the first halves where we were down in all three games. But, we had a chance to win all three and we won two. The turnover late against Monett cost us, but we wouldn’t have been in that position if we hadn’t had a 4-point second quarter.
“I told the boys we played some good defense, played well on offense and, at times, rebounded well. We played hard; we just need to clean up our turnovers. If we drop 2-3 per game, especially the unforced ones, that will help.”
East Newton defeated Monett in the championship contest, and though the Tournament MVP went to the Patriots’ Braxton Wolfe, Stewart said his senior Carter Keeling was in the mix.
“Carter averaged 35 points per game with 48 against Gentry, a career high, 34 against Monett and 23 against McAuley,” Stewart said. “He also crossed the 1,500-point mark, so he had a really good tournament.”
Southwest boys
The Trojans (3-8) began the tournament with a loss to McAuley Catholic, 59-47. The closest game for Southwest was its next, a 56-51 loss to Commerce, and the tournament ended with a 71-58 loss to Gentry.
Jeff Treat, Southwest boys basketball coach, said the Trojans definitely struggled, but there were bright points.
“We lost one of our best players, Brady Brinkman, to injury, so we gained lots of experience,” Treat said. “We are still trying to figure ourselves out defensively, and we could be stronger offensively, but we’re getting better and growing.
“A positive is how our big men finished inside and how we improved defensively throughout the tournament.”
Treat was also happy to celebrate a highlight moment with senior Kasen Holder, who scored his 1,000th career point against McAuley Catholic in the tournament’s final contest.
“I’m really happy for Kasen,” he said. “He deserves it. He’s one of the better players in the area, and he does so much for us and sacrifices a lot. He’s an electric scorer, savvy basketball player and an even better person than a player. He’s a great kid.”
Southwest girls
The Lady Trojans (5-5) split games in the seven-team girls bracket, falling in their opening contest to East Newton, 48-40. Receiving a bye in the second round, Southwest played in the consolation championship against Wheaton, riding an early lead to a 51-45 victory.
During the fifthplace bout, junior Jaretsi Quintanilla entered the history books for Southwest, as she — like Holder had done in the game prior — crossed over the 1,000-career-points threshold.
Southwest girls basketball coach Shawn Johnson could not be reached for comment.
Wheaton girls
The Lady Bulldogs (3-9) opened the tournament with a loss to Gentry, 62-31, bouncing back with a win over Billings, 59-35. The victory earned the Lady Bulldogs a third game in the tournament, the consolation championship against host Southwest. The Lady Trojans won that contest, 51-45.
Jessica Dermott, Wheaton girls basketball coach, said for bringing such a young squad to the tournament, she was content with the results.
“I thought overall, they completed really hard,” she said. “Starting five sophomores, it was really awesome to watch them work. I’m really proud of how they’ve grown this year, and I can’t wait to see them continue to compete and get better.”
