By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Like many Greenwood players, Grant Harper has gotten bigger, better and more confident since last season.
Through eight games this season, the results prove it.
Greenwood dominated Class 4 Camdenton for a 76-48 win in the nightcap of the Gold Division first round at JQH Arena.
The No. 3 seed Blue Jays improved to 8-0 overall. Greenwood, the defending Class 2 state champion, plays 6-seed Mt. Vernon in the Gold quarterfinals at 9:30 p.m. on Friday.
“We can’t take our seed for granted,” Harper said. “We have to understand that bigger schools are going to have bigger athletes and we have to go at them no matter what.”
Greenwood junior Aminu Mohammed led the way with 36 points and 18 rebounds, including a thunderous two-handed dunk in traffic in the first half.
The outcome was never in doubt. Mohammed scored 21 in the first half as Greenwood led 49-24 at halftime.
“Energy,” Harper said of the key to the first half performance. “We were playing fast, playing together. Just having fun. No one was nervous this year.”
Greenwood broke away for good with a 27-point second quarter and emptied its bench in the fourth.
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“Sometimes, it’ll be a four-point game and all of a sudden I look up and it’s a 12-point game,” said Greenwood coach Darren Taylor about his team’s offense. “We can score in a hurry sometimes. I think that’s probably part of the reason why we shoot it, sometimes, too quick when we ought to be working the ball a little better.”
It was nice redemption for Greenwood, which lost to Stockton in the opening round of the Blue and Gold Tournament last season.
“Last year we came out a bit scared and (lost),” Harper said. “Over the offseason, we matured quite a bit. Tonight, we came out with some intensity and just had fun.”
Harper, a junior Greenwood’s starting point guard, said he grew 4.5 inches over the offseason – up to around 5’10” – and added a few pounds of muscle.
“That was pretty big for me,” he said. “Late bloomer. Finally put it together.”
Tommy Pinegar added 11 points for the Blue Jays. Three other Greenwood players scored six or more.
“I think everyone (on the team) knows and tries to achieve their role,” Taylor said. “Nobody tries to expand their role too much to where it interferes with the flow. It’s a good, all-around team effort.”
Paxton DeLaurent led Camdenton (2-4 overall) with 15 points. The Lakers play Stockton at 9:30 p.m. Friday at Hammons Student Center in the consolation bracket.
Greenwood 76, Camdenton 48
Greenwood 22 27 21 6— 76
Camdenton 12 12 8 16 — 48
Greenwood – Aminu Mohammed 36, Tommy Pinegar 11, Kaden Stuckey 9, Ryan Gibbons 8, Grant Harper 6, Nicolas Burri 3, Cooper Clark 3
Camdenton – Paxton DeLaurent 15, Joel Mason 11, Drake Miller 10, Parker Garrett 7, Cooper Ezard 3, Hunter Leighty 2
