There’s playing up-tempo and then there’s playing up-tempo but letting the ball do the work.
Mountain Grove excels in the latter.
The Panthers used their dynamic transition game to prevail at home over Fair Grove Thursday night, 78-72, in a rematch from last season’s thrilling Class 3 state quarterfinal meeting.
Three Panthers scored 20 or more: Brock Coffman (23), Treye Collins (21) and Connor McNew (20). Mountain Grove’s balance was too much for a Fair Grove squad led by freshman Cole Gilpin’s 31 points and senior Garrett Kesterson’s 20 points.
“When we play hard and guard, and we can get out and… slash you down and get something on the break, we’re pretty good,” said Mountain Grove coach Duane Hiler. “We did a good job on the (fast)-break tonight of attacking the basket.”
PHOTOS: MTN. GROVE VS. FAIR GROVE
The Panthers’ fast-breaks keyed a small spurt before halftime, as Mtn. Grove (No. 6 in Class 3 state coaches poll) extended a one-possession lead to nine (39-30) by the end of the second quarter.
“We were unable to execute and against really good teams – elite teams – you have to execute,” said Fair Grove coach Tim Brown. “We didn’t execute very to close out the second and third quarters. We allowed them to get some separation in transition and allowed them easy baskets, which they’re good at.”
The big blow, though, came in the third quarter.
After Fair Grove (No. 8 in Class 3 state coaches poll) started the second half on a 7-2 run to cut the Panthers’ lead to 41-37, Mtn. Grove answered with a 16-3 onslaught fueled by multiple baskets in transition.
Brown said Mountain Grove’s passing ability is what sets it apart from other up-tempo teams.
“Mountain Grove plays fast, and a lot of teams play fast, but they’re ability to pass the basketball is just good,” Brown said. “They’ve got five guys with extremely high basketball IQ. They pitch it up on the floor and a lot of times, the ball’s not really hitting the floor.
“They’re going fast, and getting the ball up the court fast, but their reads out of their break is what makes them deadly. The right guys get the ball at the right time and that’s what hurts you.”
Guards Carter Otwell and Collins drive the Panthers’ transition attack. Collins averaged close to 8.5 assists per game last season.
“Treye sees the floor well,” Hiler said. “He makes passes that I don’t even see from the bench.
“He’s always been that way. He’s a natural guard. And this year, he’s started to shoot the ball better and that’s added phase to his game,”
Following the Panthers’ 16-3 run, Fair Grove didn’t get within single digits until the final two minutes. Gilpin and Kesterson accounted for about 70 percent of Fair Grove’s scoring Thursday night. Brown said that must change going forward if the Eagles want to maintain their postseason aspirations.
“Mountain Grove has a team full of older guys that have been through it,” Brown said. “They’re older guys stepped up and did what they were expected to do. Garrett Kesterson stepped up for us tonight and we had two freshmen that stepped up for us. We got (42) points from our freshmen class. We have other guys that need to step up – consistently – for us to be the elite team that we want to be.”
All 78 of Mtn. Grove’s points came from its starting five. Hiler said the Panthers normally go eight-or-nine players deep.
“Our starters were just doing so well, that I had to leave them on the court,” he said.
Both Mountain Grove (6-0 overall) and Fair Grove (7-2 overall) compete in the Blue and Gold Tournament in Springfield starting Monday.
Mountain Grove 78, Fair Grove 72
Fair Grove 17 13 14 28 — 72
Mountain Grove 16 23 18 21 — 78
Fair Grove – Cole Gilpin 31, Garrett Kesterson 20, David Oplotnik 11, Evan Fullerton 8, Dalton Cloyd 2
Mountain Grove – Brock Coffman 23, Treye Collins 21, Connor McNew 20, Carter Otwell 8, Cade Coffman 6
