By Payton Hannah (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Blue Eye Bulldogs delivered a dominant performance on Monday night, overpowering the Pleasant Hope Pirates 59-30 in a Class 2 sectional matchup to keep their postseason run alive.
The Bulldogs entered the contest with a 19-8 record, having claimed the title of Missouri Class 2 District 11 champions. Meanwhile, the Pirates arrived with a 16-10 record as the newly crowned Missouri Class 2 District 12 champions, following their victory over New Covenant Academy last Friday.
The Pirates started strong, striking first with a quick basket off a crisp bullet pass from Mark Altic to Caleb Altic, who converted with a strong finish at the rim. Blue Eye would answer with a 6-2 run before Mark Altic knocked down a three-pointer for the Pirates. However, Bulldog guard Braxton Bell immediately responded, draining a contested corner three to keep the momentum swinging in Blue Eye’s favor as they closed the first quarter with a 13-7 lead.
The Bulldogs came out firing in the second quarter, launching a barrage of 3-pointers to take control of the game. It started with a deep shot from Beau Brown, igniting a flurry of threes from multiple Blue Eye players. Forward Brady Isbell also had a strong quarter, contributing eight points. Meanwhile, the Pirates created quality scoring opportunities on drives to the paint but struggled with tough rollouts at the rim. Blue Eye took full advantage, capitalizing on their chances to extend their lead to 27-13 at halftime.
The Bulldogs maintained their offensive dominance in the third quarter, scoring on their first four possessions to take control of the game. Isbell continued his strong play, showcasing his footwork in the paint to score six points in the period. The Pirates briefly answered with a deep 3-pointer from sophomore Bradley Jenkins, but their shooting struggles continued, allowing Blue Eye to extend their lead to a commanding 41-24 heading into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter was dominated by the Bulldogs’ 3-point shooting, led by Brown, who contributed a strong 11 points off the bench in the period and finished with 20 points for the game. Isbell continued his stellar performance, finishing with a game-high 22 points. Caleb Altic led the Pirates with 12 points, but Blue Eye sealed the win 59-30.
“This team is very special,” Blue Eye head coach Trae Patton said. “After losing seven seniors last year, this group has really bought into playing as a team and stepping up defensively.”
His sentiments were reflected on the court, as the Bulldogs showcased strong play on both ends, with contributions coming from both starters and bench players alike.
Brown, a key contributor off the bench, spoke about the team’s depth and chemistry: “We always get production and solid play from my cousin Riley, who starts for us. Once I come in off the bench, I just try and make life easier, make threes, and keep the offense rolling.”
Blue Eye will now advance to face the No. 1 ranked Eugene Eagles on Friday, who are coming off a hard-fought overtime win against Hartville and boast a 25-4 record on the season.
Blue Eye: 13-14-14-18—(59)
Pleasant Hope: 7-6-11-6—(30)
Top Performers
Blue Eye: Brady Isbell 22, Beau Brown 20
Pleasant Hope: Caleb Altic 12, Mark Altic 5
