By Don Abernathy (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
It didn’t take long for Nixa High School to get rolling against Branson in the semifinals of the Blue and Gold Tournament on Monday.
In a little more than two minutes, the Eagles ran off eight unanswered points, stunning Branson and forcing an early timeout. But Nixa wasn’t done.
The Eagles continually passed the ball inside to Adam McKnight, and the junior post man scored his 1,000th career point, as the Eagles flew away with a 72-54 Gold Division semifinal win in the 80th Annual Blue and Gold Tournament at Great Southern Bank Arena.
“Last year we had an early exit, so it means a lot to make it to the championship,” McKnight said. “Now we’d like to go win it.”
Nixa started from the opening tip, running the offense through McKnight in the post.
“I get most of my touches down low,” McKnight said. “Once they start collapsing on me, it opens it up for my teammates.”
McKnight scored nine points in the first quarter as the Eagles jumped to a 15-4 lead after just one period.
“Getting it into the post is our focus most nights for our team,” Nixa coach Brock Blansit said. “That’s our strength. Both Adam and Colt (McCoy) have both been fantastic the first eight games of the season and we fully expect that to continue.”
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Nixa pounded the ball inside to McKnight on virtually every possession. He needed 30 points to get to 1,000 career points, and he finished with 30.
“I knew he needed 30 points, and if I’m being honest, I didn’t think he’d get 30,” Blansit said with a smile. “I knew he was getting close, but I’m happy for him and glad he got that out of the way.
“To score a thousand points is impressive, but to do it early in your junior season is even more impressive.
Senior Colt McCoy kept the momentum going in the second quarter, scoring from the post, but perhaps more importantly, he was a big key on the defensive end. Branson shot just 2-for-12 from the floor in the first quarter and was 8-for-25 in the first half.
“Colt did a great job defensively on Griffin Mehrhoff inside,” Blansit said. “(Mehrhoff) is really good and I thought we disrupted him a little bit.”
Blansit didn’t stop his defensive praise with McCoy.
“Defensively, that may be the best game we’ve played, except for a couple minute span of the fourth quarter,” Blansit said. “I was really happy with the way we guarded today, and we finished out the game strong.”
Branson cut into the lead midway through the second quarter, and cut the lead to 11 points after a Mehrhoff basket from the left block (21-10), but Nixa didn’t flinch and held a 29-17 lead at halftime.
The Pirates were a different team in the third quarter, getting seven points from junior Wyatt Ray, and a 3-pointer from Mehrhoff, but Nixa still managed to extend its lead. The Eagles exploded for 30 points in the third period, including three 3s from senior Ty Kellis.
“Branson is an explosive team,” Blansit said. “They have five guys on the floor at all times who can shoot. So, no lead is ever safe.”
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Branson knocked down three 3s in the fourth, outscoring Nixa, 19-13 in the period.
Nixa will play in the Gold Division finals Tuesday, against second-seeded Hartville, at GSB Arena at 7 p.m.
“It’s the same, no matter who you’re playing, every game,” Blansit said. “You’ve got to guard, take care of the basketball, and rebound if you expect to win.”
As the fourth quarter rolled by, McKnight dominated possessions, scoring 11 of his game-high 30 points in the final period.
“I knew I was close to it, but I wasn’t thinking about it,” McKnight said. “I started to feel like I was getting close to the thousand mark, then I heard everyone go crazy and throw up their signs. That’s when I knew.”
