WEST PLAINS, Mo. – The Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Basketball team will face two important tests this week when they take on two nationally-ranked teams, No. 19 Indian Hills Community College this evening, Jan. 10, in Ottumwa, Iowa, and No. 6 Mineral Area College, Park Hills, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, in Joe Paul Evans Arena at the West Plains Civic Center.
“We’ll have our work cut out for us this week,” Grizzly Basketball Head Coach Chris Popp said of the upcoming contests. “Both are winnable games, but we’re going to have to play very well.”
Tuesday’s game against the Warriors will be live streamed online.
The Grizzlies will go into that contest with a 9-9 record after posting a 1-1 record in the Hirsch Feed and Farm Supply, Inc., Grizzly New Year’s Classic this past weekend at the civic center. The Grizzlies defeated Sunrise Christian Academy, Wichita, Kansas, 93-83 on Friday, but lost to Motlow State Community College, Lynchburg, Tennessee, 113-86 on Saturday.
“I was pleased with our performance Friday,” Popp said. “We had eight healthy bodies, and all eight came out ready to play. Sunrise Christian’s top five to six players are the most talented group we’ll see all year. They already have signed two players to high major programs and have a number of additional guys recruited to mid and high major schools, which is something no other team we play this year can say. We came out of the gates and jumped on them early, and we really never looked back.”
The Grizzlies, at one point in the first half, had a 20-6 advantage over the Buffaloes and ended the period leading 42-29. The Buffaloes out-scored the Grizzlies 54-51 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the first half deficit.
Redshirt freshman guard Lane Duncan led the Grizzlies in scoring with 19 points, followed by redshirt freshman point guard Ricky Torres with 17, sophomore forward Stefan Lakic 14, sophomore guard Dwayne Orija 12, freshman point guard Quinton Gray 11, and freshman guard Marcus Blackwell 10. Torres recorded a double-double, adding 10 assists to his point tally.
Against Motlow State Saturday, the Grizzlies once again jumped out early, but the Bucks defensive scheme caused the Grizzlies problems they couldn’t overcome. “We’ve had four games in a row where we’ve started really well, even against Motlow. We were up 15-11 against them before they made a run,” Popp said. “They played an unusual zone, and we struggled with it. They also got it going from the perimeter. They shoot it at every position, and it seemed like all of them shot the ball well Saturday. Motlow is a good team, and I credit them for making shots, but I’m also disappointed that we gave them they looks that allowed them to get it going.”
At halftime, the Bucks led 52-31, and they extended that lead in the second half, out-scoring the Grizzlies 61-55.
Duncan once again led the Grizzlies in scoring with 19 points, followed by Orija with 15, Gray 12, freshman forward Yannis Mendy 11 and Torres 10. Duncan also added four assists and four rebounds to his stat totals, while Gray led the team in assists with nine. “One positive to injuries, if there is such a thing, is that it gives other players an opportunity to step up and do more. Lane has taken advantage of the opportunity to start. He’s been a spark for us from the start in each of the last three games,” Popp said. “Ricky also played really well this weekend.”
Popp said he would like to thank Hirsch Feed and Farm Supply, Inc., for sponsoring the tournament. “We appreciate their support,” he said.
For more information about the Grizzly Basketball program, visit the team’s website, or call 417-255-7991. Complete box scores of the games can be found online, as well.