Mineral Area Downs Moberly For Fifth Consecutive Time
Moberly, MO – Remember the old saying…it’s tough to beat a team three times in the same season. Well last year, in there undefeated regular season and trip to the quarterfinals in the NJCAA National Tournament, the #19 ranked Cardinals did one better.
Due to covid travel restrictions and scheduling limitations, Mineral Area vs. Moberly happened three times during the regular season, and again in the Region Championship game. However difficult that feat might be, the Cards won all four.
Meeting for the first of three region match-ups in 2021-22, the Cardinals won again, on the road, 74-73. Down three with 12.9 seconds remaining, Moberly grabbed a missed Gavin Harris FT (16-16 from the FT line entering the contest), and raced down the court with a chance to tie.
Sincere Parker, the likely member of the Greyhounds to launch, was too closely guarded and found teammate Michael Thomas open in the left corner. Thomas drove to the hole hoping for an old fashion three point play, and scored with .1 seconds left. One problem, no foul. Game over. Moberly (8-3) was one point short.
In an equally odd decision, Mineral Area’s Keonte Jones actually challenged Thomas on his lay-in, and who knows, it’s fifty-fifty at that point, fouls have certainly been called in situations like that.
Never-the-less, Mineral Area comes away with the huge road win and now stands at 7-3, winners of five in a row.
The Greyhounds took an eleven point lead in the first half, their largest, 40-29 at the 1:30 mark. Michael Thomas drilled a 27 ft. right wing three, but those were their last of the half. Mineral Area closed out the half with a mini 5-0 run to close the gap. The Hounds went to the break up 40-34.
The game was basically a one possession game in the second half. Overall, there were a bunch of ties and score flips. At last guess, about a dozen of each. But Mineral Area took the lead for good at 65-63 on a Terry Ford reverse layup with four minutes left.
The Cardinals took their largest lead of seven, 73-66, with 72 seconds left, when Keonte Jones floating ten footer in the lane bounced in. Moberly outscored MAC 4-1 in the minute following, setting the stage for the bizarre ending.
Parker topped the chart for the Hounds, putting in 20 points. Michael Thomas added 17. Makalani Kafele contributed 11. Moberly will try and regroup Saturday as they travel to Three Rivers for a date with the Raiders.
Tied for top honors for the Cardinals were Jamir Price and Keonte Jones with fourteen. Terry Ford ended with 13, with Lamontay Daughtery netting eleven. MAC hosts State Fair CC on Saturday.
