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Lions Start Fast To Deck DruryBy WENDELL REDDEN Glob* Sport* EditorMissouri Southern jumped out to a 10-0 lead during the first 4:07, fought off repeated Drury challenges down the stretch and turned back the Panthers 74-68 in an exciting NAIA District 16 basketball struggle before a near-capacity crowd in Robert Ellis Young Gymnasium Wednesday.Drury, the district’s top-ranked team in the latest Dunkle Ratings, had a four-game victory streak snapped and suffered its second loss in six games. Southern moved to 5-3 with its fourth district victory in as many outingsSouthern Coach Chuck Williams virtually scrapped his ball-control offense against the Panthers, driving the ball at Drury all night and harassing the visitors with a full-court pressure defense.‘‘Our plan was to make them play us,” Williams said. We wanted to take it (the battle) to them The opening minutes, when we grabbed a KM) lead, was a very big factor. It gave us control.“By taking the game to them, we were able to get the hall downcourt quickly and that resulted in some easy baskets and forced them to commit some fouls.”Willie “Sweet Pee” Rogers, Southern’s 6-7 junior pivot, out muscled Drury’s 6-9 Elwayne Campbell to take scoring and rebounding honors. Rogers powered inside for 21 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard Carl Tyler added 15 points, Jim Waid had 12 and Ricky Caver scored 11.“Pee played a strong game inside,” Williams said. “He had to really work to get his shots off against Campbell and (Marc) Ridlen. He did a good job defensively, too. And I thought Jim Waid played well in his first start, subbing for Percy Brown who was ill. Jim gave us a big lift.”Ridlen, a 6-6, 205-pound sophomore, had 13 first-half points and finished with 19 to lead Drury. Campbell contributed 18 and senior playmaker Kent Russell added 10. Ridlen grabbed 10 missed shots and Campbell pulled down nine. Campbell had two blocked shots for the Panthers. Southern held a 33-29 edge on the boards.Both teams used pressure defenses most of the way and forced numerous turnovers and steals Southern turned the ball over 19 times while Drury surrendered it 18 times. Southern had 12 steals — five by Caver — and Drury logged eight — three by Bruce Robbins.Despite the defensive pres sure, both teams shot well. Southern hit 27 of 52 from the field for 51.9 percent while Drury was 31 of 65 for 47.7.Only poor free throw shooting kept Southern from opening a comfortable halftime lead. The Lions hit only 20 of 33 free throws, missing 8 of 18 in the first half.Free throws by Virgil Parker and Rogers ignited Southern’s fast start and field goals by Parker, Waid, Tyler and Caver made it 10-0 with 15:53 left. Arnold White, a 6-4 leaper, finally broke the Drury drought with a bank shot from the wing at 15:27.Southern maintained a 6-to-10 point lead most of the half until Rogers’ fielder and two free throws by the 6-5 Waid gave the Lions their biggest lead of the first half, 34-22. with 3:02 left. The Lions led 38-28 at the intermission.Drury, with Campbell, Ridlen and Robbins contributing four points each, closed the deficit to 53-49 with 10:33 left.Southern answered that threat with eight straight points on two goals by Rogers and solo buckets by Brown and Tyler. That made it 61-49 at the 8:02 mark.With Southern leading 83-51, the Panthers reeled off eight straight points to get within four again.Again, the Lions were equal to the task. Two charities by Rogers, a block of Campbell’s soft jumper by Rogers and three free throws by Caver kicked Southern’s lead to 68-59 with 2:18 left.Tyler made three pressure free throws and Rogers one during the final 40 seconds to secure the decision.Tempers flared outside the gymnasium following the game as Drury and Southern students reportedly were involved in a fight that resulted in an injury to Sgt. Dale Owen of the Joplin Police Department. Owen suffered a cut eye and nose injury when his glasses were broken while trying to part the combatants.loiuort Unci*i Scor*boordMissouri Southern's Virgil Parker drives the lane for a layup attempt during the Lions' 74-68 victory over Drury College here Wednes- * day. The Lions’ Willie Rogers (52) moves inside for the rebound as Bruce Robbins (right) and Marc Ridlen (behind Rogers) defend on the play.Glob* Photo. G*€G SANOtftS
Newspaper Details
Joplin Globe
Joplin, Missouri, US
Thu, Dec 10, 1981
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
Joplin P.
MO, USA 25 Feb 2024
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