If the noise in Fulton’s gym on Tuesday wasn’t enough of a district game feel, the situation covered that.
The Mexico boys trailed 43-41 with 5.6 seconds left on the same floor where this …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, or you are a print subscriber who had access to our previous website, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you have not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
If you are a current print subscriber and did not have a user account on our previous website, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
If the noise in Fulton’s gym on Tuesday wasn’t enough of a district game feel, the situation covered that.
The Mexico boys trailed 43-41 with 5.6 seconds left on the same floor where this year’s Class 4 District 8 tournament will be played and were able to defeat Fulton 56-49 in overtime. Brady Thoenen put back a long 3-pointer miss to send the game to overtime and was one of three Bulldogs to score in double figures.
Thoenen finished with 14 points to match Charlie Fisher’s total while also having six rebounds and two 3-pointers for Mexico (10-3, 4-0 NCMC) Fisher added seven assists, Matai Holman had 10 points, eight rebounds and two 3-pointers, James Matthews finished with nine points and Kinser Grove had seven points.
“We were playing for ourselves instead of playing for each other,” Thoenen said about Mexico’s early struggles in Tuesday’s game. “We had to work on fundamentals like getting our plays through and playing good defense.”
Coming that close to defeat supplied enough pressure, but head coach Darren Pappas said there was plenty going into the game. Fulton (3-4, 2-1 NCMC) was undefeated in North Central Missouri Conference play as well while Mexico’s undefeated conference and district records were on the line.
“We weren’t trying to go for the win at the end,” Pappas said about Mexico’s strategy at the end of regulation. “Charlie got a good look. He doesn’t usually miss two looks like that, but thank goodness Brady was sitting there, got the rebound and laid it back up as time expired.”
Pappas said he was “very thankful” for Thoenen’s positioning and awareness under the rim. However, it was a long 5.6 seconds before that play happened.
Following a miss, the ball bounced off Mexico and Fulton players before Matthews hugged the ball and called timeout while he was on the floor. Two more timeouts later — as Pappas said he and Fulton head coach Justin Gilmore were in a chess match of adjustments before the crucial play — Mexico had new life in overtime.
“If you can save some of those possessions, because I think the jump ball would have gone their way, and turn it over like that, that’s huge for us,” Pappas said about Matthews’ play.
Thoenen said he knew the right place to be for a rebound.
“When people shoot from the corner, the rebound usually goes long,” Thoenen said. “Either Charlie makes a three or I get a rebound and put it back.”
The game was a low-scoring affair throughout the night. Pappas has spoken earlier this season about Mexico’s intention of improving against zone defense and said more work needs to be done. He said Fulton played a good zone defense.
“Their zone was pushing us way out, and the middle was wide open,” Pappas said. “We weren’t hitting the middle, and when we were trying to attack, we weren’t attacking the gaps like I wanted us to. We’ve got to look at it and learn from it.”
Mexico did have players step up when it mattered later in the game, though, to counter the hot hand of Fulton’s shooters. The Hornets nailed nine 3-pointers, and eight of them happened after halftime. Thomas Pittman led with 20 points and four 3-pointers after halftime, Paul Bruner followed with 12 points, six rebounds and two 3-pointers and Kaden Kleindienst had eight points and two 3-pointers.
Thoenen led off Mexico’s scoring in the overtime with a 3-pointer after Mexico had two 3-pointers up to that point, which he said gave him “a confidence boost.” Fisher powered through a Fulton defender for an and-one bucket, and the freshman Holman hit a 3-pointer and knocked down two free throws, scoring eight points after the third quarter.
Holman made his second career varsity start, but Pappas said there is more experience than expected in that young guard.
“He’s comfortable in big-time moments,” Pappas said. “That’s his mentality and who he is. He’s played a lot of travel basketball so he’s used to the moment. It says a lot for a freshman to come in and give those types of minutes and be comfortable in those situations.”
Mexico plays at Bowling Green (9-2) at 7 p.m. today in the first of two road games in as many days. The Bulldogs will try hard for those victories but are happy they could get Tuesday’s.
“There was a lot riding on this game, and we knew we had to come in here and get a win,” Pappas said. “It’s never easy to win in this place. This is where districts are going to be played for us so hopefully we can get used to this gym. Luckily, we were able to pull it out.”
