ROLLA, Mo. — Rogers High held St. Charles (Mo.) Francis Howell Central without a field goal during an 11 minute, 30 second span in the second half, and the Mounties used a blistering 21-0 run to pull away for a 50-28 victory in the championship game at the 2009 U.S. Bank-Rolla High Holiday Invitational.
Rogers (12-1) led 21-19 at halftime but held the Spartans scoreless in the third quarter while taking a 34-19 lead. Rogers then scored the first eight points of the final quarter.
The Spartans (5-4) missed all 13 of their shots from the floor in the third and were just 3 of 23 from the floor in the second half. Two of those baskets came in the final minute.
“We are a good defensive team,” Rogers coach Marty Barnes said. “(Wednesday), we played a little different defense because they (Francis Howell) had been reluctant to shoot the three. We packed it in and we played inside-out. They (Francis Howell) didn’t have a good attack for that.”
Sophomore Josh Anderson scored 11 of his 17 points during the Rogers run. Anderson was 5 of 10 from the field and had five of the Mounties’ 26 rebounds. Graham Parker scored six points the final 43.8 seconds of the third period and finished with 11 points. Wyatt Hively was also in double figures with 10.
“We can shoot the short jumper, and we can kick it out for the 3,” Barnes said. “We have the inside game. Josh is a very nice sophomore.”
Francis Howell’s Brian Midden was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, but the 6-foot-6 senior scored just seven points in the championship game. Shayne Heskin led Francis Howell with 10 points.
“It’s tough to win when you don’t score,” said Francis Howell coach Larry Anders. “Rogers had a lot to do with that. That zone that they play is stifling.”
Tanner Kaza opened the game with two long jumpers and a 3-pointer by Hively gave Rogers a 7-0 lead. After opening the game with four turnovers, the Spartans regrouped and used two 3-pointers by Andrew Tedder to fuel a 10-0 run for a 10-7 lead.
Rogers led 11-10 at the first break and Hively broke a 14-14 tie with a 3-pointer and Anderson added four points to up the Mounties lead to 21-16. But Midden hit a 3-pointer from the corner with five seconds left in the half to cut the Rogers lead to 21-19 at halftime.
The Spartans would score just nine points over the next 16 minutes as Rogers pulled away.
Rogers doesn’t play again until Jan. 8 when it travels to Bentonville for the 7A-West Conference opener. The Mounties next home game is Jan. 15 against Fort Smith Northside.