ROGERS -- Round one goes to Rogers Heritage.
Heritage overcame an early eight-point deficit to lead by 18 points late in the game but the War Eagles had to hold off a Rogers High rally to post a 69-60 victory in the third-place game at the Arvest Hoopfest Saturday.
Heritage (8-1) has won the last three meetings between the city rivals and the two teams will face off two more times this season in 7A-West Conference games. It was just the second time Rogers and Heritage have played each other in the Arvest Hoopfest and each school has one victory.
Connor Hirsh led three Heritage players in double figures with 23 points. Lexus Hobbs added 17 points while Dane Olsen finished with 12 for the War Eagles.
"We had our confidence shaken in the loss to Waynesville but we came back," said Heritage coach Tom Olsen. "All and all, we like winning."
Hobbs had 10 points in the fourth period, including making 5-of-6 free throws the final 1 minute, 14 seconds of the game. Heritage led 60-42 with 5:30 left but the Mounties scored eight points on one trip after a War Eagles' technical foul.
Rogers George Black scored five of the points on a three-point play and two technical foul free throws and Daniel Salvador hit a 3-pointer to cut the Heritage lead to 60-50. Rogers (4-5) got as close as 66-60 but they didn't score the final 34 seconds of the game.
"We made some bad decisions down the stretch that really could have cost us," Olsen said. "We made enough plays at the end to stretch it back out. Give credit to Rogers, they could have gone away. We just have to be smarter at the end."
Rogers coach Wayne Herren said turnovers put the Mounties in a hole they couldn't get out of. Rogers turned the ball over 12 times in the first half as Heritage led 32-25. They had 20 in the game. Will Allen led Rogers with 15 points while Matt Kressen and Black had 10 points each.
"Too many turnovers, too many unforced errors," Herren said. "Heritage was able to turn the turnovers into points. That did us in. We made a run late, but we need to learn to stay in a game in the third quarter. Pleased with our bench play."
Rogers jumped to a quick 10-2 lead but the Mounties turned the ball over on three-straight possessions in the second period and the War Eagles capitalized with a quick 8-0 run. Marcus Breedlove hit a 3-pointer and Hirsh followed with a three-point play for a 24-18 lead.
Webb City, Mo. 55
Pea Ridge 28
Webb City used a 14-0 first half run to pull away from the Blackhawks in a consolation game. Webb City (2-2) trailed 5-4 but the Cardinals closed out the first period with a 10-0 run for a 14-5 lead. The Cardinals then hit two quick baskets for a 18-5 lead en route to a 33-19 lead at halftime.
Sophomore Trey Gibson led Webb City with 14 points while classmate Braden Peck added 12 points. Webb City had nine different players score.
Joey Hall led Pea Ridge with 12 points after hitting four 3-pointers in the first half.
Arvest Hoopfest
Boys
Webb City, Mo. 55, Pea Ridge 28
Webb City^4^19^16^6^ -- 55
Pea Ridge^5^14^4^5^ -- 28
Webb City (2-2): Gibson 14, Peck 12, Smith 9, Roy 5, Marsh 4, Newby 4, Rodrique 3, Castillo 2, Davidson 2,
Pea Ridge: Hall 12, Davis 6, Caudill 5, Wright 3, Buttry 2.
Rogers Heritage 69, Rogers High 60
Rogers^13^12^13^22^ -- 60
Heritage^13^19^17^20^ -- 69
Rogers (4-5): Allen 15, Black 10, Kressen 10, Freeland 9, McClure 5, Salvador 5, Benninghoff 4, Heffley 2.
Heritage (8-1):Hirsh 23, Hobbs 17, Olsen 12, Breedlove 7, Coover 4, Belnap 4, Jensen 2.
Sports on 12/15/2014