Somebody had to lose.
In Friday night’s Class 2 District 8 boys basketball championship game, Stoutland and Laquey were meeting for a fourth time this season.
The battle between these two state-ranked heavyweights had taken place just a week before. Laquey delivered a double-overtime punch out to Stoutland to take the Frisco League title.
Tigers vs. Hornets: Round 4 didn’t disappoint. In front of a packed house at Laquey High School, the Tigers delivered the ultimate knockout blow with a 55-47 win to take the district championship, breaking Laquey’s two-year claim on the title.
The Hornets, who finish the season 23-6, were too overwhelmed with turnovers (they gave up 17) and foul shots to pull out the victory despite leading by two at the end of the third quarter.
It was 38-36 at the end of the third quarter but the Tigers outscored the Hornets 19-9 in the fourth after converting nine of 14 free throw attempts in the quarter.
After Stoutland’s Collin Burns made a layup with 4:18 left in the final period, the Tigers took a 43-42 lead that they never gave it up.
The combination of Burns and Billy Willard powered the Tiger offense, combining for 36 of Stoutland’s 55 points in the game.
Willard led the way with 19, including three from downtown. Burns netted 17, scoring 10 of those in the second half.
The Hornet defense did hold junior Travis Miller to seven points, but thanks to Burna and Willard his presence wasn’t missed.
Andre Hilbert was the only Hornet in double figures, scoring 14.
Laquey controlled the tempo early, going up 11-9 at the end of the first quarter, but not much separated the two. Neither team had an apparent edge.
In the second quarter, there were two ties and three lead changes thanks to some key three-point shots from both squads. The Tigers led 25-22 at halftime.
Laquey re-took the lead in the third quarter. Thanks to some careless turnovers by the Tigers, the Hornets pushed their lead to as many as five but only led 38-36 at the end of three.
After that the Tiger free throw shooting took over.
“I didn’t want to have to end my career here like this, but it’s been a pretty good five years,” said Laquey head coach Bill Blanton, who plans on retiring at the end of this school year.
He leaves with 681 career victories and is a member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
Stoutland, who improves to 25-2, will play Sedalia Sacred Heart Wednesday at Camdenton.
