Tigers lose to Ash Grove in Bolivar Tournament

Freshman Bryan Campbell has taken over the scoring leadership for the Nevada Tigers. Campbell scored a team-high 16 against Ash Grove.

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The Nevada Tigers lost their consolation-round game 43-31 to the Ash Grove Pirates at the 73rd Bolivar Liberator Tournament on Friday.

Freshman Bryan Campbell's pair of treys shot the Tigers into the early lead at 6-0, but Ash Grove replied with a 6-0 run of its own. The first quarter ended with the Pirates up 11-10.

Ash Grove (8-9) extended its lead to seven before Campbell pulled the Tigers to within four with a free throw and field goal late in the second period. At the intermission, the Pirates led 21-17.

Neither team was able to get untracked offensively early in the third quarter, which went scoreless for about three minutes.

After an Ash Grove basket broke the drought, Nevada guard Taylor Rainey's three points -- the Tigers' only scores in the period -- closed the gap to 23-20. A 6-0 Ash Grove run, four in the final 40 seconds, pushed the advantage to 29-20 as the third quarter expired.

Eight points, including 6 of 6 from the free-throw line, by Ash Grove's scoring leader Shane Nicholson helped the Pirates to a 14-11 fourth-quarter advantage. Nicholson, who came in with a 25 ppg average, finished with a game-high 20 points.

Campbell paced the Tigers, who fell to 5-14, with 16.

Nevada meets Springfield Central for seventh place on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.