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Nevada Tiger basketball falls to Center at home
By Eric Wade
Daily Mail Sports Editor
"It was a tough go and we knew it was going to be a tough go, but we're really proud of our kids for hanging in like they did."
Despite the fact that the Nevada Tigers basketball team did what it has made a habit of doing in recent games and did just about everything right except win the game, head coach John McNeley left Wynn Gymnasium Thursday night with a smile on his face and did so for good reason. At a distinct size and athleticism disadvantage right from the start, the Tigers played through the contest undeterred and ultimately came out of the night with a solid performance in a game that was much closer than the 68-46 final score might imply.
With an average player height of just above 6 feet, 3 inches, the Yellowjackets of Kansas City's Center High School not only had the Tigers substantially outsized, but also had a significant edge in terms of sheer speed and athleticism on the floor. That didn't seem to matter, however, as the Tigers were able to dictate the pace throughout the majority of the game and took a six-point deficit into the final 8 minutes.
"We battled hard and played pretty competitive basketball with a very talented basketball team," McNeley said. "In the first half, in particular and really, through three quarters, we had it going about the way we knew we had to have.
We got them slowed down, made it a half-court game. They didn't get out in transition and weren't able to convert easy ones in the first half, so we felt good about that."
In what ultimately turned out to be a very productive first half for the Tigers, McNeley's squad didn't seem to have too much trouble neutralizing the speed and size edge held by the Yellowjackets and that ultimately resulted in a first half that was much closer than the final score would imply. Though the Tigers did trail by six at the midway point of the half, they went on to win the second quarter, 13-9, and took just a two-point deficit into the locker room at halftime.
Things continued in similar fashion in the third quarter, but as the minutes wore on, it became increasingly clear that it was only a matter of time before the physical advantages the Yellowjackets had would start to come into play. That was exactly what happened in the fourth quarter and despite heading into the frame down by just six, the Tigers ultimately found themselves on the short end of a 26-10 quarter that ultimately gave Center the 22-point victory.
"At some point in time, when you're playing this athletic a team, it's going to take its toll on you," McNeley said. "And you know, in the fourth quarter, they kind of got on a flurry and you know, we never could get our feet back underneath us."
Despite their size edge, however, it was one of their smaller players who made the biggest impact in the contest for the Yellowjackets. Quincey Butler -- a 6-1 senior guard -- led all scorers on the night as he finished with 27 points, leaving McNeley almost in awe.
"It's very difficult to stay between him and the basket," McNeley said. "He's got some parts of his game that you just don't see every day."
Those "parts of his game that you just don't see every day" led McNeley to take his assessment of Center's star a step further. Last Friday night, the Tigers faced what McNeley called "the best player we will play against," in Warrensburg's Dakota Jones, but after Friday's contest, that assessment might not be quite so clear-cut. Reflecting on the Center game, McNeley made a number of positive comparisons between Jones' game and Butler's.
"As good as Jones was Friday night, with his first step, it's not as quick as that kid's," McNeley said.
For the Tigers, the offensive leader has almost become something that can be predicted, before a given contest even begins. Though he didn't show it in his last outing against the Panthers of St. Mary's Colgan High School -- a game the Tigers won on the shoulders of Brandon Barker -- Devion Leavell got back to his usual ways Thursday, leading Nevada's offense with 18 points.
"He didn't have the best ballgame at Colgan, so this was a better ballgame for him," McNeley said of his 6-2 senior center. "I mean, this is more like Devion has played throughout most of the year and we needed him tonight."
Leavell also finished the night with a team-high 12 rebounds, completing the double-double.
Leavell wasn't the only high point for the Tigers, however. Finally starting to reach some of the offensive potential everyone knew he had coming into the season, Easton Mitchell joined Leavell in double figures with 11 points of his own.
"Hopefully, that will continue because that makes us a better basketball team," McNeley said of Mitchell's offensive production. "You know, he's very, very capable and has been battling some bumps and bruises.
"He had a dislocated finger earlier and now, he's got a little situation with his knee that he's battling through. I mean, Easton never complains, he just comes to work every day and has been just a great leader for us from you know, the time that we laced them up for the first time this year."
As a team, the Tigers finished the night 18-for-46 from the field with 28 rebounds, six assists, two steals and 22 turnovers. By contrast, Center went 30-for-63 from the field, with 46 rebounds, three assists, 15 steals and 13 turnovers.
With the loss, the Tigers fell to 3-7 on the year, while Center -- a future West Central Conference opponent -- improved to 8-3. Next on the schedule for the Tigers is next Thursday, when they open the Kansas Army National Guard Raider Basketball Tournament against LaCygne-Prairie View.
Tipoff in that contest is scheduled for 4 p.m., at Frontenac (Kan.) High School.