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Lady Tigers drill Center in Bartlett's final home game
Nevada Daily Mail
On the same night Nevada Lady Tigers head coach Brent Bartlett was honored for his 15 years of coaching at Nevada, the Lady Tigers protected their home court during their final home game of the season Friday with a win over the Center High School Lady Yellowjackets, 65-35.
The seniors on the team, including Mikayla Bartlett, Morgan McNeley and Rilie Good, were also honored before Bartlett's final home game coaching for Nevada.
"I couldn't ask for a better night for our seniors to go out," Bartlett said. "It was a night they will not forget and I will definitely not forget."
Before the game's start, athletic director John McNeley recognized Bartlett for his years of coaching at Nevada and at Drexel High School before that.
At Drexel, Bartlett had an 86-6 record, including a 31-0 season in 1995-96 when they won the Class 1 State Championship. With Nevada, he had 367 wins and 171 losses, with two Southwest Conference championships, four district championships and one sectional championship.
"I'm thankful to God that I'm able to do something I love," Bartlett said. "And that's teach and coach."
Bartlett admitted he was convinced while in college that he would never coach a ladies' basketball team, but said he quickly came to love the players he has coached over the years and enjoyed coaching his own daughters.
McNeley presented Bartlett with a basketball signed by his current students as well as alumni, who were in attendance. His daughters and other players also presented framed photographs.
"There's no one I'd rather have coach my daughter," McNeley said. "Those are huge shoes that we are now asked to fill."
McNeley's daughter and each of the seniors scored in the double digits during their final home game as high school students, with Good led the team with 23 points, Bartlett with 15 and McNeley with 14 points.
The Lady Tigers were "rusty" at the start of the game according to Bartlett, which he said is not uncommon after the emotions that came with the presentations before its start.
Trailing by five early in the game, the Lady Tigers went on a 12-1 run to take the lead. A three-pointer by Bartlett just before the buzzer at the end of the first quarter gave them a 21-13 lead.
By then the Lady Tigers had settled in and cruised to a 20-point lead by half and then a 30-point lead by the start of the fourth quarter.
The Lady Tigers' 21-win season earned them a first-round bye in the playoffs starting Tuesday. They will play in the semi-finals Thursday against either Pleasant Hill or Harrisonville.
"Hopefully it carries over into the playoffs," Bartlett said of their success in the final regular season game. "This is what we're playing for the playoffs.