HARRISON BOYS START FOURTH STRONG FOR WIN

WILLARD, Mo. — Coaches point to the start of the second half as a key to winning a close basketball game. Thursday night it was a start to the fourth period that was the trick for the Harrison Goblins. Harrison scored 16 points over a 3:30 stretch to put Willard, Mo. away in the Tri-State Basketball Classic held in Willard. The Goblins posted a 65-52 win. Those 16 points came from the combination of Ben Elliott and Carson Journagan. Harrison turned a 41-41 game into a 57-48 lead with the barrage. Journagan started the scoring with a three-point play. Willard quickly answered it with a trey to tie the contest again. Elliott was not to be outdone as he drained a long shot from the right side of the key to put Harrison back ahead by three. After a quick Willard layup, Elliott scored the next six points. He hit a mid-range jumper and then was fouled after he hit another 3-pointer. He nailed his free throw to complete the four-point play and the Goblins were in control at 53-46 with 4:19 left in the game. The Tigers hit a pair of charity tosses, that Elliott answer with a pair of his own free throws. After a Willard miss, Journagan took a fullcourt pass from Jacob Shrum for an uncontested layup with 2:38 left. Willard was able to cut the Harrison lead to seven points with a basket, but Jayce Martin scored inside. Harrison finished the game hitting 6-of-6 free throw attempts in the final minute with Elliott, Journagan and Dustin Gundry each getting a pair. There were 10 lead changes in the first half of the game. Harrison’s largest lead of the first half was 8-6 in the first period after Shrum hit a bucket. Willard’s biggest advantage was 23-17 with 5:41 left in the second half. Shrum ended that Tiger lead with a layup after taking a pass from Elliott. Willard was rocking a 28-26 lead, but Harrison ran a play that found Shrum in the corner. He drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer to put the Goblins ahead, 29-28, at the midway point. Harrison built its largest lead of the game at that point in the third period. Journagan hit four points in a row to give the Goblins a 35-30 advantage. Harrison led 41-40 after three periods. Leading Harrison in scoring was Eillott with 27 points. Journagan added 21, Shrum 10, Martin three, Gundry and Champ Saylors two each. The Goblins played at Willard on Friday night and will play Saturday. Harrison will participate in the Fayetteville Tournament that begins Thursday.

HARRISON BOYS START FOURTH STRONG FOR WIN

JEFF BRASEL

Harrison Daily Times | 12/3/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: R Crow