Advance ousts Meadow Heights boys in district action

~ The Hornets advanced to the semis with their 64-60 win

ORAN, Mo. -- Advance didn't get many shots in the fourth quarter, but the Hornets converted the chances they got.

Advance's offense did just enough to stave off Meadow Heights' rally and post the 64-60 victory in their Class 2 District 3 boys basketball opener Saturday.

"Everybody pulled together," Advance junior Darren VanGennip said. "We slowed the ball down and held on. Let them come foul you because they want the ball pretty bad."

The Hornets committed six turnovers in the fourth quarter but hit 5 of their 6 attempts from the field.

Advance's Brad Steil shoots between Meadow Heights defenders Dustin Hubler, left, and Josh Keller during their Class 2 District 3 game Saturday in Oran, Mo. (LAURA SIMON)

"We have a few seniors and the seniors stepped up," Hornets senior Brad Steil said. "That helped us tremendously. We just listened to the coach and took it to them."

Meadow Heights tied the game on a conventional three-point play by Calen Buerck to start the fourth quarter, but the Hornets responded with an 8-0 run. The Panthers answered that run with a 7-0 spurt of their own to get within one with 4 minutes, 43 seconds left. They used their patented pressure defense to force turnovers. VanGennip said the key for the Hornets was to slow the tempo.

"You want to go a lot faster," he said. "It's tough out there and they're all over you. They've got a bunch of energy out there."

Advance pushed its lead back to five points, but Trever Hotop nailed a 3-pointer to cut it to 60-58 with 2:05 left. The Hornets gained a little breathing room after a John Middleton basket and a Meadow Heights miss. The Hornets ran down the clock to 24 seconds and VanGennip made 1 of 2 free throws for a five-point lead.

"We were real deliberate with the basketball, looked for the open man and didn't force anything," Advance coach Josh Dowdy said.

Meadow Heights senior Nick Webb drives past Advance defender Matt Ware during Saturday's game.

Dustin Hubler made a bucket for the Panthers to cut the deficit to three points, and VanGennip again was fouled. He missed his first attempt but took a little advice from teammate Dylan Dunivan before knocking down the second for the final score.

"I had to adjust to it," VanGennip said. "I heard my buddy yell, 'End on your toes.' It's kind of a thing we've got. I ended on my toes and made it."

Meadow Heights missed a pair of 3-pointers at the end and Advance moved on to the semifinals Tuesday against Bernie.

"We just persevered," Dowdy said. "I was very happy with how a lot of the younger kids had to come off the bench and step up."

Steil led the Hornets with 12 of his game-high 21 points in the second half. He went 7 of 12 from the field in the contest.

"I was attacking the rim," he said. "I don't think I shot a shot outside the paint."

Dowdy appreciated the effort from one of his senior leaders.

"He just plays with passion," Dowdy said. "He played like that might be his last game and he didn't allow that to happen. That's what we try to teach, to give it your all on every possession, and I never have to question that with Brad."

Advance's defense bothered Meadow Heights for most of the game. The Panthers shot 37 percent (23 of 62) from the field, including 29 percent (5 of 17) from 3-point range.

"I don't think we were moving," Hubler said. "They were doing a good job denying our passes. We didn't move for the ball. They stayed in front of us and made the ballhandler dribble the ball."

Advance's offense shot 55 percent (23 of 42) from the field but committed 25 turnovers.

"I thought we played one of our hardest defensive games," Meadow Heights coach Tom Brown said. "I think our rebounding really hurt us. They got eight points off missed free throws. That's the difference in the game. You've got to block out on free throws and we didn't do a good job of that."

The Panthers ended the season at 16-9.

"We just left everything we had out on the floor," Hubler said.

The Hornets (16-9) now turn their attention to Bernie, the team that ended Advance's season in the district title game last season. The Mules defeated Chaffee 67-26 in Saturday's first game.

"Hopefully on Tuesday we'll have that same energy that we usually play with," VanGennip said.

Meadow Hts 14 11 18 17 -- 60

Advance 23 6 17 18 -- 64

MEADOW HEIGHTS (60) -- Dustin Hubler 11, Daylan Davis 14, Calen Buerck 9, Nick Webb 14, Trever Hotop 12. FG 23, FT 9-11, F 19. (3-pointers: Hotop 4, Webb 1. Fouled out: Webb)

ADVANCE (64) -- Hunter Wilson 3, Grant Gray 6, Matt Ware 10, Darren VanGennip 16, John Middleton 8, Brad Steil 21. FG 23, FT 14-24, F 15. (3-pointers: Gray 2, Wilson 1, VanGennip 1. Fouled out: none)