Hornets notch big win at Scott City

SCOTT CITY -- When Advance put together a nearly flawless first quarter Friday night, Scott City had an answer.

But when the Hornets opened the fourth quarter with a six-point spree -- all courtesy of junior Daryl Wade -- the Rams never recovered.

Advance posted an 83-71 victory on the road, poking a hole into the seedings for the upcoming Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament.

Advance (5-1) is seeded No. 6 in the 16-team field for the event, scheduled for Dec. 27 through Dec. 30 at the Show Me Center, while Scott City (3-3) is the third seed. They may meet in the tournament's second round.

But the Hornets played like the higher seeded team most of Friday night, suffering through a lull only in the second period when Jeremy Limbaugh was on the bench with three fouls.

The Hornets had managed a 26-16 edge after one period.

"Offensively and defensively, that was the best quarter we've played," said first-year Advance coach Joe Shoemaker. "That was the best four quarters we've put together this year."

The Hornets displayed scoring balance as well, with Wade leading four players into double figures. He finished with 22 points, including three of the team's four 3-pointers and 13 of the team's 23 points in the final period.

Junior center James Masters added 18 points, senior guard Tyler Bowman scored 17 and Limbaugh, a junior guard who helps out along the front line, added 14.

"They shoot the ball extremely well," Scott City coach Lance Amick said. "We just didn't hit, and they did."

Advance was sharp early, hitting 12 of 17 shots in the opening quarter.

After the Hornets opened a 12-point lead, 28-16, on the first basket of the second period, they began making errors that opened the door for Scott City.

Scott City senior Mark Dannenmueller, who ended the night with 35 points, led the comeback with nine points in the period. He weaved his way into the lane for a basket that tied the game 38-38 with 1:33 to go before halftime.

The teams played back and forth through the early part of the third period before Wade hit two free throws, Bryan Birkman hit a basket and Wade hit a trey that put Advance ahead 56-50. The Hornets never trailed again.

Scott City was back within one, 60-59, at the start of the fourth, but Wade scored a three-point play on a give-and-go early in the fourth period and then hit a 3-pointer with 6:10 to play that put Advance ahead 66-59.

"When [Wade] gets his feet set, he shoots the ball well," Shoemaker said.

Advance pushed the lead to 70-60 with 4:48 to play on baskets by Masters and Bowman. While Scott City was unable to get back in the game with shots from long range, Wade sealed the win with a 3-pointer with 1:53 to play that made the score 77-66.

Scott City was 2 of 13 on 3-pointers for the night.

"We didn't shoot a good percentage," Amick said. "I keep waiting for that breakout game offensively. It boils down to offense. As a team, we're going to have to be better offensively, and we're going to keep working at it."

Daniel Jackson was the Rams' second-leading scorer with seven points.

Shoemaker said his team's strategy was to keep Dannenmueller from the free-throw line, which didn't always work.

"He's a good player, and he's going to get his points," Shoemaker said. "We tried to cut down his easy baskets and tried to make him work for them.

"I was real happy with the kids. We try to play hard on the boards and on defense."

Advance 83, Scott City 71

ADVANCE 26 15 19 23 -- 83

SCOTT CITY 16 24 19 12 -- 71

ADVANCE (83) -- JORDAN SEABAUGH 4, TYLER BOWMAN 17, JEREMY LIMBAUGH 14, DARYL WADE 22, DREW SHERMAN 6, JAMES MASTERS 18, BRYAN BIRKMAN 2. FG 33, FT 13-14, F 17. (3-POINTERS: WADE 3, BOWMAN 1. FOULED OUT: LIMBAUGH).

SCOTT CITY (71) -- DANIEL JACKSON 7, ANDY STEPHENS 4, MARK DANNENMUELLER 35, MARK JOHNSTON 6, JASON SCHENIMANN 5, LANDON HILL 4, ALEX KING 4, TRAVIS GLUECK 6. FG 25, FT 17-22, F 16. (3-POINTERS: JACKSON 1, SCHENIMANN 1. FOULED OUT: NONE).