Leopold boys basketball team sets new school win mark on way to district final

MORLEY, Mo. -- The Leopold boys basketball team became the first team in school history to win 24 games in a season Tuesday night.

The top-seeded Wildcats dispatched Richland 87-47 in the semifinal round of the Class 1 District 2 tournament at Scott County Central to improve to 24-2 on the season.

The school record for wins had stood since the 1986-87 season, when the Wildcats finished 23-5.

"I think it's really important because it puts us up top above everybody else -- the best team here, so I think it's a big accomplishment for us," said Leopold senior Kyle Stroder, whose dad Bryan was on the team that held the previous record.

At least four other players on the team -- Joe Elfrink, Cameron Davis, Brandon Jansen and James Jansen -- have uncles who were on the team.

"I think it means a lot to them because there's a couple of the guys -- it's there dad's record, it's their uncle's record," Leopold coach Andy Beck said. "At Leopold it's a family thing. A lot of their own family had that record.

"It's a big deal to them. We've been talking about it quite a bit."

Leopold closed the first quarter on a 14-2 run as it steadily pulled away from No. 4 seed Richland.

The Wildcats hit 10 3-pointers in the first half and 14 in the game. The Wildcats led 63-15 at halftime.

"I thought we really got it going at the beginning," said Stroder, who finished with 19 points. "That's really important. We've got to bring that Thursday night, too."

Sophomore Austin Bucher, who became a starter after Elfrink had wrist surgery, also finished with 19 points, including five 3-pointers. He added six rebounds and five steals.

"He's definitely getting more comfortable," Beck said. "That confidence and that comfort level goes up every game. We've seen that in practice, and we've just been waiting and waiting and waiting for that to come out in games, and tonight it finally did.

"He looked well. Tuesday night, defensively he was there doing the same things -- getting the steals, getting the deflections, but the shots weren't falling. Tonight it seemed like on the offensive end things were clicking for him. It was nice to see."

The win means the Wildcats will have a chance to pull off another first. A victory on Thursday against Scott County Central would give the school its first district championship in basketball.

The teams last met in last season's Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament, when the Braves routed Leopold 72-53.

"Well if I had to sum it up in one word, it's 'ready,'" Beck said about his players' mindset. "This is a game they've wanted since last year at the Christmas Tournament when they kind of put it on us. This is a game they've talked about all summer, a game they've been looking forward to all year.

"They're ready for it. I don't expect too many nerves -- maybe the younger guys, but the seniors are battle tested. They're ready. They're ready for it. They can't wait. They'd play them tonight if they could."

Richland 9 6 20 16 -- 47

Leopold 31 32 16 8 -- 87

RICHLAND (47) -- Jesse Barnes 5, Nicholas Daniels 3, Marcus Grayson 13, Richard Forshee 19, Adam Lane 7. FG 20, FT 6-13, F 10. (3-pointers: Barnes 1. Fouled out: none)

LEOPOLD (87) -- Austin Bucher 19, DJ Keim 5, Kyle Stroder 19, Andrew McWilliams 11, Cameron Davis 16, Ethan Broshuis 6, Brandon Jansen 7, James Jansen 4. FG 35, FT 2-7, F 13. (3-pointers: Bucher 5, Keim 1, Stroder 3, McWilliams 3, Broshuis 2. Fouled out: none)