NMCC blows past Malden; Farmer hits 1,000 points

MALDEN – The New Madrid County Central (NMCC) Eagles swooped into Malden Tuesday and left the Green Wave high and dry in a brutal 94-57 blowout.

In what some might call "full contact hoops," the game was a rough-and-tumble spectacle played before a packed house whose fans turned out en masse to support the teams.

Dominated by an Eagles squad overflowing with long, experienced seniors, starters B.J. Wiliamson, Ty Williams, A.J. Ruff, Kayden Minner and led by senior Jadis Jones, who dropped 41 points Tuesday, NMCC opened the game on top of the Green Wave and offered no mercy until the bitter end.

The Green Wave trailed the Eagles at the end of every period, 25-12, 47-31, 68-48 and the final 94-57.

NMCC Head Coach Dontre Jenkins stepped into the role this season after serving as assistant coach eight years, said he advised his players at the half to play their own game and not fall victim to complacency.

"We've been playing a lot of five-on-four ball," Coach Jenkins explained. "Our guard who was guarding in the back court was gambling, trying to get steals and they were beating him down on the floor.

"They were playing five against four on us, and they would get open shots," he added. "We made an adjustment at halftime and they weren't getting many open shots after that."

Truer words were never spoken. The Eagles offense was laser focused, communicative and at times, downright sublime.

With a minute on the scoreboard left to play in the first period, NMCC was in front of Malden 21-12 when Eagles guard A.J. Ruff gave in to his confidence, grinned at Malden defenders, dropped the ball and strolled away from the bouncing orb, leaving the momentarily stunned Malden defense confused and baiting the Green Wave to slap at the ball, only to be denied possession.

The Eagles' rebounding-and-converting skills stretched that lead by three when guard B.J. Williamson sank a three-point bucket to end the quarter 25-12.

NMCC continued clobbering the Green Wave, who although outplayed, never surrendered. Senior guard Laterrence Robinson, who was deadly from the outside Tuesday, came out gunning and blasted a three-point shot, then followed up with a second bomb dropped from the corner, and the score stood at 32-20 NMCC with 5:54 left in the half.

That was followed by Malden's Payton Woodard, who fought his way the length of the court to score a nice layup, 32-22 NMCC.

The Eagles' Williamson was manhandled on the court in the next possession and was helped up from the floor to fire two free throws, missing the first and nailing the second, 33-22. 

Malden's Woodard drove in quickly, applied the brakes and let two defenders fly past before he was bullied out of bounds. Retaining possession, the Green Wave's Trey Miller brought in the ball, but Malden couldn't fire on all cylinders. With the score 36-22 NMCC, the Green Wave's Robinson launched another three-point attempt from familiar territory, missed, the ball was rebounded by Malden's Woodard who added a notch and sank the bucket, 36-24 NMCC with 4:11 remaining in the half.

Malden's solid wall, sophomore Tahjai Smith, picked up the ball and scored a bucket with 3:24 left on the second period clock, 36-26 NMCC, followed by the Eagles' Ra'Mond Brooks' layup, 38-26 NMCC.

Malden's Robinson was guarded most of the outing by Jadis Jones, who was all over Robinson in future possessions and who finally was double-teamed by Robinson and Woodard.

NMCC's A.J. Ruff ran the floor for the Eagles, and was on his way down court when Malden's 1000-point senior guard Quamareous Farmer stole the ball and broke free to score a sweet layup, 38-28 NMCC with 1:43 remaining in the half. 

By then, NMCC's Jones and Williamson shared 32 points between them and scant seconds later Jones went inside to score again, 40-28 NMCC with 1:11 left to play in the second period. Jones drew a foul in the process, stepped to the line and increased the Eagles' lead to 42-28.

Malden's Farmer refused to lay down and fired a three of his own to bring the score to 42-31 with 35 seconds left in the half.

The Eagles answered decisively and with 16 seconds left in the half sank a three-point conversion, 45-31. Malden lost possession of the ball in the last seconds of the first half and the Eagles capitalized with a rebound and a bucket, 47-31 NMCC at the half.

Malden was first to draw blood in the third, 47-33 NMCC, and the Eagles continued to fly past the Green Wave, answering with a goal 49-33, 6:48 left.

The Green Wave's Farmer took possession and attempted a three-point shot and missed. The Eagles' Jones took possession and was denied by Malden's Woodard, who stole the ball and subsequently found himself on his back on the hardwood, the victim of what looked like a parking-lot mugging perpetrated by two Eagles players.

Malden Green Wave�s Quamareous Farmer celebrates scoring 1,000 high school career points Tuesday at Malden. He is pictured alongside Head Coach Mike Kilgore, left, and Asst. Coach Dalton Freshour.Photo by Steve Hankins

Malden's sophomore guard Tristin Moncrief drew a foul, stepped to the line and sank both free throws, then continued his drive in the next possession to nail a bucket, 49-37 NMCC.

The Green Wave kept rolling and Woodard drove in for a layup, missed, rebounded his own failed shot and scored a nasty bucket, 49-39 NMCC.

The full-contact game progressed and found NMCC's Jones at the foul line sinking his second shot, 50-39 NMCC, answered by a Malden goal, 50-41 NMCC, and the Eagles dominated the Green Wave 68-48 heading into the final period.

NMCC's Jones opened the final period with 38 points under his belt and a fine jump shot, 70-48 NMCC.

Malden replied with a three-point projectile that found its mark, launched by senior guard Trey Miller, 70-51 NMCC.

Malden players swarmed Jones three deep in attempts to corral the game's top gun, which left NMCC players open to score. However, Malden's Farmer slugged his way down court to another goal, a big, hard-fought bucket assisted by Tahjai Smith, 72-53 NMCC.

An acrobatic but unsuccessful alley-oop resulted in NMCC's Jones, now posting 41 points, landing hard on his back and a foul was called in the process. This angered the Malden crowd and brought it to its feet expressing its disdain for the call.

With 2:58 remaining to play and Malden down 32 points there was no quarter requested and NMCC fielded its JV team to close out the outing 94-57.

NMCC's Jones, on his way to 2,000 high school career points, was humble but proud of the way the Eagles played Tuesday.

"This was a really hyped-up game," Jones said post-game. "I didn't want the team to get away from what we do.

"What we look for is the outcome," he continued. "The win."

Jones has plans for his future.

"I want to play ball somewhere after graduation," Jones said. "Colleges are interested in bringing me on.

"I have one university I'm really interested in," he added. "I just want to stay healthy and play."

Malden started Payton Woodard, Quamareous Farmer who was honored at halftime for his 1,000 high school career points, Tristin Moncrief, Laterrence Robinson and Zion Bell.