Risco Tigers earn Tri-County Conference championship

RISCO, Mo. – The Tigers basketball program's winning legacy continued Friday when the varsity squad beat a solid Cooter Wildcats team and delivered a Tri-County Conference Tournament championship to hometown fans.

Risco defeated Cooter by a 20-point margin, 70-50 in the final contest of the event's grinding three-game series at Risco's rowdy Roy Hon Gymnasium.

“It's great!” Tigers head coach Brandon Blankenship exclaimed postgame. “It's a great feeling to do it on your home floor.”

The Tigers' 20-3 season is spiced with an undefeated 10-0 record at home.

“I'm just so very proud of these guys,” Blankenship beamed. “They've kinda been through the gauntlet here the last two or three weeks.”

The Tigers swept the tournament series by blasting the North Pemiscot Mustangs (1-19) 76-15 in the preliminary round, taking out the Clarkton Reindeer (7-16) 67-36 in the semi final matchup and finally dismantling Cooter (16-8) 70-50 for the tournament title.

Cooter head coach David Mathis was stoic about his team's performance and lamented its rebounding execution.

“It was a tough night,” Mathis said. “We just didn't hit shots again.

“That's the second time we played them and just couldn't throw it in the hole,” he noted. “Got beat by 30-plus last time and 20 this time. We were close. But you don't rebound you ain't winnin' and we got KILLED on the glass.”

Blankenship agreed.

“I thought we rebounded great tonight,” Blankenship said. “I thought that probably made the difference in the game.”

Risco Tigers' ace shooter Sammy Smith aims for the goal Friday during the Tri-County Conference tournament finals at Risco.Photo by Steve Hankins

Cooter drew first blood at the tip when Ryce Lynn went in for two.

The Wildcats trailed thereafter, 16-12 at the first-period buzzer, 36-27 at the half, 56-35 after three and 70-50 final.

“We were just runnin' different stuff and they were just doing a good job,” Mathis explained. “We got a lot of wide-open looks but we just couldn't hit 'em.”

That might be, but Cooter's Jayden McLevain was the title contest's high scorer with 24 points, half of that total in three-point conversions.

“You know how it is,” Mathis continued. “If it ain't goin' in the hole you ain't winnin'.”

Still, the Wildcats big man at center Caleb Gunnels scored 11. Lynn posted eight points, Ethan Strickland had four and Tyson Banks scored three points.

The Tigers featured four players who scored in the double digits. Landon Baker had 11, Eli Rodgers hit for 10, Owen Fortner nailed down 14 and Sammy Smith led the Tigers with 17 points.

Risco hit 67 percent from the free-throw line to Cooter's 60 percent and the Wildcats led the Tigers in turnovers, 17-9.

“I feel like they handled our press pretty well tonight,” Blankenship explained. “Cooter plays hard and ran some different defenses.

“They were trying to face guard a couple of our guys,” he added. “We were just trying to move the ball, attack, find the open man, shoot it and go get it.”

After slugging through three games last week, four games the week prior and three more the week before that, Bankenship agreed to offer the team some well-deserved down time.

“I'm gonna give them the weekend off,” he said.

That might be appropriate considering Risco's road schedule. The Tigers face Poplar Bluff's Westwood Baptist Academy tonight, Hayti (9-14) on Tuesday and Neelyville (16-8) on Thursday.

“We want to be sharp this week,” Blankenship said. “They're all three tough opponents at their own places.”

And the Tigers are prepared, the coach guaranteed.

“We're primed,” Blankenship said of his squad.“We have one week left of the regular season.

“I think we'll be battle tested going into districts,” he added. “Couldn't ask for more from these guys. It's been a great season for us.”