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NIXA — Nixa basketball coach Brock Blansit had all his players for only three practices following the football team's run to a state runner-up finish. Some had gotten shots up when they could, but they had been more focused on scoring touchdowns and making critical stops when the game was on the line.
The early games weren't pretty. Despite a 7-0 start to the season, the Eagles still needed somewhat of a wake-up call to remind them that wearing "Nixa" across their chests didn't automatically mean they were going to come out on top in the end.
That alarm went off during an early-morning quarterfinal game at the Blue and Gold Tournament. They were shocked at the horn to Bolivar. It gave the Eagles the spark they needed heading into the rest of the season.
"After that, I feel like we just played our butts off," sophomore standout Adam McKnight said.
High-level effort became the name of Nixa's game, and it paid off. The Eagles are now headed to their first semifinal appearance since 2022 after a 58-49 win over Rockhurst in Friday's Class 6 quarterfinal game at Nixa High School.
Such hard work paid off when becoming the best end-of-game finishers in games this season. It paid off when they finished another season undefeated in Central Ozark Conference play. It paid off when rallying from behind in multiple wins over their rivals, which concluded with a buzzer-beating district championship-winning shot.
And it paid off on Friday night.
"This season has been a whirlwind," Blansit said. "These guys have made me look really good at times. They just do a great job of staying with it defensively. In every game's second half, they just step it up."
Nixa often finds itself outsized by its opponent, but it doesn't matter. The abundance of athleticism and effort, more often than not, make up for it.
It also trickles down the roster, no matter who gets into the game on a particular night. It could be Lane Meltabarger, a Truman State football signee, who has risen to the occasion multiple times this season. It could be junior Colt McCoy, who had to step in when McKnight got in early foul trouble.
Oftentimes, Jaise Combs steps up when it's needed the most. He hit the game-winner in the district championship against Kickapoo earlier in the week, and the next shot he took was a made 3 to start Friday's game. The ultra-athletic Flint brothers tend to make a big impact, and it was Keivon Flint who took over offensively in the second half to leave the Eagles to a semifinal.
"We're all just tough," Keivon Flint said. "It's been all defense-first, and not a lot of teams have that. We sit down and guard as a team, help on the defensive side and that's 100% what has gotten us to this point."
Nixa will now face its toughest test of the season when it plays Oak Park in a state semifinal on Wednesday at noon at Mizzou Arena in Columbia. The Northmen have been the state's top-ranked team for the majority of the season and feature lengthy guards with college basketball in their future.
But the Eagles have yet to back down from a challenge. They'll surely give the Northmen all they have when they meet on the biggest stage.
"These guys get after it," Blansit said. "They're not afraid of anybody. We'll play Oak Park and that's another beast. But I'm sure our guys will be excited and ready to play."
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Nixa basketball beats Rockhurst in Missouri Class 6 quarterfinals
Continue reading...
The early games weren't pretty. Despite a 7-0 start to the season, the Eagles still needed somewhat of a wake-up call to remind them that wearing "Nixa" across their chests didn't automatically mean they were going to come out on top in the end.
That alarm went off during an early-morning quarterfinal game at the Blue and Gold Tournament. They were shocked at the horn to Bolivar. It gave the Eagles the spark they needed heading into the rest of the season.
"After that, I feel like we just played our butts off," sophomore standout Adam McKnight said.
High-level effort became the name of Nixa's game, and it paid off. The Eagles are now headed to their first semifinal appearance since 2022 after a 58-49 win over Rockhurst in Friday's Class 6 quarterfinal game at Nixa High School.
Such hard work paid off when becoming the best end-of-game finishers in games this season. It paid off when they finished another season undefeated in Central Ozark Conference play. It paid off when rallying from behind in multiple wins over their rivals, which concluded with a buzzer-beating district championship-winning shot.
And it paid off on Friday night.
"This season has been a whirlwind," Blansit said. "These guys have made me look really good at times. They just do a great job of staying with it defensively. In every game's second half, they just step it up."
Nixa often finds itself outsized by its opponent, but it doesn't matter. The abundance of athleticism and effort, more often than not, make up for it.
It also trickles down the roster, no matter who gets into the game on a particular night. It could be Lane Meltabarger, a Truman State football signee, who has risen to the occasion multiple times this season. It could be junior Colt McCoy, who had to step in when McKnight got in early foul trouble.
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Oftentimes, Jaise Combs steps up when it's needed the most. He hit the game-winner in the district championship against Kickapoo earlier in the week, and the next shot he took was a made 3 to start Friday's game. The ultra-athletic Flint brothers tend to make a big impact, and it was Keivon Flint who took over offensively in the second half to leave the Eagles to a semifinal.
"We're all just tough," Keivon Flint said. "It's been all defense-first, and not a lot of teams have that. We sit down and guard as a team, help on the defensive side and that's 100% what has gotten us to this point."
Nixa will now face its toughest test of the season when it plays Oak Park in a state semifinal on Wednesday at noon at Mizzou Arena in Columbia. The Northmen have been the state's top-ranked team for the majority of the season and feature lengthy guards with college basketball in their future.
But the Eagles have yet to back down from a challenge. They'll surely give the Northmen all they have when they meet on the biggest stage.
"These guys get after it," Blansit said. "They're not afraid of anybody. We'll play Oak Park and that's another beast. But I'm sure our guys will be excited and ready to play."
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Nixa basketball beats Rockhurst in Missouri Class 6 quarterfinals
Continue reading...
