C3D1: Caruthersville pulls away late from upset-minded Kelly

BENTON, Mo. — Caruthersville survived a serious scare from Kelly, but a relentless fourth-quarter press flipped the game as the Tigers (14-9, 4-1 Bootheel) pulled away for an 83-71 win in the semifinal round of the MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 on Wednesday, Feb. 26.

The Hawks’ (7-20, 1-8 Scott-Mississippi) upset bid was alive and well heading into the final quarter, but a string of turnovers unraveled everything as the tournament’s top seed busted the game wide open in a matter of minutes.

“We just had to stay consistent,” said Caruthersville coach Lamont Bell. “Kelly is a good ball club that shoots it really well; they’re pretty fast and athletic, too.”

Caruthersville appeared to be in control with a 53-41 lead at the 4:27 mark in the third quarter, but Kelly responded with a strong run fueled by physical finishes and clutch shot-making.

Skyler Still started the rally with an offensive rebound and contested finish, followed by Griffin Pass finishing while absorbing a foul and completing the 3-point play at the free-throw line.

The Hawks kept their foot on the gas, with Ross Peters finding space in transition, then squaring up from deep and burying a triple while taking a hit. Though the free throw rimmed out, Kelly had stormed back to within a point, 55-54, with 1:18 left in the quarter.

The Tigers momentarily halted the surge when Terrance Jackson knocked down a 3-pointer, but Still muscled in a tough finish in the final seconds of the quarter, sending the game into the fourth at 58-56.

Caruthersville had played it straight up for three quarters, but when the fourth quarter began, the Tigers unleashed a full-court press that overwhelmed Kelly instantly.

The Hawks' first five or six possessions ended in turnovers, fueling a one-sided surge that left little doubt about the outcome.

“We didn’t want to do too much early on and wear our guys down because we know Kelly liked to run,” Bell said. “We were in foul trouble with two leading scorers on the bench, we had to do something to try to hold them off. So we went to the press.”

It worked to perfection. Traps closed off passing lanes, deflections turned into fast-break layups, and Kelly’s composure cracked under the relentless pressure. Caruthersville opened the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run, blowing open what had been a tense battle.

The exclamation point of the surge was an absolute jaw-dropper. Jermonte Alexander saw Quawnterrious McVay slip free on a backdoor cut and threw up a perfect lob. McVay elevated, snatched it mid-air, and unleashed a vicious slam that sent a jolt through the gym. The backboard held firm, but it was the kind of dunk that made you question whether it would.

“That was kind of a frustration dunk,” Bell said. “He was in foul trouble and wasn’t playing as well as he would have liked. The pass was perfect, the timing was perfect and he was able to connect.”

The play didn’t just put an end to Kelly’s hopes—it was the moment everyone in the building knew the game was over. By the 4:32 mark, the lead had swelled to 69-57, and any momentum the Hawks had built was long gone.

“Dunks are always a momentum swing,” Bell said. “I ain’t going to call it a dagger, but I’m sure that dampened their spirits a little bit. On the flip side, it gave us some extra momentum.”

Alexander and Sammy Bryant each scored 19 points to lead Caruthersville, and McVay added 16.

“I like our chances anything we can those guys scoring like that,” Bell concluded.

Caruthersville will take on second-seeded East Prairie (21-5, 6-1 Scott-Mississippi) in the championship game on Friday at 7 p.m.

Peters scored a game-high 22, while Still added 16 and Hall contributed 12.

However, 24 total turnovers plague Kelly.

“We just ran out of steam,” said Kelly coach Noel Trimmer. “With only two players on the bench, I knew this was going to happen. Caruthersville’s depth wore us down, their big men played a huge role, and their athleticism was off the charts. They’ve earned that No. 1 seed, and they did what they needed to do to finish the game strong.”

While the loss stings, Trimmer remains steadfast in his vision for Kelly basketball’s future. The junior varsity team's impressive 21-2 record bolsters his confidence that the program is on the right track.

"Summer basketball will be huge for us,” he concluded. “It’s all about finding the right pieces to the puzzle, and I think we have the right talent here—it’s just about getting everyone on board and committed."

CARUTHERSVILLE 83, KELLY 61

Kelly 20 17 19 15 — 71

C’Ville 19 24 15 25 — 83

Kelly (71) — Ross Peters 22, Skyler Still 16, Grady Hall 12, Griffin Pass 9, Hunter Kirk 6, Truman White 4, Preston Appleton. FG: 28. FT: 9-14. F: 17. (3-pointers: Peters 4, Kirk 2. Fouled out: Pass).

Caruthersville (83) — Jermonte Alexander 19, Sammy Bryant 19, Quawnterrious McVay 16, Deemarion Rodgers 12, Gavin Motton 8, Terrence Jackson 6, Colbe Sargent 3. FG: 36. FT: 8-14. F: 19. (3-pointers: Jackson 2, Bryant 1. Fouled out: None).