Blue & Gold Tournament: No. 2 Hartville Ends Cinderella Run, Dominates West Plains 65–36

By Skylan Akins

The run was magical — until it met tournament reality.

After upsetting No. 6 Greenwood and No. 3 Ozark to reach the Gold Division semifinals, the unseeded West Plains Zizzers ran into a disciplined, physical, and relentless No. 2 Hartville Eagles squad that put an emphatic stop to the Cinderella story with a 65–36 victory.

Hartville’s man-to-man defense, late-quarter surges, and control of the glass turned the semifinal into a one-sided affair and sent the Eagles back to the championship game for the first time since 2020.

First Quarter: Hartville Sets the Defensive Tone

West Plains struck first when Jordan O’Quinn knocked down a three with six minutes remaining, but the response from Hartville was immediate.

A Mason Cogdill triple sparked an 8–0 run, and Hartville’s pressure defense suffocated the Zizzers’ offense. Passing lanes disappeared, finishes at the rim were contested, and West Plains struggled to generate clean looks.

Hartville closed the quarter firmly in control, leading 17–10.

Second Quarter: Separation Begins

The Eagles wasted no time widening the gap.

Hartville opened the second quarter with a 7–0 run, fueled by Gus Sinning, whose energy on both ends changed the flow of the game. Just as important was Hartville’s defensive focus on Jared Kraft, who had scored 39 points against Ozark earlier in the tournament.

This time, touches were limited and shots were heavily contested.

West Plains stayed afloat behind Ethan Miller, who knocked down three three-pointers in the quarter. His final triple trimmed the deficit to eight — but Hartville answered immediately with a Brock Jones layup at the buzzer, taking a 28–18 lead into halftime.

Third Quarter: The Knockout Run

Any hope of another comeback faded quickly after the break.

The teams traded baskets early, with Hartville leading 34–24 midway through the third. From there, the Eagles flipped the switch. Defensive stops turned into transition points, and Hartville closed the quarter with a decisive run.

Once again, Gus Sinning delivered the exclamation point, scoring at the buzzer to extend the lead to 47–28 after three.

Fourth Quarter: No Doubt

The final quarter was all Hartville.

Continuous defensive pressure shut down West Plains’ ball movement, and the game grew increasingly physical as frustration mounted. Hartville never wavered, steadily extending the margin while controlling the boards and tempo.

By the final horn, the outcome was clear.

Final Score

No. 2 Hartville 65, West Plains 36

Official Scoring Leaders (from scorebooks)

Hartville

• Gus Sinning — 23 points

• Mason Cogdill — 10 points

• Jordan O’Quinn — 6 points

• Garrison — 6 points

• Brock Jones — 5 points

West Plains

• Ethan Miller — 13 points

• Jared Kraft — 11 points

• Huddleston — 5 points

• Gray — 4 points

What It Means

• Hartville advances to the Blue & Gold Tournament Championship for the first time since 2020, riding its best defensive performance of the tournament.

• West Plains closes an impressive run that included overtime upset wins over Greenwood and Ozark, firmly establishing itself as one of the tournament’s toughest outs.

Gold Division Championship Preview: No. 1 Nixa vs. No. 2 Hartville

It’s the matchup the bracket promised — and the tournament earned.

The Blue & Gold Tournament Championship will feature a heavyweight showdown between the No. 1 seed Nixa Eagles and the No. 2 seed Hartville Eagles, two programs that have taken very different paths to the title game but arrive playing their best basketball of the season.

Tip-off: Tomorrow at 7:00 PM  Gold Division Championship

How They Got Here

Nixa (No. 1 Seed)

Nixa has looked every bit the tournament favorite. The Eagles dominated their semifinal against No. 8 Branson, jumping out early, stretching the lead with improved three-point shooting, and closing with authority in a 72–54 win.

The story of the tournament so far has been Adam McKnight. The senior forward reached the 1,000-point career milestone in the semifinal while controlling the glass, scoring efficiently, and anchoring Nixa’s defense. When Nixa is locked in defensively and spacing the floor, they’ve shown the ability to overwhelm opponents in short bursts.

Why Nixa is dangerous

• Elite interior presence and rebounding

• Improved perimeter shooting as the tournament has gone on

• A go-to scorer who thrives in big moments

Hartville (No. 2 Seed)

Hartville arrives in the championship game by force.

The Eagles dismantled an unseeded West Plains team that had just knocked off No. 6 Greenwood and No. 3 Ozark, ending the Cinderella run with a 65–36 defensive clinic. Hartville’s pressure defense, discipline, and physicality wore down opponents quarter by quarter.

Gus Sinning has been the engine — delivering timely buckets, finishing runs at the buzzer, and setting the tone defensively. Hartville’s ability to limit elite scorers (notably shutting down Jared Kraft after his 39-point explosion earlier in the tournament) has been just as impressive as its offensive balance.

Why Hartville is dangerous

• Relentless man-to-man pressure

• Depth and physicality across the lineup

• Ability to turn defense into scoring runs

Key Matchups to Watch

McKnight vs. Hartville’s Interior Defense

Hartville will throw bodies at McKnight, testing whether they can limit touches without opening up shooters. If McKnight establishes position early, Nixa can control tempo.

Hartville’s Pressure vs. Nixa’s Ball Handling

Hartville thrives when games get uncomfortable. If the Eagles speed Nixa up and force turnovers, momentum can swing quickly.

Rebounding Battle

Both teams pride themselves on physical play. Second-chance points could be the deciding factor in what’s expected to be a grind-it-out championship.

What’s at Stake

• Nixa is chasing a statement tournament title as the top seed, looking to validate its dominance with hardware.

• Hartville is playing for its first Blue & Gold championship appearance since 2020, armed with the belief that defense travels — even on championship night.

Championship Outlook

This isn’t about Cinderella stories anymore. It’s about execution, toughness, and who handles the moment.

If the game turns into a half-court battle, Hartville’s pressure and depth could tilt the scales. If Nixa controls the boards and gets consistent production around McKnight, the No. 1 seed has the edge.

Either way, the Blue & Gold Tournament gets the finish it deserves.

No. 1 Nixa vs. No. 2 Hartville 

Tomorrow — 7:00 PM  Championship