By: Jason Peake
The game was deadlocked at 52 when Webb City sophomore guard Eli Pace hit a 3-pointer from the left wing with 30 seconds remaining.
The clutch shot ended up the game-winner.
"That was a huge 3," Webb City coach Jason Horn said. "It came off a set play. We didn't force the first one and then we got a good ball reversal. Eli stepped up and made a big play."
Following Pace's trey, the Pioneers had an empty possession and were forced to foul. Webb City's Barron Duda converted both attempts at the foul line for the final margin.
Webb City appeared in control in the second half, as the Cardinals held a 17-point advantage at 46-29.
But Leavenworth sped up the game and put together a 21-4 spurt to tie the game at 50, forcing overtime in the process.
"We got sloppy in the second half," Horn said. "We got careless with the ball. We were trying to split traps with the dribble instead of passing through those traps. We got out of control and they were able to capitalize on our mistakes."
A fast-paced and back and forth first quarter ended with Webb City up 14-12.
The Cardinals started the second quarter on a 13-2 run to take a 27-14 advantage. Five different players—Cole Cavitt, Pace, Alex Martin, Duda and Holton Keith—scored during the surge.
On the other end, the Pioneers struggled against Webb City's active zone defense. A late trey from Joe Adams gave Webb City a 30-19 halftime lead.
"We were moving the ball well and we were playing inside-out," Horn said of the first half. "We were doing a good job of driving and kicking it out. We got the ball inside to Martin. Good things happen when the ball goes inside to him. We got away from what was working in the second half. At times, we were good defensively. But at other times we had some breakdowns and lost focus."
The Cardinals put together a 10-0 run in the third quarter and led 46-29.
But the Pioneers turned things around, forced the Cardinals into numerous turnovers and eventually tied the game with 2:15 to play.
Both teams had their chances late in regulation, but both squads had empty possessions.
Webb City's Martin and Leavenworth's Eddie McLaughlin traded hoops early in the extra possession for a 52-all score.
The Pioneers turned the ball over before Pace knocked down the huge trey.
In the end, the Cardinals won the overtime period 7-2 to survive and advance.
Three players scored 13 points apiece for the Cardinals—Duda, Keith and Martin. The 6-5 Martin also grabbed 10 rebounds.
Jeremiah Lewis scored a game-high 21 points for Leavenworth and McLaughlin added 12.