If the Joplin Eagles were feeling good off their 55-33 takedown of the Neosho Wildcats on Friday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. Joplin opened the new year with a less-than-successful 58-50 defeat to Webb City. The game was a 24-24 toss-up at halftime, but Joplin was outscored by Webb City in the second.
Webb City's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Eli Pace, who scored 15 points along with five assists and five steals. Another player making a difference was Barron Duda, who scored 14 points.
Joplin has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost eight of their last nine matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-9 record this season. As for Webb City, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven contests, which provided a nice bump to their 9-3 record this season.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Joplin and Carthage will face off at 7:30 p.m. on January 9th without much rest after finishing up games yesterday. Carthage presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Joplin in Missouri (Carthage is ranked 78th, while Joplin is ranked 343rd). Webb City and East Newton will face off at 4:30 p.m. on January 9th without much rest after finishing up games yesterday.
