On Friday, Benton earned a 59-47 victory over Neosho. Given Benton's advantage in MaxPreps' Missouri basketball rankings (they are ranked 115th, while Neosho is ranked 297th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Neosho's loss came despite strong showings from Collier Hendricks and Tyrone Harris. Hendricks scored 22 points, while Harris scored ten points along with six assists and five rebounds. Hendricks scored a full 46.8% of Neosho's points, the third time in a row he's earned more than a third of the team's points. Colton Southern was another key contributor, scoring five points.
Neosho struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only three offensive rebounds. That's the fewest offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Benton's win bumped their record up to 6-4. As for Neosho, they have traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost four of their last five contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-6 record this season.
Benton will look to defend their home court on Thursday against St. Pius X at 7:00 p.m. One thing working in St. Pius X's favor is that they have posted big point totals in their last three matches. As for Neosho, they will head out on the road to face off against Poplar Bluff at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. The timing is sure in Poplar Bluff's favor as the team sits on three straight wins at home while Neosho has been banged up by five consecutive losses on the road dating back to last season.
