It's debatable who got more out of each other in the Sparta boys basketball team's return to the Blue & Gold Tournament after a 22-year absence, the Trojans or the tournament.
In some ways, Sparta saved the Blue & Gold from what could have been a blah four days. Nixa had an easy time running through a completely outclassed Gold Divison field. Where's Kickapoo when you need the Chiefs? The Blue Division, though, received a tremendous boost from the Class 3 Trojans.
Sparta's victories against the South Central Association's Mountain Grove, the COC's Ozark and the Ozark Conference's Bolivar represent everything the tourney strives for in small school-big school matchups. The Trojans' Blue Division runner-up finish is the Headliner's No. 4 Sports Story of 2022.
Sparta center Jacob Lafferty totaled 89 points and put himself in the same company as Nixa's Kael Combs, Bolivar's Kyle Pock and Republic's Ahlante Askew.
The Trojans captured the fancy of all of southwest Missouri, while gaining invaluable experience.
"It has been an absolute blast. I have had so much fun," guard Walker Loveland said.
As a topper, Sparta's girls basketball team won the Walnut Grove Holiday Tournament the same week.
"It's been an incredible week to be a Trojan," girls coach and athletic director Joshua Loveland said.
