COLUMBIA — It would be understating things to summarize that Nixa’s Jaise Combs was on Oak Park’s radar going into Wednesday’s Nixa-Oak Park Class 6 state semifinal.
More accurately, Combs was at the core of the Northmen’s defensive game plan.
“We feel like he's their best player and if he don't get going, you cut the head off, the snake falls,” Oak Park coach Sherron Collins said.
Oak Park containing Combs to the tune of six points on 3-of-13 shooting indeed played as big a factor as anything Nixa did or wasn't able to do in its 61-50 setback.
With Combs not able to get in rhythm, 50 points represents the Eagles’ low-water mark since their sixth game of the season. Combs, the odds-on favorite to be named the COC East Player Of the Year and SWMO's best player not named Chase Branham this season, was scoreless for the game’s first 20 minutes.
“We wanted to take him out of his game and make him not an issue,” Collins said. “We wanted to make it tough on him. We didn't want to let him get going.”
The Northmen had five defenders take turns guarding Combs. San Diego signee Corbin Allenn was on him most of the time.
“That was my matchup,” Allen said. “My (focus) was to go in and take him off his game completely. We slowed him down in the first half. Second half, some of the shots he could have hit, they weren’t falling.”
Combs had a hand in his face all afternoon. He gave Allen props.
"I was trying to get my team going and get my scoring going,” Combs said. “(Allen) is a really good player. He's long and tall.”
“They did a great job against Jaise, doubling him when they needed to,” Nixa coach Brock Blansit said. “They made it very difficult for him.”
Combs had company. The Eagles (27-3) had just one player make more shots than he missed. Center Adam McKnight scored 21 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field.
Altogether, Nixa shot 39 percent (21-of-54). The Eagles were 7-of-22 in the first half.
“One of those nights (we) couldn't put the ball in the hole and I think Oak Park had a lot to do with that,” Blansit said. “Defensively, they did a good job. They put pressure on us. It was a grind. Offensively, they make it very difficult for you. They put a ton of ball-pressure on you. It's tough to run a bunch of sets against them.”
MSHSAA statisticians had Nixa for 14 turnovers and we have to take that as the official count. But from an Eagles perspective, it felt like a handful more than 14.
Oak Park took advantage, converting Nixa’s giveaways into 15 points.
The Eagles had three turnovers on their first four possessions of the second half, helping the Northmen up their lead from four at the half to 10 just two minutes into the third quarter.
Oak Park’s biggest lead was 12, 42-30.
The Eagles’ full-court press that gave SWMO opponents fits only had short bursts of success against Oak Park.
“A couple times they got away from our press and finished with a layup or a dunk,” Blansit said. “They’re a tough team to put a lot of pressure on. They basically have five guards.”
Nixa’s best chance to get back in it came with 2:30 remaining and the Eagles having the ball while trailing 49-43.
“That's' a tough team, We've got to tip our hats to them. They don't stop,” Collins said.
Alas, a Nixa turnover and breakaway layup by the Northmen with 2:00 to play put them in control for good.
“Our effort was really good. We could have easily folded and got beat (by) 16-17-18 (points),” Blansit said. “(The loss) sure wasn't for lack of effort. I'm extremely proud. If anyone has seen us play all year, we finish games pretty well. Give Oak Park credit, they finished the game.”
— Oak Park (30-1) had 14 fast break points to Nixa’s six. The Northmen had 15 second-chance points to Nixa’s eight.
— Eagles guard Keivon Flint scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half. He did not have a turnover in 28 minutes.
— Nixa meets Lafayette for third place Thursday at 10 a.m.
OAK PARK (61) — Tanner 2-6 2-2 6, Kori 6-12 1-2 13, Allen 7-10 6-8 21, Estes 3-11 3-4 10, Brown 4-9 2-2 11, Ross 0-1 0-0 0, Fields 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 22-53 14-18 61.
NIXA (50) — Foster 1-2 0-0 2, K. Flint 5-15 1-2 13, R. Flint 2-4 1-2 6, Combs 3-13 0-0 6, McKnight 10-18 0-3 21, Meltabarger 0-1 0-0 0, McCoy 0-1 0-0 0, Kellis 0-0 2-4 2. Totals 21-54 4-11 50.
Oak Park 8 12 20 21 - 61
Nixa 8 8 14 20 - 50
3-point goals - Nixa 4-14 (Combs 0-6, K. Flint 2-6, McKnight 1-1, R. Flint 1-1), Oak Park 3-13 (Estes 1-4, Allen 1-1, Kori 0-2, Fields 0-3, Brown 1-3). Rebounding - Oak Park 34 (Allen 12), Nixa 33 (McKnight 9). Assists - Oak Park 12 (Tanner 4), Nixa 11 (Foster 3). Steals - Oak Park 7 (three with 2), Nixa 4 (four with 1). Turnovers - Nixa 14, Oak Park 9.
