The Smith-Cotton McDonald’s Classic girls basketball tournament will bring in two of the best teams in the state as well as several teams that are very evenly matched.
“The competition will be something,” said Lady Tigers coach Zach Vandevender. “Especially with two top-10 ranked teams with Nixa and Hickman. And you have other teams like Parkview and Bishop Ward and Center coming in who are playing really good competition throughout the year.”
kAm$>:E9\r@EE@? Wg\fX H:== @A6? E96 E@FC?2>6?E E@52J 282:?DE !2C<G:6H We\dX]k^Am
kAm“%96J 92G6 2 3:8 5@>:?2?E 8:C=[ e\c[ :?D:56 W;F?:@C pF3C6J qF4<=6JX[” '2?56G6?56C D2:5] “$96’D 366? 2G6C28:?8 23@FE a` A@:?ED A6C 82>6] xE’D 2 5:776C6?E =@@< 7@C FD]”k^Am
kAm~? uC:52J E96 %:86CD H:== 7246 6:E96C }:I2 W`a\bX @C 86E 2 C6>2E49 H:E9 $@FE9H6DE t2C=J r@==686 r2>AFD W_\`_X]k^Am
kAm~? E96 @E96C D:56 @7 E96 3C24<6E[ #@==2 Wf\dX H:== A=2J r6?E6C We\dX 2?5 w:4<>2? W`a\`X H:== 7246 z2?D2D r:EJ Wz2?]X q:D9@A (2C5 Wb\eX]k^Am
kAm%96 {25J %:86CD 92G6 A=2J65 E9C66 E62>D :? E96 E@FC?2>6?E 2=C625J E9:D D62D@?[ 362E:?8 $@FE9H6DE 2?5 r6?E6C 2?5 72==:?8 E@ w:4<>2?] $>:E9\r@EE@? 2=D@ A=2J65 :? E96 #@==2 %@FC?2>6?E 3FE 5:5 ?@E 7246 E96 9@DE D49@@=[ E9@F89 '2?56G6?56C D4@FE65 #@==2 H96? :E A=2J65 (2CC6?D3FC8]k^Am
kAm“%96J 86E FA 2?5 AC6DDFC6 E96 32D<6E32==[” 96 D2:5] “%96J A=2J C62==J 8@@5 5676?D6] x DA6?E D@>6 E:>6 E2=<:?8 E@ E96:C 4@249] %96J’C6 2 E62> E92E 86ED 27E6C :E] %96J AFE FA BF:E6 2 76H A@:?ED 282:?DE (2CC6?D3FC8]”k^Am
kAm%96 {25J %:86CD H:== 6?5 FA A=2J:?8 E9C66 82>6D @G6C E96 ?6IE E9C66 52JD[ 3FE H:E9 E96 62C=:6C E@FC?2>6?E :? #@==2 E92E’D D@>6E9:?8 '2?56G6?56C’D E62> 92D 5@?6 367@C6]k^Am
kAm“(6’C6 <:?5 @7 DE:== 7C6D9 7C@> A=2J:?8 E9C66 82>6D :? 2 C@H[” 96 D2:5] “(6 8@E 27E6C :E @? |@?52J 2?5 E96? W%F6D52J 2?5 (65?6D52JX H6 8@E >@C6 >6?E2= AC6A2C2E:@? D@ H6 42? 9:E E96 8C@F?5 C625J 2?5 9@A67F==J 92G6 @FC =68D]”k^Am
kAm%96 {25J %:86CD 6?E6C E96 E@FC?2>6?E H:E9 2 H:??:?8 C64@C5] $>:E9\r@EE@? =@DE 2E {66’D $F>>:E }@CE9 =2DE H66<[ 3FE 367@C6 E92E 3@2DE65 2 7@FC\82>6 H:??:?8 DEC62<]k^Am
kAm“(6 C6=:65 @? @FC 5676?D6[” '2?56G6?56C D2:5] “(6 92G6 E@ 4@?E:?F6 E@ A=2J 8@@5[ D@=:5 5676?D6[ C6=J:?8 @? @FC 5676?D:G6 AC:?4:A=6D] (6 A:4< D@>6 A@:?ED FA :? EC2?D:E:@? 2?5 H6 92G6 E@ 4@?E:?F6 E@ H@C< @? @FC @776?D6]”k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m&! }t)%k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm$\r r{p$$xri !2C<G:6H 2E $>:E9\r@EE@?k^Am
kAme A]>] %9FCD52Jk^Am