The Nixa boys basketball crowned its second-tournament championship in two weeks by winning the 2022 Liberty North Invitational Tournament title.

Nixa opened the tournament against Washington (KS) and used a strong second half to defeat the Wildcats 78-68, advancing to the semifinals to take on tournament host Liberty North.

The Wildcats jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first quarter, but that would be the last time Washington had the advantage, as Nixa found its groove and took control midway through the period and led 15-14 after one.

Noah Engelman started the scoring in the second with a basket inside coming off an assist from Kael Combs. 

Washington tied the game at 23-23 with 5:23 left in the second, but in Nixa's ensuing possession Josh Peters drove to the lane and finished at the basket, regaining the Eagles lead. Later in the quarter, Jackson Cantwell scored his first varsity points by grabbing a rebound and finishing the putback, extending Nixa's lead to 31-25 with just over a minute left in the half.

Nixa went into the break with a six-point advantage of 36-30.

Combs back-to-back baskets to start the second gave the Eagles its first double-digit lead of the game of 40-30. Washington then went on an 8-0 run, trimming Nixa's lead to 40-38 with 5:15 left in the quarter. Garrett Hines immediately followed with a baseline 3-pointer, but both teams went on to trade baskets back and forth for the next four minutes. 

The Wildcats tied the game three times, 43-43, 45-45, and 50-50, in the third, but sparked by Combs' eleven points in the frame, including a huge dunk with under a minute left, gave Nixa the advantage heading into the final quarter of 55-52.

In the fourth quarter, Washington tied the game with a three on the first possession of the period, and neither team tallied points for almost two minutes until Engelman sank two freebies from the line and gave Nixa the lead once again with 6:02 remaining.

From there, Nixa went on a 6-0 run, and the Wildcats finally halted the run at the 3:30 mark with a three, cutting the Eagles lead to 63-58.

The momentum-swinging and highlight play of the game came with three minutes left, as Ramone Green forced a steal and dished it out to Combs in transition who found Peters running on the opposite side of the court for the alley-oop and was fouled in the air. Peters converted the free throw, and the Eagles were back up to a double-digit lead of 68-58. 

Nixa began to melt the clock away forcing Washington to intentionally foul, and Peters' two freebies from the charity stripe gave Nixa its largest of the game of eleven, 74-63, with 56.7 left. The Eagles continued to sink free throws down the stretch, ultimately helping them advance to the semifinals.

Peters (26) and Combs (22) poured in 20-plus points and were the Eagles leading scorers, while Engelman followed behind with eleven.

Box Score:
Nixa 15 | 21 | 19 | 23 | 78 
Washington 14 | 16 | 22 | 16 | 68
 

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In the semifinals, Nixa's stout defense and three-point shooting propelled the Eagles to the championship game, after defeating the tournament-host Liberty North 58-40.

Liberty North scored the first bucket of the game and had a lead of 5-3 early in the quarter, but that was their last lead of the game, as Nixa knocked down four 3-pointers in the period and led 16-14 after one.

Liberty North tied the game with the opening points of the second quarter, but Nixa fired back with a 3-pointer from Josh Peters and maintained its hot shooting throughout the period, while the defense complemented the offense. 

Nixa took its first double-digit lead with 1:10 remaining in the half when Kael Combs found Daniel McCoy cutting back door, and McCoy finished with a basket in the paint, extending the team's lead to 33-22.

That would be the final points of the half, as Nixa ended the quarter on a 9-0 run and took a double-digit advantage into the break, due in large part to Kael Combs' 18-point first-half performance.

Nixa forced a Liberty North turnover which resulted into a monster Combs' dunk to kick off the second half, and Nixa upped its lead to 13.

Combs' hot hand continued throughout the third and kept Nixa in full control. Liberty North came with eight but that was the closest they would come to taking the lead. Ending the quarter, two Corey Kemp 3-pointers in the final minute and a half put Nixa up 15, 48-34, heading into the final period of play.

The fourth quarter was all Nixa, as they controlled possession of the ball with a commanding advantage and melted down the clock. Nixa held Liberty North to just six points in the period, sending them to its fifth win of the year and the championship game for a showdown with state-ranked Park Hill who knocked off St. Joe Central in its semifinal matchup 66-43.

Combs scored his second-straight 20-point game and led Nixa's scoring attack with 27, while Peters (11) and Kemp (9) followed behind.

Box Score:
Nixa 16 | 17 | 16 | 9 | 58
Liberty North 14 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 40
 

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The championship game featured a matchup of two Class 6-state ranked teams in No. 4 Park Hill Trojans (2-1) and No. 8 Nixa Eagles.

Nixa began the game red hot from behind the arc, jumped out a 20-plus first-half lead, and halted a big second-half comeback surge from Park Hill to defeat the Trojans 77-75 to crown the the championship.

The Eagles knocked down seven first-quarter 3-pointers, including three from Josh Peters, catapulting Nixa to a 25-12 lead after one. 

It was all Nixa in the second quarter, too, as Peters remained hot and continued to hit big-time shots, scoring eight in the period and giving the Eagles a commanding 46-22 lead into the break. Kael Combs (8) and Garrett Hines (5) also contributed to the Eagles offensive fire power in the quarter.

Corey Kemp scored the first basket out of the intermission, as he grabbed an offensive rebound and converted the putback in the post. Kemp forced a Trojans turnover and found Peters in transition for a fast-break layup for the Eagles second basket of the half, extending Nixa's lead to 50-25 with six minutes left in the third.

Peters then scored Nixa's next points with baseline 3-pointer but that would be his last basket of the game. 

Midway through the third with the Eagles leading 54-39, Peters' leg collided and got tangled up with a Trojans player as he was shifting on defense and then exited the game with a knee injury and 21 points. He was unable to return to the game and the momentum shifted towards Park Hill, and the Trojans comeback attempt began and slowly inched its way back in the game.

After three quarters, Nixa led 59-49. 

Combs, Hines, and Kemp stepped up in the absence of Peters in the fourth.

The Trojans scored the quarter's first basket and were now within single digits for the first time since the opening minutes of the game. Hines responded back on the ensuing possession with 3-pointer coming off a Noah Engelman rebound and assist, regaining Nixa's double-digit advantage. Park Hill then matched Nixa with a trey off its own and it was back to an eight-point lead for the Eagles 62-54 with 6:40 left in the game. 

Nixa held Park Hill off the scoreboard the next possession and Kemp gave Nixa a ten-point lead with two free throws. 

The Eagles struggled to keep possession of the ball and the Trojans capitalized on it. With 5:20 remaining, Nixa held onto a slim lead of 64-58, but a baseline 3-pointer from Kemp put the Eagles up by nine.

Both teams then traded baskets for the next two minutes and the Eagles were back up by double digits midway through leading 75-65.

Park Hill went on a 5-0 run, trimming Nixa's lead to 75-70 with a little over a minute left. Ramone Green ended the run and scored Nixa's final points with a wide open layup coming off an assist from Combs. 

The Trojans sparked another 5-0 run and trailed 77-75 with 40 seconds left. 

Nixa was called for a traveling violation with 20 seconds remaining, giving Park Hill a chance to win the game, but the Eagles forced a Trojans turnover with five seconds left and intentionally fouled and sent Nixa the free-throw line. The Eagles could not convert the freebie and Park Hill grabbed the rebound and had one last opportunity. 

The Trojans just crossed midcourt and had a wide-open attempt from deep behind the three-point line, but the shot hit the front of the rim and Nixa was victorious for its sixth-straight win and second-tournament title in two weeks.

Combs notched his third 20-plus point game of the tournament, as he poured in 24 and averaged 24.3 points a game for the tournament, thus earning a selection to the All-Tournament team.

Hines drained six threes en route to his 20-point effort.

View game photos here.

Box Score:
Nixa 25 | 21 | 13 | 18 | 77
Park Hill 12 | 10 | 27 | 26 | 75