Top-seeded Wildcats pound MMA in first-round victory

MOKANE - The top-seeded New Bloomfield Wildcats weathered lackluster play to take control in the fourth quarter of Tuesday night's 77-49 first-round victory over the No. 8 Missouri Military Academy Colonels at the South Callaway Invitational Tournament.

New Bloomfield - winners of five in a row - jumped out to a 23-8 lead after one quarter and went into halftime with a 33-22 advantage. The Wildcats (11-1) led 49-32 to open the fourth quarter and turned the game into a romp by outscoring MMA 28-17 over the last 8 minutes.

"I felt that we got off to a slow start because of a lack of focus," New Bloomfield head coach Tim Gilmore said Wednesday afternoon. "We talk a lot about taking care of business and being focused every time we walk on the floor.

"... I will give our boys credit that they responded well, especially in the fourth quarter."

Senior guard Grant Nichols sparked the Wildcats with a game-high 18 points and senior forward Leo Ramirez was next with 17.

Jose Estrada finished with a team-high 13 points for the Colonels. Bilguun Byambatsogt chipped in with 10 points.

New Bloomfield moves on to a semifinal clash with No. 4 seed South Callaway at 6 tonight in the high school gym. The Bulldogs advanced with a 69-42 first-round blitz of No. 5 seed New Haven on Tuesday night.

The Wildcats turned back South Callaway 67-55 on Dec. 11 in Mokane.

"South Callaway is always a tough game because our kids know each other so well," Gilmore said. "It will be a great test for us to see how we handle a tough environment, because I am sure they will have a great fan base."