KINGDOM CITY, Mo. - The North Callaway Thunderbirds closed out their regular basketball season with a 47-34 Eastern Missouri Conference victory over the Bowling Green Bobcats on Friday night to stretch their winning streak to nine games.
North Callaway (15-10, 6-4 EMO) led 10-6 after the first quarter and held a 21-8 lead at halftime. Bowling Green (9-16, 6-4) outscored the Thunderbirds 14-9 in the third quarter, but North Callaway still owned a 30-22 advantage.
Junior forward Tanner Pezold led the Thunderbirds with a game-high 12 points and four blocks. Junior guard Coy Danison added 11 points and five rebounds, while freshman forward Tully Thomsen contributed 10 points.
"It's a great way to end the season ," North Callaway head coach Matt Miller said of his squad's sizzling stretch. "Both teams played great defense the entire game. We worked to get wide-open shots and made a few more than they did."
Corey Bell and Beau Brandt paced the Bobcats with eight points apiece.
North Callaway (8-13) won the junior varsity game 44-29. Sophomore guard Andrew Locastro logged a game-high 24 points.
The Thunderbirds will be the No. 3 seed in this week's Class 3, District 7 Tournament at Montgomery County. North Callaway plays No. 6 seed Missouri Military Academy in the first round at 9 p.m. Tuesday.
The Thunderbirds beat the Colonels twice this season. North Callaway prevailed 64-50 on Jan. 11 at the South Callaway Tournament and won 69-58 on Jan. 30 in Kingdom City.