Mules bring home fourth at Kaminsky Classic

JOPLIN, Mo. — The Life Prep Fire used a strong second quarter to overcome an early deficit and defeat the Poplar Bluff Mules boys basketball team 53-45 Saturday in the third-place game at the Kaminsky Classic.

The Mules (7-6) led 20-9 after the opening period, but Life Prep used an 18-5 edge in the second quarter to take a 27-25 lead to the locker room. Life Prep then pushed its lead to 45-36 by the start of the fourth quarter.

Quinton Rolle Jr. led the Fire with 15 points, while Laterro Young added 14, seven each in the second and third quarters.

Dallas Williams paced Poplar Bluff with 14 points, while Brendan Durden added 12 — eight in the first quarter — and Sammy Durden finished with 11. Brendan Durden also was named to the all-tournament team, the second time he has made an all-tournament team this season.

The Mules lost to the host Joplin Eagles 57-52 on Friday in the semifinals of the Kaminsky Classic to fall to the third-place game.

Poplar Bluff led 30-24 at the intermission, but the Eagles used a 17-11 third-period advantage to tie the score at 41 by the beginning of the fourth quarter. Fred Taylor scored seven of his game-high 27 points in the third, then added 10 more in the fourth as he led Joplin to victory.

Sammy Durden led the Mules with 13 points, while Brendan Durden added 12, Williams added nine and Myles Johnson finished with six.

Poplar Bluff is back in action on Tuesday when it heads to West Plains, then the Mules are at Kickapoo on Friday night.

SWIMMING AND DIVING

Lady Mules compete at Como Invitational

The Poplar Bluff Lady Mules swimming and diving team had two relay teams finish in the top 15 and took 20th place as a team at the CoMo Invitational Friday and Saturday in Columbia.

The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Keira Willis, Kinsley Gibbs, Kate Scott and Lily Gregory finished 13th and improved on its state cut time, while the 200-yard medley relay team of Gregory, Maclaren Moore, Willis and Scott placed 14th.

The Lady Mules host West Plains and Farmington in a triangular meet on Tuesday.