WAYNESVILLE, Mo. -- The Mules lost a wild one at the Route 66 Shootout against state-ranked Hazelwood Central on Wednesday.
Poplar Bluff overcame a double-digit deficit and the teams combined for 44 fourth-quarter points with Hazelwood Central overcoming a late four-point deficit to win 59-55 at Waynesville High School.
"I can't walk away from this game thinking anything bad about our kids' effort," Mules coach William Durden said. "It just didn't happen for us."
With their two leading scorers in foul trouble much of the night, the Mules (4-4) overcame an 11-point, second-quarter deficit and led by four with 2 1/2 minutes remaining.
Xander Martin scored a career-high 22 points to lead Poplar Bluff as Dominique Hardimon and Rodney Houston were forced to watch much of the game with foul trouble. Hardimon scored nine points while Nik Rowland added seven and Tyler Cline sank a pair of 3-pointers.
Shaun Williams scored 18 to led the Hawks (8-1), ranked No. 5 in the latest coaches poll. Maurice Hayes scored nine of his 13 points in the fourth while 6-foot-7 Damon Cobb scored all five of his points in the second quarter. Telly Wright chipped in nine points.
Martin's four-point play put the Mules in front 49-48 when the senior hit a 3-pointer and was fouled.
"He played well, knocked down shots," Durden said of Martin, who matched his previous career-high of 13 in Friday's win over Soldan.
"He stepped up when the other guys were out."
Houston and Hardimon played the entire fourth quarter with four fouls.
Hardimon's three-point play following a Hawks turnover put the Mules up 52-48 with 2:41 left but just a minute later the junior was called for an offensive foul, his fifth, with Poplar Bluff ahead by two points.
Williams knocked down a go-ahead 3 and the Mules were whistled for a traveling violation. Wright sank two free throws with 55 seconds left to put the Hawks up 55-52.
Poplar Bluff turned the ball over again when it was knocked out of bounds and ruled last touched by the Mules. Williams then split two free throws.
The Hawks pushed their lead to six at the foul line before a 3-pointer by Cline with 2 seconds remaining. Houston fouled out before a free throw set the final score.
Poplar Bluff went 2 minutes, 39 seconds without scoring, turning the ball over three straight times before a pair of missed shots after falling behind by four.
"A couple of calls here, offensive charge, they came down and hit a 3, a weird stretch of the game," Durden said.
Director of Athletics Kent Keith said the Mules "suffered a controversial loss" in his daily email that features results for the school.
The second half started with two technical fouls issued to Central players and Martin sank four free throws to tie the game at 26-all.
Poplar Bluff led 30-26 before the Hawks ended the quarter on an 11-3 run to take a 33-30 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Rowland scored and later added a two-hand jam to pull the Mules within a basket early in the fourth.
Houston, playing the final quarter with four fouls, scored his lone basket to make it a one-point game. Carlton McDonald's 3 tied with at 43-all with just under 4 1/2 minutes remaining.
"We've been in four close games and could easily be 8-0," said Durden, whose team has lost by five, six and four points.
"Need to take these games, learn from them and keep getting better. If the kids keep playing hard we'll always be in the game."
Houston and Hardimon each had two fouls in the first three minutes.
Rowland's 3 tied the game at 10-all but Williams later sank a 3 to give the Hawks a 13-10 lead heading into the second quarter.
Central put together a 10-2 run to build a double-digit advantage, ending with a 3 by by Wright with 3:20 left in the half. Martin answered with a 3 but Jhaylen Covington-Berry followed with one of his own for a 26-15 Hawks lead.
The Mules scored the final seven points of the half to trail 26-22 at the break as Joseph Hardimon scored three points and senior Adrian Webb added a basket.
"They pushed the tempo early in the game," Durden said. "We got back and made them play in the halfcourt."
The Mules return home Wednesday to start the 31st annual Poplar Bluff Showdown against Fayetteville (Ark.). The three-day tournament features Cordova (Tenn.), Bradley Tech of Milwaukee, Christian County (Ky.), Humbolt (Tenn.), CBC of St. Louis and defending champion Jonesboro (Ark.). Admission is $7 per day for four games and runs through Friday, Dec. 29 at the Senior High Gym.