CASSVILLE – The River Ridge boys basketball team kept its Six Rivers West title hopes alive with a 43-33 victory over host Cassville last Tuesday night.

Coach Nate Copsey’s Timberwolves improved to 6-2 in league play, and remained two-games behind league-leading Potosi with four conference games remaining.

Following River Ridge’s 69-55 victory over host Benton the following Thursday night, and Potosi’s 74-50 win over Cassville, the Timberwolves improved to 7-2 in league play, with Potosi going to 9-0.

The Chieftains can clinch at least a share of the conference crown with a win this past Tuesday night against Benton, or a win on Friday against Highland.

The Timberwolves need the Zephyrs and Cardinals to pull off major upsets this week over the Chieftains, while winning their two games over Belmont and Cassville, which would then make for a winner-take-all contest on Thursday, Feb. 22, when River Ridge travels to Potosi in the regular-season finale.

Last Tuesday night’s at Cassville, coach Copsey’s squad held a slim lead of 21-19 at halftime, then outscored the Comets, 24-12, in the second half.

Senior Gavin Steiber and sophomore Cole Crubel each finished last Tuesday night’s game with 15 points, while senior Ty Bloom added eight. 

Junior Mason Infield led the Comets with 13 points, while junior Kaleb Hauk added seven, senior Jack Jensen six and junior Colin Esser five.

Jensen also pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds, while Infield had six and Brandon Kinyon five.

As a team, the Comets made 13-of-49 (26.5%) shot attempts, including 8-of-21 (38%) from 3-point range. They were 4-of-6 (67%) from the free throw line, while committing 14 turnovers and coming away with eight steals.

On the following Thursday night, River Ridge had little trouble with the host Zephyrs, as the Timberwolves outscored Benton, 38-28, in the second half, after holding a slim halftime lead of 31-27.

Cole Crubel led River Ridge with a 22-point effort, while Bloom finished with 14 and Steiber with 12.

River Ridge 43, Cassville 33

(from Tuesday, Feb. 6)

River Ridge 19 24 - 43

Cassville 21 12 - 33

River Ridge - Ty Bloom 8, Brett Moravits 3, Cole Crubel 15, Isaac White 2, Gavin Steiber 15. Totals - 16 5-9 43.

Cassville - Jack Jensen 6, Colin Esser 5, Mason Infield 13, Kaleb Hauk 7, Brandon Kinyon 2. Totals - 17 4-6 33.

3-point goals - RR: Crubel 4, Bloom 2; C: Infield 1, Esser 1, Hauk 1. Team fouls - RR 11, C 12. Fouled out - None.

River Ridge 69, Benton 55

(from Thursday, Feb. 8)

River Ridge 31 38 - 69

Benton 27 28 - 55

River Ridge - Ty Bloom 14, Brett Moravits 9, Colton Clark 4, Ryan Redman 6, Cole Crubel 22, Isaac White 2, Gavin Steiber 12. Totals - 25 7-20 69.

Benton - Will Lawrence 7, Nathan Mowry 2, Nick Wagner 3, Holden Murphy 3, Brooks Tiedeman 19, Caleb O’Neill 12, Wyatt Bastian 9. Totals - 21 12-26 55.

3-point goals - RR: Bloom 3, Moravits 3, Redman 2, Crubel 3, Steiber 1; B: Murphy 1. Team fouls - RR 14, B 11. Fouled out - None.