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Nov. 15—Ozark Christian suffered a 30-point loss at the hands of the Missouri Southern State University men’s basketball team Thursday night on Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center at MSSU.
But the Ambassadors were able to learn some things to improve on while also testing their abilities against a Division II NCAA program while they compete in the National Christian College Athletic Association at the Division II level.
“That’s what the exhibition games are for. It proves our guys are playing at the level they should play at,” OCC head coach Chris Lahm said. “It also makes them play harder and makes them get better.”
You could see that growth just from one half to the next as Ozark came out firing on all cylinders in the second half.
“I saw a team that played afraid in the first half, got intimidated a little bit,” Lahm said. “I challenged them at halftime to come out and play a little more physical. If they get fouls, they get fouls called; just don’t get cheap. They came out and played much more aggressively in the second half. I was much more happy with how we played in the second half.”
OCC was able to score and only trail MSSU by 6 points in second half scoring. In fact, the visiting team actually outpaced the Lions for much of the final 20 minutes. Eventually the Lions had a late run and stretched their lead out and won the second half 53-47. The final score was 109-79.
Andre Johnson, a 6-foot-3 guard-forward, can shoot from outside but also become a major threat on the drive with his size, speed and jumping ability.
“Dre is kind of the straw that stirs our drink. He’s unstoppable at our level,” Lahm said.
He was eighth in the country, averaging nearly 20 points per game as a junior and is third right now with 29 ppg through two qualified contests. OCC has played four exhibition games that aren’t included in Johnson’s 29 ppg.
Johnson scored 538 points in 27 games last year, leaving him just 2 points shy of an even 20 ppg.
Sophomore Blaine Salsman,…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/lahm-confident-ozark-christian-team-045900755.html
Author : The Joplin Globe, Mo.
Publish date : 2024-11-16 04:59:00
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