CARTHAGE, Mo. — The Carthage Tiger Boys Basketball team started out hot in their opening game against the Ft. Smith Southside Mavericks Thursday at the 76th annual Carthage Invitational.
Multiple three-pointers from Justin Ray and Max Templeman in the opening minutes of the game would stake the Tigers to an early lead and an eventual 20-12 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Tigers cooled off — scoring only six points — but their stingy defense would hold Ft. Smith to only six points as well, for a 26-18 lead at the halfway point.
Ft. Smith made a run late in the fourth quarter pulling to within two points, but a series of turnovers forced by the Tiger defense and clutch free throws from Templeman, Clay Kinder and Trent Yates allowed them to come away with the 45-37 win.
Templeman led the team with a game-high 18 points followed by Ray with 13 points. Kinder added 10 points and Yates chipped in with four points to round out the scoring for the Tigers.
Carthage is now 2-0 on the season and faces Webb City at 8:30 p.m. Friday.
