2023 Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament coverage is presented by PC Medical Centers and Auto Tire and Parts.
Layne Johnson sparks Oran boys basketball to convincing win over Woodland in first round of Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament
Fred Lynch
Oran senior Layne Johnson hadn’t been happy with his recent performances. So he put together one he won’t be able to complain about.
Johnson scored 33 points on 14-of-17 shooting to lead the fifth-seeded Oran boys basketball team past No. 12 Woodland 78-38 in the first round of the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament on Tuesday afternoon at the Show Me Center.
Johnson made eight straight shots in the middle of the game to help his side break things open after a competitive first quarter. He was 5 of 6 from 3-point range.
Fred Lynch
“One of the things this group has done well the last couple of years: if they find somebody shooting the ball well, they’re ready to share the basketball with them,” Oran coach Joe Shoemaker said.
“… [Layne] has put the time in. He’s been disappointed in his output the last couple of games and he’s stepped it up, like a senior should. He had a big night for us.”
Oran (6-1) advances to play in Wednesday's quarterfinal against No. 4 Jackson at 9 p.m.
Woodland (2-6) hurt its own cause with turnovers. The Cardinals coughed the ball up 25 times in the game, including 15 times in the first half as they began to lose a grip on the game.
“The inability to handle the press hurt us,” Woodland coach Brad Lenaburg said. “And we missed a lot of shots around the rim. Two areas that have hurt us all year long.”
Oran also got 16 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals from Cole Priggel, who was playing his first game since the first week of the season due to an ankle injury.
“It’s just his leadership and his effort on the floor out there,” Shoemaker said of Priggel’s presence. “He’s been our point guard for a few years handling the ball, and it allows other people to slide into different spots right now and gives us a lot more options offensively.”
Jacob Shoemaker also scored 13 points for the Eagles while Todd Priggel pulled down a game-high seven rebounds.
Woodland was paced by 12 points from Tyler Massa, while Connor Goodwin had six points, five rebounds and three steals.
Oran created a gap between the two sides using a 9-1 run mid-first quarter, capped by a bucket off a steal by Todd Priggel.
The Eagles victimized Woodland for eight turnovers in the first quarter and carried a 19-10 lead after 8 minutes.
Gallery photos
Woodland tried to keep the game manageable in the second quarter, as Zachary Cureton got the free-throw line and Massa scored on a layup with 5 minutes, 22 seconds left in the period to keep the Eagles’ advantage at 24-13.
But Oran’s offense picked up the pace, getting 10 points in the quarter from Johnson and breaking open the contest. By the time Cole Priggel took a steal in for a layup at the halftime buzzer, the fifth seed had a 44-18 lead.
The Cardinals showed some life to start the third quarter, going on a 6-0 swing that included a three-point play by Karson Skinner.
But the Eagles called a timeout and pulled away, with a 3 by Johnson with 2:25 left in the third making it a 31-point differential, 58-27.
“They’re good. And Johnson shot the ball phenomenally,” Lenaburg said. “Shoemaker and the other Priggel still got their points, but not like, I mean, Johnson went off for [33]. The kid shot the ball well, we turned it over way too many times, and that’s the difference right there.”
That gap held through three quarters, 62-31, and Woodland managed just seven points in the final period of play as Oran breezed to victory.
The semifinal against the Indians won’t be as easy.
“We’ve got to shoot the ball a lot better to beat Jackson,” coach Shoemaker said. “They’re super big. We’ll have to shoot the ball well, in my opinion, to have a chance against them, with their size. They’re going to give us a lot of trouble tomorrow night.”
Woodland will face Scott City in a consolation quarterfinal Wednesday at 9 a.m.
“I think it’s a game where if we go out and play well, it should be a competitive ball game," Lenaburg said. "They always have a good ball club. It’s a short turn around period, but we’ll just go see what happens. Hopefully, we’ll come ready to play.”
Woodland | 10 | 8 | 13 | 7 | — | 38 |
Oran | 19 | 25 | 18 | 16 | — | 78 |
WOODLAND (38) – Zachary Cureton 4, Drake Holweg 2, Tyler Massa 12, Jamie Wiseman 4, Connor Goodwin 6, Wyatt Allen 2, Karson Skinner 6, Jamon Frymire 2. FG 13. FT 11-21. F 12. (3-pointers: Goodwin. Fouled out: None.)
ORAN (78) —Calen Read 1, Bradley Brooks 4, Jacob Shoemaker 13, Tyson Goodale 3, Layne Johnson 33, Cole Priggel 16, Todd Priggel 4, Drew Reischman 2, Peyton McVay 2. FG 31. FT 10-16. F 15. (3-pointers: Johnson 5, Shoemaker. Fouled out: None.)