Springfield area high school boys' basketball Classes 1-3 quarterfinal results

Thayer is headed back to the state semifinals after a 63-57 win over Greenwood in a Class 3 state quarterfinal thriller on Saturday evening at Great Southern Bank Arena.

Greenwood's season ended at 25-4 and with its first district championship since 2021. The Blue Jays will only lose two seniors to graduation and keep standouts including Collin Clark and Logan Sanders.

The Blue Jays had an opportunity to tie the game with under 20 seconds remaining. A throw down the court to Clark found him contested and under the basket.

He missed a game-tying shot before the ball was tipped into the air multiple times. Through a crowd of Thayer and Greenwood's hands, the ball was eventually tipped high enough it bounced off the shot clock. After the referees discussed who the ball went out on, they ruled it went out on Greenwood.

Thayer proceeded to make a pair of free throws to extend its lead to two before star senior Aidan Burns intercepted a pass before throwing down a tomahawk slam at the buzzer for the six-point win.

Thayer's win erased a late push from Greenwood which attempted to rally from down six with under two minutes left. Clark scored the Blue Jays' final five points when he was held to three points through the first three quarters.

Sanders put on a show for the Blue Jays by knocking down eight 3's for his 24 points. He had seven in the first half with the team combining for 14. Garrett Winslow finished with 17 points with 15 coming in the second half.

The Bobcats had a more balanced attack with Burns leading the way with 17 points. Rowan Spencer scored 15 with Devin Harrington adding 14.

Thayer qualified for its third-straight state semifinal with the previous two ending in third-place finishes. It will play top-ranked New Madrid (Central) at Mizzou Arena in Columbia on Friday at 6 p.m.

Class 1: Chadwick 57, Richland (Essex) 46

Chadwick is headed to the state semifinals for the first time since 2009 after a standout performance from junior Clayton Garrison.

Garrison, who's been among the best small-school players in the area all season, scored 25 points in the win. It will be Chadwick's third semifinal appearance. The Cardinals' highest finish came in 1997 when they came in third.

Chadwick will play in Friday's 10 a.m. Class 1 state semifinal at Mizzou Arena in Columbia against Green City which came into the postseason ranked sixth in the state. The Cardinals were ranked fourth in the state in the final boys' basketball poll that was released on Feb. 5.

Class 1: Dadeville 49, Sheldon 41

Southwest Missouri will be well-represented in the Class 1 state semifinals after Dadeville secured its first trip back to the final four since 2011.

In a much more competitive game than the first time they met, the Bearcats found a way to stay in control against Sheldon which had the game within four at halftime. The two opened the season against each other on Nov. 17 with Dadeville winning 64-30.

Dadeville advances to a noon semifinal game on Friday at Mizzou Arena against unranked Braymer. The Bearcats were ranked 10th at the end of the regular season.

Class 2: Hartville 49, College Heights 31

Hartville is back in the state semifinals for the fourth time in the last five seasons after knocking off College Heights.

Jalon Cryer lifted Hartville with 14 points in the win while the defense held the Cougars to their lowest-scoring output of the season. The second-ranked Eagles controlled the game from start to finish and will have their shot at their third state title since 2020.

A 2 p.m. Wednesday state semifinal game awaits the Eagles against unranked South Pemiscot. The Bulldogs upset No. 8 Puxico on Saturday to advance.

Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or X at @WyattWheeler_NL.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield boys basketball Class 1-3 quarterfinal results