Aurora, Mt. Vernon get tough tickets in holiday tournaments

As Andy Williams said, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” Yes, Christmas is cool, but for any basketball fan in the area, Christmas means hot basketball play at the annual Blue & Gold and Pink & White tournaments.

Boys
Aurora and Mt. Vernon both represented in the tournaments but none of them got particularly great match-ups in the opening round. The Houn’ Dawgs and Mt’neers both tipped off on the campus of Missouri State University against the top seed in their respective division. The Dawgs (4-2), took on one of the best players the area has to offer in Kyle Pock and his 7-0 Bolivar Liberators, Monday morning. Aurora was no match for the high powered Liberators, falling 70-40.

Mt. Vernon didn’t get a much better draw, as they saw one of the best teams in the entire state in Nixa at Hammons Student Center, also Monday morning. The Eagles made quick work of Mt'neers, with a final score of 86-24.
   
Girls
In Pink & White play, the Lady Houn’s and Lady Mt’neers both tipped off Monday at Weiser Gym on the campus of Drury University. The Aurora team (1-4) drew the best possibility for unseeded competition as they took on eighth seeded Branson (5-2). But even still, Aurora posed little threat to the Lady Pirates who won the game easily, 61-21.
The Lady Mt’neers (2-4) saw an equally difficult match with Skyline (7-1), who is a legitimate threat to make a run in the tournament. Skyline managed to best Mt. Vernon, 64-41, Monday.