New Madrid County Central boys basketball coach Lennies McFerren admitted that the game-winning play didn’t go quite as he planned it. “It wasn’t supposed to be a three-pointer,” McFerron said after the Eagles sealed a 58-55 win with a game-winning three pointer by Johnnie Walker in the final seconds of regulation. “That’s why I say basketball players win games (and) coaches lose games. If they were waiting on what I told them to do, we’d still be playing or would have lost the game.” After calling a timeout with a minute left to play, McFerren said he told his team to run the clock down and take the last shot. At worst, they would happily settle for overtime. After all, the Eagles never led in the game until Walker’s three-pointer with five seconds left. Kennett led by 11 points late in the third quarter, but their lead dwindled from there as NMCC worked to grind out a victory. “They went on a 6-0 run to end the third (quarter),” said Kennett coach Andrew Halford after the game. “The fourth did not start out well for us. We shot way to many three’s. Unnecessary. We were not being poised and patient enough. Their pressure really bothered us. I give them credit on defense. They worked for the entire game and didn’t let off of it.” NHS 12 7 22 17 58 KHS 17 11 17 10 55 NMCC (58) - Thailin Marsh 6, Johnnie Walker 25, Christian Phillips 6, Ansel Underwood 5, Kevon Williams 11 FG 24 FT 6/10 60% (3-pointers: Walker 1, C. Phillips 2, Underwood 1). KHS (55) - Quayv’aun Harrel 8, Marsayv’aun Harrell 4, La’Quez Pulliam 10, Jackson Henfling 14, Ben McMullan 8, Matthew Hamer 9, Mark Wagster 2 FG 23, FT 6/7 85% (3-pointers: Q. Harrell 1, Henfling 1).