High School

Eugene boys win first MSHSAA Class 2 state title in comeback over Canton; live scoring, updates, recap

Fourth time's the charm for Eugene boys, as they beat Canton to win MSHSAA boys Class 2 state championship

Levi Payton

Eugene vs. Canton, Class 2 boys state championship.
Eugene vs. Canton, Class 2 boys state championship. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Class 2 Missouri boys basketball state championship game features a highly anticipated matchup between the Eugene Eagles (27-4) and the Canton Tigers (25-5) on Thursday at 8 p.m. inside Mizzou Arena.

Eugene enters the contest averaging 70.5 points per game while allowing 48.6. Canton averages 63.7 points on offense and gives up 52.7.

The Eagles have won 20 of their last 21 games, including an overtime thriller against Hartville in the Class 2 quarterfinals, holding them off 58-49. Eugene dominated the rest of its playoff opponents, defeating Plato and Crocker to win the District 9 championship before eliminating Hartville, Blue Eye, and Lincoln in the Class 2 tournament.

Canton has won eight straight and 13 of its last 14 games. The Tigers secured the District 6 championship by defeating Scotland County and Schuyler, then advanced to the title game with victories over Clopton, Harrisburg, and Puxico.

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Eugene vs. Canton: MSHSAA boys Class 2 state championship; live scoring, updates

FIRST QUARTER

We're underway and off to a quick start as Eugene takes a 5-3 lead with 5:30 left in the first.

Justice Allen drains a 3-pointer from the right wing and Eugene extends its lead to 8-3 with 4:30 left in the first.

Bleu Taylor hits one of two free throws for Canton to make it 8-4. Kaden Oliver has Canton's other points, on a 3-pointer.

Tyler Frazier and Preston Brewer with baskets for Canton, but Allen knocks down back-to-back 3-pointers and Eugene maintains a 14-10 lead with 1:41 left. Allen already has three 3s and 11 points.

Brewer goes to the glass and scores with his left hand with 60 seconds left in the quarter and makes it a 14-12 game.

Bryce Baker ties it up with 10 seconds to go, but Eugene gets a basket from Dawson Busch to fall at the buzzer. It looked questionable whether he got off the shot, but officials counted it and Eugene leads 16-14.

End 1: Eugene 16, Canton 14

SECOND QUARTER

Brewer - a 6-foot-8 center - steps out and buries a wide open 3-pointer to give Canton a 19-18 lead with 6:24 left in the half.

Bryce Baker goes strong to the basket and Canton has a 21-18 lead, but Allen answers with his fourth triple to tie it at 21.

After Eugene regains the lead, Busch splashes an open trey and Eugene leads again, 24-23. There's four minutes left in the half.

Ethan Wunderlich gets involved with a big 3-pointer with 3:57 left. Eugene leads 27-23. There's only been four turnovers in this game so far. It's been a very clean half of play.

Justice Allen is playing out of his mind right now. He drains his fifth 3-pointer. He's 6-for-6 from the field, five of those from long range.

Welp. Next trip down, Allen drains another 3-pointer. He's got six. He's 7-for-7 with six 3s. What a half. Eugene leads 33-24.

Tyler Frazier makes a 3-poitner for Canton with 1:57 left in the half and trims the deficit to 35-29.

This game is crazy. Canton is shooting 69 percent from the floor with 50 seconds left in the half but is trailing by eight points.

Canton trims the deficit at the end and trails 37-32 at halftime.

Halftime: Eugene 37, Canton 32

Halftime notes: Allen leads all scorers with 20 points for Eugene, while Busch has 11. ... Brewer leads Canton with nine points, while Frazier has seven.

THIRD QUARTER

Ethan Wunderluch gets one of two free throws to open to the scoring in the second half.

Brewer scores a basket and then follows with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 38-37.

Brewer is going off. He scores again, but Busch answers with a 3-pointer. Kaden Oliver then scores a basket with 5:15 left to tie it. He's fouled and makes the free throw and Canton suddenly leads, 42-41.

Busch scores with 4:26 left for Eugene to retake the lead, 43-42. Canton responded with a layup by Frazier at the 3:39 mark. Timeout on the floor by Eugene with 3:34 left in the third. Canton leads 44-43.

Busch scores at the rim right out of the timeout. He has 18 points now.

Brewer hits a fadeaway with 2:07 left in the third and we have our 10th lead change of the game. Canton leads 46-45.

Baker makes a free throw for Canton to make it 47-45. Eugene hasn't scored in the last three minutes.

Baker scores again with 28 seconds left and Canton takes a 49-45 lead into the fourth quarter.

End 3: Canton 49, Eugene 45

FOURTH QUARTER

Ethan Wunderlich makes one of two free throws to break Eugene's scoreless streak.

Allen is back on the board with another 3-pointer. He ties it at 49 with 6:11 left and Wunderlich scores five seconds later off a steal by Allen and suddenly Eugene leads 51-49. Allen has 23 points.

Brewer makes a pair of free throws to tie it at 51, but Busch breaks the tie for the 12th lead change of the game. It's 53-51, Eugene, with 5:01 left.

Busch makes one of two free throws and Eugene calls timeout with 4:57 left and a 54-51 lead.

Busch makes two more free throws with 3:49 to go. Eugene leads 56-51.

Ethan Wunderlich draws a foul and hits two free throws with 3:20 remaining. It's 58-51. He follows with another free throw at the 2:20 mark and it's 59-51. Allen follows with another free throw to make it 60-51 with 1:50 left.

After the hot streak to end the third quarter, Canton hasn't scored a point in the last 4 minutes, six seconds of this game as time ticks away.

Allen makes two free throws and Wunderlich makes one of two and Eugene leads 63-51 with 1:31 remaining.

Brewer scores twice to end the drought for Canton, but Justice Allen scores a basket to give him 28 points. Timeout with 1:05 left. It's 65-55, Eugene.

Allen makes a free throw with 59 seconds left, but Canton responds with a 3-pointer from Brewer with 49 seconds left to cut it to 66-58.

Busch hits a pair of free throws with 49 seconds left to make it 68-58.

Brewer hits a 3-pointer with 23 seconds left to make it 68-61.

Allen sinks two free throws and has 31 points.

Dawson Busch makes two free throws at the end and Eugene wins it, 72-61.

Final: Eugene 72, Canton 61

The fourth time was the charm for the Eugene Eagles. In their fourth shot at a state title, the Eagles claimed the school's first ever state championship with the historic win.

Justice Allen turned in a performance that will likely go down in legend at Eugene, as his lights-out performance saw him score 31 points while knocking down nine of 10 shots (including six of six to start the game) and seven 3-pointers. Isaac Busch also had a great gaem with 23 points, while Ethan Wunderlich followed with 14.

Preston Brewer was also fantastic for Canton. He finished with 30 points and nine rebounds, while Kaden Oliver had 10 points and Tyler Frazier added nine.

Both teams were fantastic from the floor, as Eugene made 53 percent of its shots while Canton made 49 percent.

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Levi Payton
LEVI PAYTON

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