Battle of big men tips in Keokuk’s favor as supporting cast helps Chiefs win tourney title

LEWISTOWN, Mo. — Jaxon Clark and Preston Brewer were the marquee names heading into the finals of the 53rd Highland boys basketball tournament.

And neither disappointed.

Clark, however, benefitted from a deeper supporting cast in helping Keokuk (Iowa) turn back Canton 59-52 before a crowd of about 575 Saturday afternoon patrons.

Clark, a 6-foot-10 junior who is as comfortable at the top of the arc as he is along the baseline, scored 19 points, secured a game-high 20 rebounds and blocked three shots. Clark’s point total would have been higher if not for an uncharacteristic 4-of-12 performance at the foul line.

The 6-foot-8 Brewer, who is more of a finesse player with a guard’s-like touch around the perimeter, scored a game-best 25 points, collared 13 rebounds and blocked two shots. Brewer, who scored 12 of his points in the fourth quarter, also swished four 3-point field goals.

“Those two bigs are totally different, but both are effective in their own ways,” Keokuk coach Zach Summers said. “Both of those kids made a lot of big plays.”

Canton coach Dalton Armontrout also praised both players.

“I thought Preston held his own,” Armontrout said. “(Clark) is a big kid, and he’s good.”

The Chiefs extended their win streak to six, following an 0-3 start to the season, and allowed Keokuk to sweep both titles at Highland. Keokuk stopped Palmyra in a 65-62 girls championship game that preceded the boys finale.

The Tigers (9-3) saw a seven-game win streak end.

“We wanted to go 3-0 in the tournament, but 2-1 is pretty good,” Armontrout said. “We just have to fix some things.”

Canton made the fourth quarter interesting, despite trailing 48-32 entering the final eight minutes. The Tigers, who were seeking their first championship at Highland since 2015, drew within 54-50 with a little more than a minute remaining, but the Chiefs rattled off five of the closing seven points. Keokuk’s 5-of-13 showing at the foul line in the fourth quarter helped keep Canton within striking distance.

It simply wasn’t a textbook type of fourth quarter for the Chiefs.

“We just quit executing late in the third quarter, and we missed free throws,” Summers said. “But our seniors stepped up when we needed them.”

One of those seniors, guard Brenton Hoard, appeared to step up the biggest. Hoard dropped in 11 of Keokuk’s 20 points in the fourth quarter. Senior Tramell Smith, also a guard, contributed six points in the final period.

A third Keokuk senior to earn Summers’ praise was swingman Blake Chase, who scored 10 points — all in the first half — when Keokuk built a 33-25 lead by intermission.

Canton had no players behind Brewer reach double figures. Junior guard Kaden Oliver scored eight points and Tyler Frazier, a 6-foot-3 senior, registered nine rebounds.

“We fought back,” Armontrout said. “We executed better in the second half, but it just wasn’t enough.”

Canton had defeated top-seeded Palmyra (66-52) in the semifinals and Clark County (56-42) in the first round. Keokuk knocked off Kirksville (64-38) in the semifinals and Macon (50-20) in the opening round.

Palmyra defeated Kirksville in the tournament’s third-place game 62-57 on Friday night.