Quincy Shootout: Mosser’s sizzling shooting carries Millard North past Father Tolton

QUINCY — The Millard North boys basketball players didn’t overcomplicate things.

When Neal Mosser got in a groove, they fed him the ball.

The junior shooting guard knocked down five of the Mustangs’ eight 3-pointers in the first half of Saturday’s game against Columbia (Mo.) Father Tolton in the Quincy Shootout at Blue Devil Gym. Mosser finished with seven treys and a game-high 26 points in Millard North’s 64-60 victory.

“Neal Mosser is a special shooter,” said Millard North coach Mike Etzelmiller, whose team is from Omaha, Neb. “He’s one of those guys when he starts getting hot you just keep going to him. We have a couple of other kids, too, who are capable of shooting it. We always talk about not relying on it, but it’s a weapon for us.”

The Mustangs made 11 3-pointers overall and went 14 of 21 from the free-throw line to fend off the Trailblazers, who rallied from a 14-point deficit to make it a two-possession game in the fourth quarter.

Father Tolton, coached by Quincy High School graduate Jeremy Osborne, scored just eight points in the third quarter, but battled its way back into the game by knocking down five 3-pointers and scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter.

James Lee led the Trailblazers with 18 points, while Izaak Porter added 16.