The No. 6 Higbee boys proved worthy of their ranking with a 67-61 defeat over No. 9 St. Elizabeth in a neutral-site game at Moberly Area Community College on Saturday.

The game could prove to be an early preview of the state tournament. Not only do both teams hold a top-10 state ranking, but both are poised for postseason runs. St. Elisabeth is no stranger to the state tournament, having made the state semifinals the past five years and finishing runner-up in Class 1 a year ago.

Higbee coach Tanner Burton called the game a good measuring stick for his Tigers, which are licking their chops to return to the Class 1 final site for the first time since 2021.

“Their coach does one heck of a job, and we have a deep respect for their program and athletes,” Burton said.

After trading punches early, St. Elizabeth took their only lead of the game, 8-7, midway through the first quarter. Moments later with both teams knotted at 11-11, Higbee pulled ahead to edge the Hornets 15-13 after eight minutes and led 32-22 at the break.

The Tigers led by as much as a dozen points three different times during the game. But St. Elizabeth closed the gap to just two points in the third quarter. That’s when Higbee’s horses took control and went on a 15-5 run through the end of the quarter to go up 50-38 with eight minutes to play. 

The Tigers stayed in front for the entire fourth quarter, finally winning by six.

Higbee’s seniors were crucial in the top-10 victory, combining for 62 of the team’s 67 total points. Derek Rockett racked up an incredible 36 points to lead all scorers and added six rebounds and six assists.

“Derek put on a show with some insane assists,” Burton said.

Jaxson Hudson fought through foul trouble to post 16 points on 8-for-15 shooting from the field and pulled down seven boards, five of which came on the offensive glass. Will Spilman added 10 points with a 3-point basket.

Those seniors have produced incredible career numbers, led by Rockett’s 2,131 total points. He also has amassed 607 rebounds, 320 steals, 385 assists, and 39 blocks. Through three and a half seasons, the All-Stater has racked up 226 made 3-pointers and has posted 24 double-doubles and five triple-doubles.

Senior Jaxson Hudson leads Higbee on the glass with 609 career rebounds and is 266 points shy of the 1,000-point milestone.

Higbee is currently 9-1 overall, the only blemish being a letdown to Brunswick in the championship game of the Mendon Tournament on Dec. 2. Since then, the Tigers defeated North Shelby with a buzzer-beater by Rockett in the Norm Stewart Classic at Mizzou Arena, then took down Class 3 Lathrop in the 12 Courts of Christmas at HyVee Arena in Kansas City on Dec. 22.

Higbee kicked the season into high gear with a three-game home stand that began Tuesday against Tina-Avalon after the Advertiser went to press. The Tigers host Bunceton/Prairie Home on Monday and Keytesville on Tuesday.