The Higbee boys basketball team did not quite reach its season points-per-game average in a 73-44 drubbing of the Grundy County Panthers on December 29. When your average is almost 80 points per game, however, that is not always a bad thing. Facing the 5-3 Panthers, the Tigers knew going in the game would not be a cakewalk.

The Hy-Vee Arena, formerly known as Kemper Arena, located in Kansas city’s West Bottoms stockyards, was the location of the game. The building has a storied past. Taking only 18 months to build, the arena opened its doors in 1974 and has hosted events such as the 1976 Republican National Convention along with the National Basketball Association’s Kansas City (sometimes -Omaha) Kings and the National Hockey League’s Kansas City Scouts. In addition, Kemper hosted Big Eight/Twelve Basketball Championships between1986 and 2002. Despite such notable events, once the Sprint Center opened in downtown Kansas City there was a notable drop in events at the building. Eventually, it was set for demolition in 2011, when Steve Foutch, a Kansas City developer, set out to save the Arena and bring new life to the historic Stockyards district. To do so a plan was developed to create the nation’s first multi-level, multi-functional sports complex. To do so, the seating bowl was divided into upper and lower segments allowing for four lower basketball courts and for a floating floor to be added for the upper section. This created more than 80,000 square feet of column-free space and 12 basketball courts and a five-lane, 350-meter running track. With offices, concessions, and business space, the building tops out at more than 355,000 square feet.

The number of basketball courts allowed the arena to host for the first time this year The Twelve Courts of Christmas, an event that brings more than 130 high schools from across Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Oklahoma to the arena.

Having already watched the Higbee girls defeat the Grundy County girls, the Tigers went full bore into the game against the Grundy County boys, reeling off six points before the Panthers could get on the board. By the end of the first quarter, Higbee led 15-5. In the second quarter, the Tigers proved their dominance by scoring 27 points to Grundy County’s nine to extend their lead at halftime to 42-14. 

The third quarter was a complete turnaround as the teams looked as if they might have switched uniforms during halftime. Grundy County came out and scored 21 points to Higbee’s 14, narrowing the score 56 -35. Higbee responded in the fourth with 17 points while Grundy County was only able to put in nine to make the final score 73-44 in favor of Higbee. 

“We had some miscues in the third quarter but we were able to keep focused and finished the game with a quality fourth quarter,” said Higbee head coach Tanner Burton.

Sophomore Jordan Fuemmeler was the high scorer in the game as he pumped in 30 points. He also pulled down seven rebounds and dished out two assists. Classmate Derek Rockett poured in 15 points on the game and grabbed six rebounds. Senior Malaki Squires put nine points on the board and pulled in five rebounds.

Sophomore Jaxon Hudson put up eight points as senior Luke Ritter added six. “Luke straight got after it,” said Burton. “He had six points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and six steals. Luke is a player that continues to improve and that is great for our team. When he puts up stat lines like that, we are going to be really tough to beat.”

Sophomore Will Spilman added three while senior Jamie Smith rounded out the scoring with two.

Higbee continues to have two scorers, Fuemmeler and Rockett, averaging more than 20 points per game with Fuemmeler scoring at a 26.8 pace and Rockett averaging 20.6.

Fuemmeler leads the team in rebounding with 6.7 per game followed by Squires with 6.3.

With the win, Higbee keeps its season record perfect at 10-0.

Higbee traveled to Breckenridge for a Tuesday evening tilt after The Advertiser went to press and will travel to Southwest on Thursday.