Game Audio Below:
After a great win in the Pleasant Hope Invitational Tournament on Saturday, The Liberty Eagles played their first SCA game of the Basketball season vs. Mountain Grove on Tuesday night, January 20th, 2026. The Eagles made quite a few turnovers and had bad luck at the free throw line but pulled off a four point win, 68-64.
1st Quarter: Tip controlled by The Mountain Grove Panthers but lost. Liberty quickly with a four point lead as Parker Tune and Paxton Hunter shoot two easy layups to start. Aiden Estep with the first two for Mountain Grove.
Very slow start as Mountain Grove is trying to penetrate. But Liberty is having the most luck on rebounds. Carter Ellett with the first three pointer on the night for Liberty. Attacked back again by Estep. But lost again out of bounds and another bucket by Parker Tune as Liberty leads 8-5.
Liberty is not doing well at the free throw line. This triggers what seems to be a small cold shooting spell until Alex Tune saves it and scores on a rebound.
Panthers start spreading out into a zone and this forces back to back turnovers for Liberty with 70 seconds to go.
Parker Tune drives in for two, but Estep for MG scores right before the buzzer to tie 15-15 at the end of one.
2nd Quarter: Liberty makes their fourth turnover as Kale Gardner scores on his first two points for Mountain Grove as this gives them their first lead.
Parker Tune is able to make two buckets to take back the lead and up the pressure on defense. Carter Ellett who was instrumental in three point shooting on Saturday night, once again seems to be bailing Liberty out and are beginning to force The Panthers to make some turnovers as Liberty jumps back out to a 31-18 lead with under two minutes to go.
Draydon Wells and Alex Tune who are both still in the game each get two more looks for two Mountain Grove’s brief run has not made near the same attempt to come back.
HALFTIME- Liberty Eagles: 38/ Mountain Grove Panthers: 26
3rd Quarter: Liberty is attempting to spread out their offense. This at first carries a little bit of a struggle as it’s too close to the basket.
Brody Emery who has came in for Mountain Grove scores his first two. Draydon Wells for Liberty makes four points back to back. Mountain Grove begins to rev up momentum as they force two more turnovers out of Liberty in the last four minutes and with 3:10 to go, they have outscored Liberty, 13-5.
Blayne Altermatt comes in for the Eagles towards the end and this helps slow down the pace. Both Altermatt and Draydon Wells each score as the quarter ends with the lead 53-44, Liberty.
4th Quarter: Mountain Grove keeps hanging within four points of Liberty. Some shooters who had not scored since the First Quarter, Eli Golden and Bret Garder score. They also are flirting with having the last posession.
While Altermatt & Wells for Liberty both make two more, they are cold in shooting during the last two minutes.
Finally Paxton Hunter gets a chance to cash in on a foul at the throw line, but only makes one free throw. Luckily Liberty hangs onto the ball, forces a turnover and Alex Tune scores two.
Parker Tune gets two free throws as Mountain Grove gets fouled again. Parker unfortunately is 0-2.
But Draydon Wells blocks a three attempt by Eli Golden for Mountain Grove and gets the rebound for two.
About two Mountain Grove players foul out at this point (22.8 Seconds)
Carter Ellett tries two from the line, also struggling at the line. He makes one.
Aiden Estep makes his fifth three pointer with 16.3 seconds to go.
Blayne Altermatt finishes out scoring for Liberty will two free throws. Rebound and a final three by Aiden Estep for Mountain Grove
FINAL- Liberty Eagles: 68/ Mountain Grove Panthers: 64
Scoring:
Parker Tune – 16 Points
Draydon Wells- 15 Points
Alex Tune- 13 Points
Carter Ellet- 9 Points
Paxton Hunter- 9 Points
Blayne Altermatt- 6 Points
*Weather Permitting: Eagles will travel to Marshfield on Friday night to take on The Marshfield Blue-Jays. Game Time is currently scheduled for 6:30 with The Broadcast on The Fox 96.9.
