CHERRY TWP — Chase Beighley wasn't always this cool.

There was a time when the junior point guard on the Karns City boys basketball team was easily flustered.

Those days are over.

Beighley was calm and collected — and very cool — down the stretch, helping the Gremlins nurse a lead until the final buzzer in a 56-50 road win at rival Moniteau Wednesday night.

“My freshman year, I was very emotional,” Beighley said, smirking. “Coach told me I needed to be more of a leader this year and I've just been trying to do my best. What did he say? 'Whatever my emotions are, that's what the team's are.' If I stay calm, cool, collected we can win a lot of ballgames.”

Bellis chuckled when describing how levelheaded Beighley was in crunch time with the Warriors hounding him the length of the floor and sending him to the line.

“I laugh ... because he's come a long way in two, three years with me,” Bellis said. “That never used to be his strength but that's become his strength. He took control and kept our guys' emotions in check. I tell you what, he had composure and it rubbed off on our team.”

It didn't hurt that Beighley had another big scoring night, pouring in 32 in the victory.

Beighley was 8-of-10 from the line in the final quarter to help keep Moniteau at arm's length.

“(Moniteau) always plays really hard,” Beighley said. “Every time we come here it's always a battle. It's always a close game.”

Moniteau (11-10, 4-5) jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the first quarter, but went scoreless in the final four minutes of the frame.

Still, the Warriors took a 26-24 advantage into halftime.

But Karns City (13-7, 7-2) has had a knack this season of shoving adversity aside and it did so again.

The Gremlins led by three at the end of the third quarter and by as many as nine in the fourth.

“Our three big guys had two fouls each in the first half,” Bellis said. “We had some guys come in and do their jobs off the bench and then we were able to come out in the second half and get a little lead. We executed well and took care of the basketball.”

Nathan Waltman scored 11 points for Karns City and was a presence inside on defense, altering what Moniteau likes to do best — get to the rim.

“I think Waltman being in the middle, guys weren't as comfortable attacking,” said Moniteau coach Mike Jewart. “I wish we would have attacked him more and got him in a little more foul trouble. He secures that whole back-side for them on defense.

“We're not a great shooting team,” Jewart added. He isn't wrong — the Warriors were just 18-of-53 from the field. “We make our living trying to get to the rim and getting to the foul line.”

Moniteau only got there for 14 shots. Beighley himself had 14.

“I was disappointed,” Jewart said. “I thought we should have gotten to the foul line more.”

Ethan McDeavitt scored 14 points and Gage Neal added 12 to lead the Warriors.

Both Karns City and Moniteau are playoff bound. The Gremlins will compete in 2A and the Warriors in 3A.

The game had a playoff-like buzz in a full and rocking gym — something both teams appreciated.

“This was a great playoff atmosphere,” Beighley said. “This is how the playoffs are going to be. They're already a playoff team. Kind of a shame we're not going to see them. They're a good team. Like I said, if we can come out in the playoffs and execute and play calm, cool and collected, we can win ballgames.”

KARNS CITY 56

Caiden Corbett 0-3 2-3 2, Chase Beighley 8-16 11-14 32, Ethan McElroy 3-12 0-0 9, Luke Garing 0-1 0-2 0, Nathan Waltman 3-8 5-6 11, Micah Rupp 1-1 0-0 2, Eric Booher 0-1 0-1 0, Daunte Young 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 15-43 18-26 56.

MONITEAU 50

Ethan McDeavitt 6-14 2-4 14, Gage Neal 5-15 1-2 12, Nate Tack 2-5 0-0 6, Kyle Pry 1-10 4-4 7, Quinton Scriven 1-3 3-3 5, Mason Mershimer 3-6 0-1 6, Tanner Williams 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-53 10-14 50.

Karns City 7 17 15 17 — 56

Moniteau9 17 10 14 — 50

3-point goals: Karns City 8 (Beighley 5, McElroy 3); Moniteau 3 (Tack 2, Pry)

Friday: Clarion at Karns City; Moniteau at Redbank Valley