The Wright City boys basketball team ended the Hermann Tournament right where it started - in eighth-place as the eighth seed. Coach Ken Brown witnessed his team play one of its better outings of the season with just seven players. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, Owensville had perhaps its best shooting display of the year, knocking down 10 three-pointers en route to a 47-32 victory. Accustomed to having 11 varsity players at his disposal, Brown was down to seven. Junior Tyler Tuepker was sidelined with a knee injury and sophomore Kyle Terney was battling illness, while another pair of role players had used their allottment of quarters. "We were put in a tough spot being so limited in depth," said Brown, who acknowledged it really restricted his options. "For the most part, we competed well." Although aware that Owensville was a solid shooting team, Brown admits he never expected the three-point barrage it unleashed. The Dutchmen's first three field goals came from beyond the arc, as they built a 16-13 lead after one quarter. "I was amazed at how well they shot it consistently," said Brown. "I would have liked to have played some man-to-man, but I had to take into account our fatigue and health." Wright City provided an answer on most possessions, but its short-range shots weren't a match for Owensville's outside precision. Junior Collin Coats managed to keep the Wildcats in contention until midway in the second quarter, when the Dutchmen turned a 13-0 run to turn a two-point advantage into a 36-21 halftime lead. "Our defense hasn't been bad, but after a while we start taking bad shots that lead to points for the other team," said Brown. "I tried to stress the issue to get a hand in their face." Coats continued to assert himself in the second half, but Owensville flexed its muscle inside, forcing him away from the basket. Brown says he liked the confidence displayed by the junior guard, who scored a career-high 23 points. "I liked his aggressiveness," said Brown. "He likes to pull up for those jumpers, but teams have kind of caught on. So, I've encouraged him to drive to the rim early in games and start taking those jumpers as they come open." Junior Austin Meine helped clean up the boards and was a threat inside, scoring 15 points. The third quarter began slow for both teams, as the Wildcats struggled through a four-minute scoreless drought. Coats provided a pair of buckets late in the period, but Owensville secured a 47-32 lead. "Our guys kept competing," said Brown. While he netted just six points, Brown says the play of Thomas Parker was pivotal. The senior has seen an increase in minutes off the bench with recent injuries and ineligibility issues. "His productivity has gone up tremendously," said Brown. "I always saw the potential in Thomas, but he just needed some confidence."