Tuesday’s game between Warrenton and Elsberry resembled little of last month’s meeting in which Elsberry hopped on its bus a 31-point loser.

Both teams were sloppy with the ball, and Warrenton played the entire third quarter without scoring from the field.

“We had 21 days off, and when it got rough there in the third quarter we couldn’t get a field goal,” Warrenton Head Coach Mike Uffmann said after his team’s 47-41 win in the first round of the Warrenton Winter Shootout. “But we ran what we wanted to run. We got people into the spots we wanted them in, they just didn’t fall.”

Warrenton was patient offensively, working the ball inside to forwards Trevor Alberternst and Caleb Strauss.

The duo battled double-teams and a mixture of Elsberry defenses throughout the night.

Both players, however, were able to get open shots around the paint.

“It was that kind of night,” Uffmann said. “And every time a shot didn’t fall you could see us get a little more frustrated. Most of those shots were inside the lane. We were getting the ball into our big boys down low.”

The low point came in the third quarter, when a pair of Brenden Smith free throws gave Warrenton its only points of the quarter.

“I’ll give my guys credit, because even when the going was getting tough, we’d call a play out and they ran it to a T,” Uffmann said. “We just didn’t finish.”

Elsberry did little better in the second half’s opening frame, until both teams began to get hot in the fourth.

The teams traded 3-pointers on three straight possessions early in the quarter as Elsberry cut its deficit to 34-31.

Warrenton handled the Elsberry full-court pressure and knocked down 13 free throws in the fourth.

“Shooting free throws was a big emphasis over the break, and we hit a lot of free throws in those 21 days,” Uffmann said. “They responded well tonight, and that’s good because good teams close out games.”

Alberternst led Warrenton with 15 points, including six in the fourth quarter.

“I thought he had a good second half,” Uffmann said. “He did a good job of finishing, and he was the guy that helped us get over that rough stretch. I thought Brenden Smith really wanted the ball and help us finish the game, too.”

Smith added six fourth-quarter points, as well, and finished with eight on the night.

Jake Tonioli added 11 points, and Randy McRoberts scored nine.

The win improved Warrenton’s tournament record to 4-0 this season, and the Warriors advanced to the semifinals against Fort Zumwalt West (7-4) Thursday at 8:30 p.m.

The Warriors are now 5-0 in games decided by six points or less.

“We’re finding ways to win games now,” Uffmann said. “It was ugly, but it was a win. And I’ll take an ugly win.”