The Higbee boys were without their top scorer when they faced the No. 1-ranked team in Class 1 at the Ramey Basketball Shootout in Harrisburg on Friday night. A slow start set the tone for the Tigers as Bunker shot ahead by double digits after the first quarter to claim a lopsided 72-36 win and remain undefeated.

Higbee, 11-5 entering the game, was without senior Danny Janssen, who remained sidelined with an ankle injury.

The Bunker Eagles lived up to their top ranking, opening the game with an 11-2 run on the way to a 23-9 lead after one quarter.

Higbee coach Tanner Burton said his team had a bad first period and never recovered.

Junior Aaron Welch scored seven of his team-high 17 total points in the first quarter. But Bunker controlled the boards on both ends of the floor, scoring six points in transition, and adding three 3-point baskets in the opening eight minutes to seize control early. By halftime, the Eagles were ahead 39-14.

“I felt like there was, to an extent, some give up,” Burton said after the game. “I don’t think I could identify a time when a team had given up. And for a spurt there, it just looked like the lights went off, and they knew what was happening, and they predetermined it was over. It’s a sad thing for a coach, because I’ve never had a team do that. We’ve got to figure that out.”

Higbee improved somewhat in the second half, scoring 11 points in each of the third and fourth quarters. But Bunker continued to score at will, adding 20 points in the third period and 13 in the fourth to walk away with double the points of its opponent.

Bunker junior Brennan Meloy scored a game-high 22 points and was named the game’s MVP, leading four Eagles in double-figures.

Coach Burton said after the game that he challenged his team to reflect for 10 minutes on what caused such an uncharacteristic performance. “Was it the lights, the stage too big, the height, the No. 1 undefeated team? Was at the physicality? We have to identify what it is. We have to identify what our weakness was tonight so that when it comes to crunch time, we can prepare in the weeks ahead.”

The Tigers had four days to regroup before returning to CLAA Conference action at Northwestern on Tuesday after the Advertiser went to press. With No. 2-ranked Brunswick the clear favorite to claim the top seed in the CLAA Tournament, the winner of Tuesday’s game would have a clearer route to the second seed. Another determining game will be on Friday at Hardin-Central. The Tigers remain on the road for the rest of the month, closing January at the Show-Me Classics at Southwest Baptist in Bolivar against one-win Buffalo on the 31st. Higbee finally returns home on Feb. 3 to host Brunswick in a CLAA showdown.