GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. — Platte County hopes the response in the closing sequences of Friday’s Grain Valley Invitational third-place game firmly puts a midseason swoon in the past.

Platte County junior guard Jayden Martin takes a free throw late in the Grain Valley Invitational third-place game against Fort Osage on Friday at Grain Valley High School in Grain Valley.
Fort Osage erased a double-digit deficit to briefly hold a lead in the fourth quarter only to end up with a 62-58 loss in what becomes the first of three meetings between the two teams down the stretch. The Pirates prevailed behind a game-high 21 points from senior forward Jaden Peterson, who hit the go-ahead basket with less than two minutes to play before junior point guard Jayden Martin went 5 of 6 on free throws in the final 10.9 seconds to seal the result.
Despite limited playing time for junior guard Braiden Stevens due to illness, Platte County (8-10) earned a third win in a span of four games after going 2-1 in the Grain Valley tournament before returning to Suburban Conference White Division play for the final eight games of the regular season.
“I feel like this season has been up and down, a whole lot of up and downs, but I feel like the puzzle pieces are there and we’re starting to put them together,” said Platte County junior guard Brennan McLaughlin, a first-year starter who finished with a career-high 15 points. “We’ve definitely needed tested. Our chemistry hasn’t been there, but I think tonight just shows how much work we’ve put in and how much we’re willing to play together.”
Platte County led 37-26 early in the second half but went into the fourth quarter up just five points.
Fort Osage (7-11) scored the next five, and the two teams were tied at 43-43, 45-45 and 47-47 before Platte County scored on consecutive possessions to seemingly take control back. Pirates senior guard Anthony Morrison, who saw increased time off the bench with Stevens limited, converted a transition layup for the last two of his five points, and Peterson then split a pair of free throws after drawing a foul on a putback attempt to restore a three-point lead.

Platte County senior guard Anthony Morrison goes up for a layup in the Grain Valley Invitational third-place game against Fort Osage on Friday at Grain Valley High School in Grain Valley.
Platte County then had to repel another charge.
Fort Osage senior forward Isaac Woodward converted a three-point play with 3 minutes, 50 seconds left in regulation to forge another tie at 52-52, and junior guard Dom Soto gave the Indians a 55-54 lead — their first since the second quarter — with the first of his two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Peterson, who scored 12 of his 21 in the final frame, immediately answered with a bucket at the left block to put Platte County back up for good. He drew a foul but missed the free throw only for the Pirates to retain possession.
McLaughlin drew another foul on a loose ball after no one controlled the rebound off of Peterson’s miss. He split two more free throws to give Platte County a 57-55 lead with 1:34 to go.
“Hustle beats the other team, and defense wins championships,” McLaughlin said.
With the tournament featuring experimental use of a shot clock, the final sequence looked different than a typical high school game.
Both teams missed shots late in the 35-second limit on the next two possessions, and Woodward, who led Fort Osage with 18 points, earned a chance to tie the game again with two free throws at the 13.8-second mark. However, he missed both, and Martin went to the line at the other end and hit a pair to push the advantage back to two possessions at 59-55.
Soto answered with a 3 that led to Fort Osage’s final timeout with 4.0 on the clock.

Platte County junior guard Brennan McLaughlin goes up for a shot in the Grain Valley Invitational third-place game against Fort Osage on Friday at Grain Valley High School in Grain Valley.
On the ensuring inbounds pass, Martin appeared to be headed back to the line only for an inadvertent buzzer from the scorer’s table leading to a redo. Platte County again put the ball in Martin’s hands, and he split a pair with a 2.6 seconds left only to end up back at the line a fraction of a second later. The Indians attempted a full-court pass that flew out of bounds without touching a player.
With no time running off the clock and the ball returned to under Platte County’s basket, Martin drew another foul with 1.8 seconds on the clock, and hit two more free throws. He finished with 10 points.
“We definitely trust (Jayden),” McLaughlin said. “His free throw percentage shows he deserves the ball in those situations.”
Coming off of a double-digit loss to Class 6 powerhouse Blue Springs South, Platte County jumped to an 11-6 lead with 3s from Martin, McLaughlin and Stevens, the team’s second-leading scorer on the season who didn’t score again.
Fort Osage answered with a 7-0 run capped with a three-point play from Woodward with less than a minute left in the first quarter, and the Indians eventually scored 12 unanswered to take a seven-point lead. The Pirates then ended a scoring drought of more than 4 minutes on back-to-back baskets from senior forward Hayden Schultz, who scored all eight of his points in the first half.
After a 3-pointer from junior guard Nick Pennamon, Fort Osage’s 21-15 lead evaporated and turned into a deficit that held up for the majority of the game’s remainder.

Platte County junior guard Braiden Stevens takes a shot in the Grain Valley Invitational third-place game against Fort Osage on Friday at Grain Valley High School in Grain Valley.
McLaughlin started a run of 15 answered for Platte County with a bucket but missed the free throw with a chance at a three-point play. After a stop, he buried a 3-pointer from the left corner, and Schultz’s two free throws gave the Pirates the lead back at 22-21.
“I think just getting in my rhythm (was key), finding my shot and getting open shots for my teammates who were setting good screens to get me open,” said McLaughlin, who finished in double-figure scoring for just the second time and first since the season-opener against Maryville in early December. “Someone had to pick up Braiden’s slack tonight when he’s not a hundred percent.”
Peterson scored the next five points before Morrison’s 3 in the final minute of the second quarter extended the lead to nine. However, Fort Osage sophomore Brayden Beemont answered with a 3-pointer with 1.8 seconds on the clock to trim the deficit to six points at halftime.
“Because we didn’t pick him up in transition like we were on about them yesterday in practice,” Platte County coach Rick Hodge said. “We’ve been talking to them. We still don’t communicate enough, and they have to get better at finding those guys. It gave them momentum going into the half.”
Fort Osage closed back within four out of halftime, but McLaughlin scored the next five, including the last of his three 3-pointers.

Platte County senior forward Hayden Schultz goes in for a layup in the Grain Valley Invitational third-place game against Fort Osage on Friday at Grain Valley High School in Grain Valley.
Peterson’s basket the next time down the floor pushed Platte County’s lead to double digits for the only time, and he accounted for 16 of the Pirates’ final 27 points to continue his standout season as their leading scorer. Morrison’s two baskets accounted for the Pirates’ only points from the reserves, which also included seniors Brett Mueller and Cobe Pollard and junior Jack Utz.
Stevens played limited stretches, but Peterson stepped into the featured role and delivered at key moments.
“He does so many good things well, whether it’s on the block, perimeter, slashing. He got us some putbacks we had to have,” Hodge said. “He was really giving us all four elements.”
Platte County lost six of the previous seven games prior to the recent stretch that started with a blowout of rival Smithville. The Pirates now hope the momentum carries over into the final eight games — all in conference play and starting with Tuesday’s rematch with Fort Osage.
Currently with a 2-4 record in the White Division, Platte County owns a chance to avenge each of those losses in addition to the home-and-home with the Indians that will also include the regular season finale.
“I keep telling them this. I don’t know if they believe me or listen to me or not, but I still think we’re getting better at both ends of the floor even this late in the season,” Hodge said. “I saw it tonight with some grit and some guys playing tough, especially on the defensive end. I think we’re getting better there. They saw different mismatches and recognized those on offense to put 60-something on those guys. I was very happy, and as far as this stretch, hopefully, we can have some success to continue to build momentum for the end of the year.”
Blue Springs South 76, Platte County 54

Platte County junior forward Jack Utz goes up for a shot in the Grain Valley Invitational third-place game against Fort Osage on Friday at Grain Valley High School in Grain Valley.
In the second of two pool games in the six-team tournament, the Jaguars put up 41 points in a dominant first half Tuesday at Grain Valley High School.
Morrison scored all of his season-high 18 points in the fourth quarter and finished in double-figures for just the second time this season — first since posting 12 and matching McLaughlin in the December win over Maryville. Peterson added 12 and McLaughlin 10, but Platte County trailed by 19 at halftime and 23 going into the fourth quarter. Morrison accounted for all but four of the Pirates’ points in the final 8 minutes, hitting four 3s.
Stevens, who made the all-tournament team along with Peterson, hit two 3s in the first quarter and finished with eight points. Schultz (three), Utz (two) and Mueller (one) rounded out Platte County’s scorers.
Platte County 56, Barstow 39
The Pirates opened the tournament with a comfortable victory Monday night in Grain Valley behind a game-high 21 points from Peterson.
Up just 26-24 at halftime, Platte County pulled away in the third quarter with Stevens hitting two 3-pointers and accounting for eight of his 11 points. Peterson put up 12 to account for all of the Pirates’ offensive production in the frame. He also finished with two 3s.
Stevens hit three free throws in the first quarter, and Schultz accounted for seven of his nine points in the opening 8 minutes for Platte County. Peterson had just seven at halftime, but the Pirates maintained the lead with help from Utz, who scored four points in both halves to finish with a season-high eight.