Charleston survives OT scare from Bearcats

Charleston's Trey Watkins picks up a loose ball in the second half against Dexter on Tuesday night at the Bearcat Event Center. (Brent Shipman, Staff)

DEXTER -- After scoring six unanswered points to end the fourth quarter and send the game into overtime, the Dexter Bearcats saw their comeback against the Charleston Bluejays fall just short Tuesday evening.

Though the Bearcats opened the extra quarter striking first, Charleston would go on a five-point run that left Dexter playing catch up before ultimately losing, 72-70.

"Our kids didn't quit," Dexter head coach Rob Nichols said. "You get down seven or eight points to a team like Charleston making that run, it's easy to lay down and quit.

"To our guys credit they dug in and fought back."

It was the Bluejays mounting a comeback of their own in the third that kept the Bearcats from running away with the game after a strong second quarter that had Dexter up by 11 at the break.

Charleston, however, responded with an equally strong third led by Jerry Carter's 11 points in a 26-11 run that put the Bluejays back in the lead by four entering the fourth.

After finding themselves down by as many as 11 points early in the fourth, Dexter worked its way back into the game before going on the above mentioned six-point run to end regulation.

It was actually on the tying shot that Dexter had a chance to take the lead as Tyler Miller was fouled on his way to the basket, making the shot to tie the game, but missing the ensuing free throw with 1:45 to play.

Wrapping things up in overtime, Charleston broke out to a 70-65 lead with a minute left, allowing the Bluejays to play ball control. The Bluejays hit their final three-pointer to keep it a four-point game up until the final second when Dexter's Miller hit one last two-pointer to end the game.

"We hung in there at tough times," Charleston head coach Danny Farmer said. "Games like this build a lot of character, especially to come out on top.

"We're young and that youth is going to come out sometime, but we responded well."

Leading the way for the Bluejays was Gregory Tucker and Carter. Tucker came away with 25 points while going 11-for-13 at the free throw line. Carter scored 24 points while contributing 16 points in the second half and overtime, including two 3-pointers.

For Dexter, Alan Flannigan made up half of the Bearcats offense, knocking down 35 points in the contest before fouling out in the final second of overtime.

Dexter now stands at 0-1 and travel to Sikeston to take on the Bulldogs Friday with junior varsity action starting at 6 p.m. As for Charleston, the Bluejays (2-1) will play in the SEMO Conference Tournament, Monday at 7 p.m.

Earlier Tuesday evening it was Charleston's jayvee also coming away with a win against the Bearcats.

After Dexter had come back from a double-digit deficit late in the fourth, the game came down to a buzzer-beating Bearcat shot that missed its mark, giving the Bluejays a 51-49 win.

CHARLESTON (72) -- Aaron Cassell 3, Ryan Parham 6, Gregory Tucker 25, Claude Armstrong 2, Jerry Carter 24, Krushon Scott 12. FG 28, FT 13-19, F 16. (3-pointers: Cassell, 1, Carter 2. Fouled out: none).

DEXTER (70) -- Jake Cox 4, Jordan Fitts 3, Josh Sifford 5, Alan Flannigan 35, Logan Robey 6, Tyler Miller 17. FG 25, FT 8-14, F 20. (3-pointers: Fitts 1, Sifford 1, Flannigan 3, Robey 1, Miller 3. Fouled out: Flannigan).