Bulldogs survive cold-shooting night against East Prairie

Portageville senior Isaac Ray looks to knock down a one-handed jumper on Tuesday at Portageville High School while East Prairie senior Aaron Miller (11) defends on the play. Chris Pobst, Staff

PORTAGEVILLE -- The Portageville Bulldogs executed almost flawlessly in their efforts to pound the ball inside against the East Prairie Eagles.

The results, however, didn't match their inside-first plan.

Despite missing over half of their shots which included many from point-blank range, Portageville still came away with a 61-37 win over the Eagles on Tuesday at Portageville High School.

"We haven't been getting the ball inside enough so we made a concerted effort about getting it inside," Portageville head coach Jason Irby said. "Our post guys struggled to finish but, we still need to get it inside."

As a team, the Bulldogs shot 39 percent (26 of 66) from the field. Most of their misses came from failed layups which came easily to the Bulldogs as their offense successfully worked to get the ball inside.

Portageville guards, junior Tevin Walker and senior Fred Treadwell, made the right passes and looked inside first, but the Bulldogs were not rewarded with a made basket in the end.

Post-players Jake Young and Rondraus Booker finished the night with a combined shooting effort of 8 for 24 from the floor.

"I was pleased with the way our guards looked to get it in there," Irby said. "It at least showed me that they were thinking the right way. We couldn't make a layup and I thought that really stopped some runs we could have had.

"More times than not, those guys will finish for us. They have all year. They just couldn't buy a bucket from inside."

What the Bulldogs were able to do, however, was capitalize on steals and turnovers produced by East Prairie as well as convert on second and third chance opportunities. Portageville (12-5) found themselves up 11-5 after the first quarter, where they shot 29 percent (5 of 17), after five steals translated into points.

"We were able to get enough turnovers and easy shots in transition, luckily," Irby said.

Portageville improved in their shooting slightly in the second quarter (7 for 16) and was able to extend their lead to 30-18 at the half.

"We got them to miss shots. They missed a ton of shots, and that's going to be in our favor, but we didn't do the little things," East Prairie head coach Casey Knight said. "We didn't box out all night and I can only think of a handful of times where they actually hit their first shot.

"If we box out and not let them get those second and third chance opportunities, it's a whole different ball game."

Behind five points from Treadwell and four points from Young, Portageville kept pouring it on the Eagles, who struggled themselves by shooting 16 of 50 (32 percent) from the floor, in the third quarter.

Going into the final frame, the Bulldogs had built a comfortable 23-point lead, 47-24.

"We struggled to score and that's what we've been doing, but I think if we would have put a body on them and limited their shots, it's a game," Knight said. "We're not supposed to beat them but, we could have been in it."

Treadwell scored seven of Portageville's 14 fourth quarter points as the Bulldogs coasted to their 12th win of the year.

"I feel like we could have played a lot better," said Irby. "But, part of that has to go to East Prairie. I thought they scrapped and battled and did a good job inside. We just have to finish better and play defense better for all four quarters."

Treadwell led the Bulldogs with 16 points and five steals while Young and Walker each recorded 11 points apiece. Both Young and Booker made up for their unusual off night shooting from the paint with a combined 18 rebounds -- almost more than East Prairie's team total of 21.

Senior Connor Scott paced the Eagles (2-15) with 16 points including three 3-pointers. Phillip Latamondeer added six.

EAST PRAIRIE (37) -- Shawn King 5, Dalton Golightly 4, Phillip Latamondeer 6, Andrew Cartwright 2, Connor Scott 16, Logan Staggs 2, Ryan Mathis 2. FG 16, FT 1-2, F 15. (3-pointers: King 1, Scott 3. Fouled out: none.)

PORTAGEVILLE (61) -- Tevin Walker 11, Isaac Ray 4, Denzell Simmons 4, Dominique Walker 7, Fred Treadwell 16, Rondraus Booker 6, Steve Buchanan 2, Jake Young 11. FG 26, FT 8-14, F 11. (3-pointers: Treadwell 1. Fouled out: none.)