Menu
Sikeston avenges loss, beats Notre Dame 64-54
CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Two weeks ago, Notre Dame defeated Sikeston on its home court for the first time since Feb. 2007.
On Friday at a jam-packed Notre Dame Regional High School, Sikeston returned the favor.
In its SEMO Conference opener, the Bulldogs defeated Notre Dame 64-54, marking the first time since Dec. 2007 that they have beaten their rivals on their home floor.
And the Bulldogs did it with defense, forcing 32 turnovers and limiting Notre Dame's looks at the basket.
"I was proud of our effort," Sikeston coach Gregg Holifield said. "We came out defensively and did a much better job. Our players have really worked hard this week on trying to improve in that area. Compared to last time we were much better. I thought we were a little more sound. They still hurt us at times."
In Notre Dame's 77-76 overtime win over Sikeston just eight days prior in the SEMO Conference Tournament, the Bulldogs didn't find shooters and allowed Notre Dame's Quinn Poythress and Grant Ressel to combine for six 3-pointers and 42 points.
On Friday the Bulldogs limited the duo to 22 points and just one 3-pointer.
"We were embarrassed with how we didn't handle situations in our tournament," Holifield said. "We lost our aggression and we can't play like that. We've got to be tougher. I told the kids, 'I don't know if we're going to win or lose, but we're going to play harder. We're going to play better defensively.' And that's our point of emphasis. Normally if you do that, if you guard and rebound, then good things will happen."
Despite the wide final score, Notre Dame (3-2, 1-1 SEMO) was in the thick of things in the fourth quarter.
The home Bulldogs had rallied from a 13-point second quarter deficit and finally tied the game on a 3-pointer by Jordan Williamson with 4:49 left in the game, but on the ensuing inbounds, Sikeston's J.T. Jones found a streaking Reese Porter on the other end of the floor for a layup and the foul to regain the lead at 49-47.
One minute later, Sikeston's Chris Scott drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key to extend the lead to 52-47 with 3:30 left.
The Bulldogs (4-1, 1-0 SEMO) weren't threatened the rest of the way, getting a 17-foot shot by Marqese Parks, Scott on an offensive putback and a coast-to-coast layup by Jones, all part of a 13-2 run after Notre Dame had tied the score.
The Bulldogs sank 6 of 8 free throws in the final moments to match the biggest lead of the night at 64-51 with nine seconds left.
"The score isn't indicative with how the game was," Notre Dame coach Kevin Roberts said. "I think the biggest shot of the game was that Chris Scott shot -- that three at the head of the key to push it from two to five. We spent a lot of energy getting back in the game. We tied it at 47, but that was a good pass down the floor for the 'and-one.' When push came to shove, their guys hit some big shots and we didn't."
Sikeston was led by the senior stalwart Jones, who finished with a game-high 19 points with eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. He had eight of his points in the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs had nine other players reach the scoring column.
"Everything goes through J.T.," Roberts said. "When he starts putting the ball on the floor and getting to the rim, that opens things up because you have to help off. He's a tremendous player."
Porter finished with 10 points and five rebounds. Scott scored a season-high nine points, seven of which came in the fourth quarter.
But the difference in this game was Sikeston's pressure defense.
"I thought in the first half they turned us over way too many times," Roberts said. "I bet we had 15 to 20 turnovers in the first half, and you can't do that against them. We were only down nine, and that's the scary thing, if you cut those turnovers in half you get a lot of possessions."
Both teams were sloppy in the early going as the capacity crowd was loud and intense from the opening tip.
Notre Dame led three different times in the early going, but Sikeston sophomore Dominique Dyes hit a 3-pointer from the left corner with three minutes left in the first quarter to give the Bulldogs an 8-6 lead before eventually settling for a 14-10 edge after one.
Sikeston controlled the second quarter, forcing numerous turnovers, and going on a 10-0 run to lead 26-13 midway through.
The Bulldogs held a 30-21 lead at the half.
Similar to the first meeting between the two teams, Notre Dame came out of halftime with a quick start, rattling off eight straight points in two minutes to cut the lead to 30-29.
But Sikeston answered the run by scoring eight of the next 10 points to maintain its lead, taking a 44-40 lead into the fourth quarter.
"We had a lull in the third quarter where they came out and punched us in the face for about three or four minutes, but this time we kind of regrouped and did a much better job and got our aggression back and played pretty smart down in the end," Holifield said. "I thought we grew up."
Notre Dame was led by Jordan Barber's 14 points. Poythress finished with 13.
"They made some adjustments to where we couldn't throw to the high post and to the short corner or to the low block," Roberts said. "We wanted to get Barber going on the low block and they closed out better on the shooters this time, which is kind of how we roll. We did have some open looks, but we just didn't make shots."
Sikeston will be off until the first round of the St. Dominic Christmas Tournament. The three-time defending tournament champion and top-seeded Bulldogs will play on Dec. 26 at 7:30 p.m. against the host school.
"As you can see, we've got a lot of work to do and we're going to try our very best to get better and better," Holifield said. "I really like our kids. They have great attitudes. They come in every day, they're no nonsense and they're ready to get after it."
| Sikeston | 14 | 16 | 14 | 20 | -- | 64 |
| Notre Dame | 10 | 11 | 19 | 14 | -- | 54 |
SIKESTON (64) -- J.T. Jones 19, Reese Porter 10, Chris Scott 9, Jairius Ray 6, Corbyn Blissett 5, Zach Harrison 4, Dominique Dyes 4, Jaylen Mallory 3, Marqese Parks 2, Ja'lon Marr 2. FG 15, FT 16-26, F 17. (3-pointers: Jones 2, Mallory 1, Dyes 1, Scott 1, Blissett 1. Fouled out: none).
NOTRE DAME (54) -- Jordan Barber 14, Quinn Poythress 13, Grant Ressel 9, Chase Urhahn 6, Jordan Williamson 6, Tanner Shively 4, Dean Crippen 2. FG 13, FT 16-22, F 23. (3-pointers: Urhahn 2, Poythress 1, Williamson 1. Fouled out: none).
Junior varsity
Sikeston's J.V. team improved to 4-1 on the season with a 48-42 victory over Notre Dame.
Sikeston trailed in the fourth quarter but rallied for the win.
Juwon Kimble led all scorers with 14 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Ja'lon Marr had 13 points and eight rebounds in two quarters of action. Donnell Cobb had seven rebounds and three steals and Deterio Newman had a crucial 3-pointer late in the game to go with his seven rebounds.
| Sikeston | 11 | 11 | 11 | 15 | -- | 48 |
| Notre Dame | 12 | 8 | 10 | 12 | -- | 42 |
SIKESTON (48) -- Juwon Kimble 14, Ja'lon Marr 13, Deterio Newman 6, Victwon Riley 5, Phayzun Fobbs 4, Donnell Cobb 4, Jaylen Mallory 2. FG 14, FT 11-13, F 18. (3-pointers: Newman 2, Riley 1. Fouled out: none).
NOTRE DAME (42) -- Ethan Hunter 9, Josh Seabaugh 8, Ross Essner 8, Andrew LeGrand 6, Trey Halter 5, Blake Bauwens 4, Cade Beck 2. FG 9, FT 6-14, F 13. (3-pointers: LeGrand 2, Seabaugh 2, Hunter 2. Fouled out: none).