Bluejay pressure too much for Dexter

CHARLESTON -- The Dexter Bearcats traveled east on Highway 60 to Charleston Tuesday night, where the Bluejays were back to winning form, defeating Dexter by a score of 75-54.

"We're not too bad," Charleston head coach Danny Farmer said. "(But) we have a long way to go."

For Charleston, it was steady defensive pressure that aided the victory on their home court.

"Early in the game, I didn't expect us to be quite as tentative on offense," Dexter head coach Rob Nichols said. "We didn't look to attack the basket at all."

Charleston led by just 12 at the break, 39-27, but the lead would increase as the third quarter began.

"We dug ourselves a hole right at the start of the second half," Nichols said. "And part of it was (that) we took some bad, quick shots."

Dexter edged back closer to the Bluejays lead, but a few costly misses on put-backs and open lay-ups proved to be a huge factor in the loss.

"We were down 15 early in the fourth quarter," Nichols said. "(We) cut it a little bit, and (then) we missed three lay-ups. That hurt."

Charleston looked to have quite a hold on the game from tip-off to the final buzzer, due in part to the offensive showing of Donald Dixon and Fred Pratt.

Dixon finished the game with 23 points, with one 3-pointer, going 6-for-10 at the charity stripe.

Pratt added 22 points, on 11 field goals.

In the losing effort, Dexter's Kevin Hart scored 21, going 2-for-2 at the line, and hit one 3-pointer.

"We want to get better," Farmer said. "(We got) our defensive pressure up a bit."

"We're missing our ball handler, Jerquawn (Sherrell)," he added. "He handles the ball a bit better. We feel when we get him back, and around mid-season, we're going to be as good as any team."

Sherrell was out with an ailment for Tuesday's game, but is expected to be back in action in the SEMO Conference Tournament beginning next week in Sikeston.

Farmer was especially pleased with his two high scorers in the win.

"Dixon has potential," Farmer said. "This past weekend against great competition, he scored 17, and against a great Memphis Central team he scored 10."

"Pratt played hard (tonight)," he added. "He's a sneaky player. That's what he does--he sneaks in points."

Nichols said his team expected a tough match in the Bluejays, especially on the boards.

"They go after the glass," Nichols said. "(We) expected to struggle a little on the glass."

"We just didn't shoot the ball really well," he added. "(And) we can't simulate their speed in practice. It's hard to get any kind of excitement going when you can't string some baskets together."

Dexter's next chance to get a 'W' in the win column will be Friday night when they host the Sikeston Bulldogs.

Charleston's next opponent will come in the SEMO Conference Tournament, as they come in as a No. 4 seed and will be taking on No. 5 seed New Madrid County Central. The game is scheduled for Monday night at 8:30 p.m. at the Sikeston Field House.