Sikeston basketball finishes No. 1 in area

SIKESTON -- Awards and recognition continue to pile up for the Sikeston Bulldogs basketball team in the wake of the team's second place finish in the Class 4 state playoffs.

Most recently, Sikeston finished ranked No. 1 in southeast Missouri according to the final SEMO poll, as voted on by the Southeast Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

"It's an honor because there's so many good teams around this season," said Sikeston coach Gregg Holifield. "There were four teams that made it to the final four and many others that probably could have made it. To be ranked No. 1 in the area is quite an honor. It's nice recognition for our players and our team."

Sikeston received 13 of a possible 15 first place votes to out-distance Poplar Bluff, which received the other two first place votes.

Sikeston won 14 straight games before finally losing to St. Francis Borgia in the state championship game.

The Bulldogs finished 23-7, the team's best record since 1995.

The second place finish is the highest ever for the Bulldogs.

Poplar Bluff won its fifth straight district championship before being ousted by eventual third place team Kirkwood in the sectional round to tie with Charleston at second in the poll with 200 points each.

Charleston had a second place finish in Class 3. Bell City took fourth in the poll after a second place finish in the Class 1 championship game.

"I felt by the end of the season we really came on," said Holifield.

"We won 14 straight before the state championship game. We were playing our best basketball at the end of the year. I feel like we were as good as anybody in the area at the end of the year."

The final SEMO Boys top 15 basketball poll with first-place votes in parentheses, record, total points and last poll's ranking.

Others receiving votes: Scott County Central 21, Clarkton 16, Campbell 16, Ste. Genevieve 4, West County 4, Viburnum 1.