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Relentless defense pushes Sikeston past Poplar Bluff 73-62
SIKESTON -- One thing about Sikeston's pressure defense is that it comes at you relentlessly.
It's a never-ending wave of constant pressure and trapping.
It's the opponents' job to remain poised and calm in the chaotic atmosphere that Sikeston creates.
On Friday night, Poplar Bluff handled themselves well for stretches, but couldn't keep its composure for the full 32 minutes as the Bulldogs held off their SEMO Conference rival 73-62 on homecoming night at the Field House.
"It was a physical game," Sikeston coach Gregg Holifield said. "A tough game. It was a good game for us. It was two teams that go at you. It was just a tough, high school basketball game."
Like a boxing match, it was physical and grueling for both teams, but it was Sikeston's pressure defense that forced 25 turnovers that was the biggest key to the victory for the Bulldogs.
Sikeston (15-3, 4-2 SEMO) only turned the ball over 12 times and also held a distinct rebounding advantage on the Mules, 33 to 23, including 17 offensive boards.
"We went into this game knowing Sikeston makes a lot of runs," Poplar Bluff coach William Durden said. "We tried to limit the runs. They get after it a little bit and they smelled blood and that fueled Sikeston. We knew what we were getting into when we came down here. I mean, they're a physical and athletic team. We've got to get used to it and play through it."
It was a game that Sikeston controlled and always seemed to be on the verge of pulling away, but Poplar Bluff always had an answer and would go on a run themselves.
"We were fortunate to build a lead and we maintained that six to 12 point lead pretty well throughout and they made a run there, which you knew they would," Holifield said. "They're not going to go away. They're not going to quit."
Sikeston fell behind 4-0 to start the game and still trailed 8-6 after a Malik Metcalf basket, but the Bulldogs went on a 10-0 run capped by back-to-back 3-pointers by Dantrell Brown and Dominique Dyes to lead 16-8.
The Bulldogs eventually settled for a 21-14 lead after one.
Sikeston continued to extend its lead in the second quarter after a Dyes 3-pointer and a J.T. Jones basket pushed the advantage to 28-16, only to see the Mules go on a 10-2 run to cut the score to 29-26.
Sikeston then responded with an 8-0 run generated by its full-court press. Two Jairius Ray free throws with 38 seconds left in the half gave the Bulldogs a 37-26 lead, but a basket by Poplar Bluff's 6-foot-7 senior Stacy Gipson moments later brought the Bulldog lead under double figures by halftime.
The Bulldogs started the third quarter with five straight points to reach its biggest lead of the night at 42-28, but the Mules once again fought back with a 12-2 run to cut the score to 44-40 on a Chris Stocks basket.
Two more times the Mules were able to cut the Bulldog lead to four points, but Dyes drained a 3-pointer with 43 seconds left in the third quarter to extend the lead back to 51-44, which is where things stood at the end of the period.
Four different times Sikeston extended its lead to 11 in the fourth quarter, but Poplar Bluff did not go quietly, eventually getting as close as 68-62 on a Gipson basket with one minute left, but Sikeston's Chris Scott scored a layup and Zach Harrison and Jones closed out the game with free throws to hold off the final charge.
"We had got it to within four or five and then we turned the ball over a couple times and fouled and they went on that run and we can't do that," Durden said. "We're kind of fragile right now mentally as it is. You can't turn the ball over three times in a row without getting a shot off."
The Bulldogs finished with 18 second chance points, compared to just six second chance points from the Mules, who only had eight offensive rebounds.
"We knew we had to keep them off the boards and we didn't do a very good job tonight," Durden said. "They got some rebounds at the right time. They muscled up and stuck the ball back in the hole."
None were more dominant on the glass than the all-stater Jones, who finished with a team-high 19 points, 12 rebounds (six offensive), six steals and four blocked shots.
"He killed us last year from the 3-point line but this year he manned up in the paint and finished around the basket and that's what killed us," Durden said. "We were trying to run a zone to keep them from shooting a lot of 3's early and he hurt us in the paint."
Jones had plenty of help, though, as eight different players reached the scoring column, including 26 bench points.
Dyes scored 15 along with six rebounds and three assists.
"He's been that way all season," Holifield said of Dyes. "He's a sophomore that takes big shots for us and makes big shots. He's a confident player that's not afraid to back down from a challenge. I like the way he plays."
Junior guard Corbyn Blissett scored nine points with six assists and four steals.
Ray added eight points with six rebounds.
"It's been that way the whole season -- we're very balanced," Holifield said. "We've got guys in different situations that can step up and score. We have 10 guys normally in the scorebook every night. Those guys, they're not afraid to take shots. They can play."
The Mules, losers of seven straight, fall to 8-11 on the season and 0-3 in the SEMO Conference.
Sikeston has defeated Poplar Bluff in 12 of the last 13 meetings, last losing to the Mules in 2009.
"We knew it was going to be tough, you know playing them on their homecoming -- playing Sikeston in general when they're making this run the last six or seven years," Durden said. "We wanted to run with them, play with them. We just made some mistakes there in a crucial time."
Poplar Bluff was led by Gipson's 22 points and seven rebounds. Stocks finished with 18 points.
The Mules will host New Madrid County Central on Tuesday.
"They're very physical, they're well-coached, they're tough," Holifield said of Poplar Bluff. "They had a difficult schedule -- difficult stretch there. I thought his guys came in and played with a lot of heart and pride tonight and you could tell they were looking for a win. If they play like that, they are a good basketball team. They have good personnel and he does a great job with them. They'll come out in the district tournament and be a tough team to beat."
Sikeston will host Cairo, Ill., on Wednesday with junior varsity action starting at 6 p.m.
| Poplar Bluff | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | -- | 62 |
| Sikeston | 21 | 16 | 14 | 22 | -- | 73 |
POPLAR BLUFF (62) -- Stacy Gipson 22, Chris Stocks 18, Malik Metcalf 7, Shannon Woods 6, Joseph Eyler 4, Ryan Brittingham 3, Pat Tillman 2. FG 23, FT 10-19, F 19. (3-pointers: Brittingham 1, Stocks 1. Fouled out: Tillman).
SIKESTON (73) -- J.T. Jones 19, Dominique Dyes 15, Corbyn Blissett 9, Jairius Ray 8, Chris Scott 7, Zach Harrison 7, Reese Porter 5, Dantrell Brown 3. FG 20, FT 18-29, F 17. (3-pointers: Dyes 3, Scott 1, Brown 1. Fouled out: none).
Junior varsity
Poplar Bluff 44, Sikeston 33
Sikeston's JV team fell to 11-2 and 5-1 in the SEMO Conference with a 44-33 loss to Poplar Bluff's junior varsity.
Sikeston led 26-21 at the half but was out-scored 23-7 in the second half.
The Bulldog JV was led by Jaylen Mallory's 10 points.
Poplar Bluff's JV (10-5, 2-1 SEMO) was led by Willie Lucas with 15.
| Poplar Bluff | 11 | 10 | 12 | 11 | -- | 44 |
| Sikeston | 13 | 13 | 5 | 2 | -- | 33 |
POPLAR BLUFF (44) -- Willie Lucas 15, Tristain Francisco 8, Blakeney Kearbey 6, Steve Anderson 5, Shamadre Barber 4, Elijah Dawson 2, Collin Steffens 2, Tyler Norton 2. FG 10, FT 15-23, F 10. (3-pointers: Lucas 2, Barber 1. Fouled out: none).
SIKESTON (33) -- Jaylen Mallory 10, Ja'lon Marr 8, Deterio Newman 8, Juwon Kimble 4, Victwon Riley 3. FG 9, FT 3-3, F 21. (3-pointers: Newman 2, Riley 1, Mallory 1. Fouled out: Donnell Cobb, Kimble).