SportsFebruary 21, 2024
600 Wins and Counting: Holifield reflects on milestones and memories
SIKESTON, Mo. – It’s more than just red and black for Gregg Holifield. It’s the roar of the Field House, the faces in the stands, the generations of fans who bleed Sikeston pride. With 600 wins, his legacy isn’t just personal – it’s woven into the fabric of this town. Today, he opens up his playbook and invites us to walk down memory lane, reliving the moments that shaped him, his players and the very heart of Sikeston basketball...
Derek James ~ Special to the Standard-Democrat
SIKESTON, Mo. – It’s more than just red and black for Gregg Holifield. It’s the roar of the Field House, the faces in the stands, the generations of fans who bleed Sikeston pride. With 600 wins, his legacy isn’t just personal – it’s woven into the fabric of this town. Today, he opens up his playbook and invites us to walk down memory lane, reliving the moments that shaped him, his players and the very heart of Sikeston basketball.
On Feb. 9 of this season, Missouri Hall of Fame Sikeston basketball coach Gregg Holifield notched his 500th victory since he’s been on the sidelines for the Bulldogs.
Holifield was hired to take over the Sikeston program in 1998 when he was just 36 years old. Now, 26 years later and at 61 years of age, Holifield’s Bulldogs are as strong as ever as they enter Thursday’s game at Father Tolton with a record of 25-0 and the No. 1 ranking in the state in Class 5.
Tuesday’s win over Doniphan gave Holifield an astounding 600 career victories, which included previous stops at his alma mater Senath-Hornersville, Kennett, and Greene County Tech, Ark.
Only two other coaches in southeast Missouri have achieved 600 career wins – both are legends, Ronnie Cookson (Scott County Central) and Lennies McFerren (Charleston, New Madrid County Central, Kennett).
As the 2023-24 season approaches district play, the Standard Democrat asked Holifield to reflect back on his most memorable games that he’s ever coached for the Bulldogs.
It’s impossible to include all of the top games, but Holifield was able to compile a list of his top 10 games that stand out to him personally, including some honorable mentions.
The list will start at No. 10 and will count down to his all-time most memorable game.
__10. Sikeston 55, Blytheville (Ark.) 52 – Dec. 2004__
The opening paragraph in the Standard Democrat called it one of the most stunning upsets in the 33-year history of the Sikeston Invitational Tournament. Blytheville, with its towering frontline and cat-quick guards, came into the game ranked No. 1 in Arkansas while Sikeston was rebuilding with a young team filled with juniors, sophomores and freshmen. The Chickasaws defeated Sikeston earlier that year 59-37, and in the championship game of the SIT, the Bulldogs found themselves trailing by double digits again. The Bulldogs rallied behind the unconscious shooting of junior Kash Bratcher, who hit all six of his 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, including the game-winner just before the buzzer sounded from 35 feet to pull off one of the most improbable wins of Holifield’s career.
“They were an Arkansas power and ranked No. 1 in the state with incredible talent, and we were very young and inexperienced and out-sized at every position,” Holifield said. “Just for one night, our guys came together and played as well as we could possibly play.”
__9. Sikeston 59, Cape Central 55 – March 2016__
The Bulldogs had rolled through the regular season unscathed but for a 73-63 loss to state-ranked Cape Central three weeks earlier. Sikeston got its revenge in the Class 4, District 1 Tournament in a nail-biter in front of a standing-room-only crowd of nearly 3,000 people at the Field House, which is the last time Sikeston has hosted a district tournament. Seniors Juwon Kimble (17 points) and Dominique Dyes (16 points) and sophomore Fred Thatch (15 points, 11 rebounds) led the Bulldogs. Dyes hit 5 of 6 free throws in the final 36 seconds to seal the victory. A young 6-foot-6 freshman named Trey Jenkins (2 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocked shots) played crucial minutes spelling Kimble who battled foul trouble. The win helped propel Sikeston to the final four with a record of 28-1 before falling in overtime to a loaded Vashon team in the state semifinals.
“We had a great team that year and we knew we had to get through Cape to get into the playoffs,” Holifield said. “It was a very physical game and we battled their physicality and were able to make a few plays in the end. Just a great win for our program.”
__8. Sikeston 69, Notre Dame 54 – March 2021__
It was a tumultuous season in the wake of COVID-19, which wreaked havoc on schedules as well as a winter storm that wiped out six games for the Bulldogs. Sikeston started the year 3-5 but showed improvement and began finding their way midway through the season. Not many expected the Bulldogs to compete for a district championship, but after upsetting Cape Central in the semifinals, Sikeston squared off against top-seeded Notre Dame at the Cape Tiger Field House. The Bulldogs had lost to Notre Dame 51-41 earlier in the season, but the Class 5, District 1 championship was all Sikeston. Senior standout Leroy Atkins started the game on a personal 9-0 run and finished with 38 points. The Bulldogs out-scored Notre Dame 24-8 in the fourth quarter including some clutch free throws from Lontas McClinton Jr. to capture the district title.
“That was a team that had improved so much over the course of the year,” Holifield said. “No one really gave us a chance to win that district. Our guys really pulled together in that district tournament. I always look back fondly on that team with the way they finished the season.”
__7. Sikeston 64, Cape Central 48 – March 1999__
It was Holifield’s first season at Sikeston as his team entered the Class 4A, District 1 Tournament at Poplar Bluff as underdogs against top-seeded Cape Central, which ran through the SEMO Conference with an unblemished record, including a 52-47 win over the Bulldogs. This time Sikeston controlled things from the start, out-scoring the Tigers in each quarter and eventually putting the game away in the fourth quarter as future Washington Redskins linebacker Brandon Barnes put a punctuation mark on the victory with a powerful slam to claim the district title – Sikeston’s first since 1995. Junior all-state forward Bryan Ellitt (25 points, 14 rebounds) out-dueled reigning SEMO Conference Player of the Year Ross Conner (3 points). The victory validated the hiring of Holifield as he guided a team that had won just six games the previous year.
“Cape had a really good team and to come back and beat them in the district championship game was a big turning point for our program,” Holifield said.
__6. Sikeston 76, St. Mary’s 50 – March 2018__
St. Mary’s came into the game as the perceived favorites after putting on a show in front of area fans in the Charleston Shootout, beating Class 5 powerhouse Chaminade by 42 points, and knocking off Vashon in a sectional game with an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch suggesting the game pitted “the top two teams in Class 4.” The team had a film crew documenting the season and was led by all-state guard Yuri Collins, who eventually starred for the St. Louis Billikens. The team seemed to have it all. That is until Sikeston stunned the Dragons with a surprisingly lopsided victory in the Class 4 quarterfinals at Jefferson College. The St. Mary’s coach called Fred Thatch “a man amongst boys” as he finished with 12 points, 22 rebounds and six assists to help his team reach the final four for the second time in three years.
Junior guard Kevin Jones had a game-high 18 points.
“It seemed like everybody was picking against us so we had to show what we were about. It was kind of personal,” Thatch told the Standard Democrat.
__5. Sikeston 84, Ozark 79 – March 2006__
“That was our first time in the final four with me as the coach,” Holifield said. “And then defeating Ozark to make it to the state championship game just meant a lot to our program.”
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Sikeston had gotten a taste of the final four in Columbia for the first time in school history in 1995 under coach Fred Johnson, but it took 11 years to get back. The Bulldogs were not very well known around the state in 2006, but an impressive run through the playoffs left many wondering how Sikeston would fare against the towering size of Ozark at Mizzou Arena. The Bulldogs, using superior quickness, proved early that they were in Columbia to play ball as they jumped out to a 14-0 lead. Sikeston held off a furious rally by Ozark by hitting a MSHSAA Class 4 semifinal record 31 of 36 (86 percent) from the free throw line, including 18 consecutive in the fourth quarter, which was also a MSHSAA record. Sikeston was led by all-state junior Julian Beard with 22 points. Senior guard Kash Bratcher had 21 points while a skinny 6-foot-3 freshman named Michael Porter finished with 18 points.
__4. Sikeston 50, Cape Central 48 – March 2023__
The insanely talented Tigers came into the Class 5, District 1 championship game at North County as the No. 1 team in Class 5. They had defeated Sikeston twice during the season, including an 84-57 whipping three weeks earlier. The Bulldogs’ lineup was filled with mostly sophomores and standout junior Dontrez Williams. Holifield then did the unthinkable – slowing down his offensive attack and forcing Cape Central’s bigs to extend out to guard Sikeston’s smaller, quicker players. Despite falling behind 39-23 in the third quarter, Holifield’s strategy worked as the Bulldogs rallied in the fourth quarter and pulled off one of the most shocking upsets in recent memory. Williams was sensational, leading all scorers with 23 points, eight rebounds, five steals and three blocked shots.
“It’s one of those games where Cape Central had a great team and to go in there and upset them was huge,” Holifield said. “It’s one of those games that you will never forget.”
__3. Sikeston 69, Notre Dame 65 – February 2006__
Sikeston had defeated Notre Dame on the road 83-61 in mid-December, but Paul Hale’s Bulldogs ranked fifth in Class 4, had caught fire and were the talk of the area on the play of super sophomore Ryan Willen. Unranked Sikeston was having a strong season but was still somewhat of an unknown. However, the Bulldogs opened some eyes by defeating Ben Hansbrough and the Poplar Bluff Mules a few weeks earlier. This second matchup with Notre Dame had been hyped for the months leading up and the Class 4, District 1 championship game in front of a jam-packed Field House became an instant classic. Notre Dame led only once, at 14-12, but Sikeston never could shake loose and the game remained tight throughout. Two Julian Beard free throws with eight seconds left sealed the victory, notching the Bulldogs’ first district title since 2000.
“It was just such a great atmosphere in that game,” Holifield said. “We had to turn away about 700 people at the door. The game went down the wire. It was just a great game and it helped send us to the state championship game.” Beard finished with 19 points and eight rebounds. Freshman Michael Porter had 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists while senior Rod Moore finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.
__2. Sikeston 86, Scott County Central 85 – Feb. 2009__
Simply put, this game might be the most legendary game in the history of Southeast Missouri high school hoops. The hype heading into the contest was otherworldly. Relatives from both sides littered the rosters. The teams had not played in 38 years and only through weeks of media pressure, and then pressure from both communities, did the schools finally decide to schedule each other. A date was set, Feb. 11. A location was picked – the Show Me Center. Sikeston came into the game among the favorites in Class 4 with its only two losses to St. Louis powerhouse Lafayette and Warren Central (Ky.). The Bulldogs were led by senior Michael Porter along with a strong supporting cast including Juqualin Wiggins and Eli Jackson. Scott Central, owing its only loss to Memphis Central, was the overwhelming favorite to win Class 1 under the legend Ronnie Cookson. It was a classic matchup of David vs. Goliath, but only in terms of small school vs. large school. Scott Central was no ordinary “David.” The Braves were talented. Very talented. Led by future NBA player Otto Porter Jr., Drew Thomas and Bobby Hatchett, online polls had the Braves as a decided favorite. With pre-sold tickets, Show Me Center sold out in a day. On game day, 7,100 fans filled the arena to watch “The Game of the Century.” It was every bit as thrilling as advertised as both teams exchanged leads throughout, but Scott Central gained the advantage heading into the fourth quarter. Michael Porter put the Bulldogs on his back, scoring 15 of his game-high 33 points in the fourth quarter. It wouldn’t be a classic without controversy. Porter’s basket on an offensive rebound gave Sikeston an 86-85 lead with 20 seconds left. The Braves worked for a final shot with Hatchett driving baseline and pulling up for a heavily contested jumper as time expired. Hatchett fell to the ground. The shot missed. Sikeston celebrated. Was Hatchett fouled? Or wasn’t he? The debate rages on to this day.
Before the game, Holifield and Cookson posed for a photograph which is still proudly displayed in Holifield’s office at the Field House.
“It’s one of the greatest games I’ve ever been involved in,” Holifield said. “The atmosphere was unbelievable. And coaching against Coach Cookson, who I always admired, meant a lot.”
__1. Sikeston 74, St. Francis Borgia 55 – March 2011__
The Standard Democrat headline read “PERFECTION.” That’s as accurate as it gets for this Sikeston team. So many close calls the previous five years left Bulldog fans wondering if they would ever win that elusive state title. Could this team, with no player on the roster taller than 6-foot-2, be the team that gets it done? Not only did the 2011 team win the Class 4 state championship, but they also did it by completely obliterating nearly every opponent in their path, including a convincing win over Borgia in the title game at Mizzou Arena to complete a 30-0 season and an automatic induction into the Missouri Hall of Fame. Borgia had knocked out the Bulldogs the previous two seasons in the Class 4 quarterfinal round, so it only seemed fitting that Sikeston had to beat the Knights to win it all. This Sikeston squad personified “team.” It was a team that legitimately went 10-deep with no player averaging more than 13 points per game. Opponents never knew who to stop. Plus, a suffocating defense that could force turnovers at will with its 2-2-1 full-court press and 2-3 matchup zone in the halfcourt was perhaps the strength of the team. Sikeston with its depth and skill routinely would wear teams down and put them away with a dominant third quarter. The team did not have high-major collegiate recruits, but the senior quartet of Janeil Hatchett, Will Holifield, Darryl Howard and Corey Porter are Sikeston legends all the same. Porter had a state championship game to remember, scoring 24 points with seven rebounds. Holifield’s son Will, followed up with 14 points, all in the first half as he hit 4 of 5 from 3-point range.
“Just so much hard work had gone into our program and to win the state championship meant so much for our school and town,” Holifield said.
While it was difficult for Holifield to whittle down his most memorable games, he also pointed out a few other games that make his honorable mention.
__Sikeston 48, Poplar Bluff 46 – Dec. 2002__
The Mules boasted freshman phenom Tyler Hansbrough, but Sikeston shocked the Mules by leading 26-12 at the half with a radical defense that caught them off guard at the Field House. Lavar Morgan led the Bulldogs with 26 points and all-state junior Lontas McClinton Sr. helped contain Hansbrough. Holifield is the only coach to defeat Southeast Missouri’s three future NBA players from that era: Tyler and Ben Hansbrough and Otto Porter Jr.
__Sikeston 78, Wentzville Holt 68 – Dec. 2010__
Perhaps the first sign that the 2011 Bulldogs were something special as they defeated one of the St. Louis area’s top teams in the championship game of the St. Dominic Christmas Tournament. Will Holifield’s 23 points (seven 3-pointers) and Janeil Hatchett’s 14 rebounds led to Holifield’s 200th win at Sikeston.
__Sikeston 74, Notre Dame 46 – March 2012__
After graduating the top five scorers from the 2011 state championship team and then falling to Notre Dame 78-63 during the regular season, the Bulldogs came into the Class 4, District 1 championship game at the Field House as underdogs. Sikeston blew out the blue Bulldogs to claim their fourth straight district title. Vashawn Ruffin and Caleb McGee combined for 40 points in the victory, but it was all-state guard Terry Jamison who controlled the game despite scoring only two points -- his 10 rebounds and nine assists drew praise from Holifield, "Terry dominated the game without scoring," he said.
__Sikeston 62, Gateway Tech 52 – March 2013__
The Class 4 quarterfinal victory sent the Bulldogs back to Columbia. Markeith Bratcher’s 3-pointer with a little over a minute left provided the dagger while the Bulldogs hit 14 of 15 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter. Vashawn Ruffin (18 points), J.T. Jones (17 points) and Bratcher (14 points) led the way.
__Sikeston 90, NMCC 76 – Feb. 2024__
The pre-game hype surrounding Class 5 No. 1 Sikeston and Class 3 No. 1 NMCC had been building for two months. The line to get into the Field House stretched around the block and the game sold out quickly. The Bulldogs, led by P.J. Farmer (32 points) and Dontrez Williams (27 points), controlled the game and held off a late push by the Eagles.
“That’s the most electric I’ve seen the Field House in a long time,” Holifield said. “The atmosphere was unbelievable.”
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