C5D1: Mules march on, will face Sikeston in semis

BONNE TERRE — All the long practices, along with a tough schedule, have finally come down to this moment where the Poplar Bluff Mules must be ready to compete with some of the best teams in their district.

The No. 4 seeded Mules got the first taste of the postseason on Thursday when they faced off against the No. 5 seed Hillsboro Hawks at North County High School in the opening round of the Class 5 District 1 Tournament.

The Mules kept a steady rhythm for most of the game with solid ball movement and execution — and they were rewarded with a 75-66 win over the Hawks to advance to the next round.

Mules coach Will Durden said the game was tough, but he was happy with how the team handled adversity towards the end.

“Hillsboro is a good team that had a winning record, so we knew it wouldn’t be an easy game,” Durden said. “This is probably one of the tougher matchups with us being the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds. Overall, I thought our guys played well, and even though we got down early, we fought our way back and we played a good game.”

Last season, the Mules entered the playoffs on a three-game losing streak, but this season was a different story as they closed out with a 4-1 record in their final games and finished the regular season with an overall record of 15-11. This is the first matchup between both schools, so the game looked like a potential toss-up going in.

The Mules haven’t won a district title in three years, and their first step to getting back was determined by their will to play as a team.

As expected, both teams stepped onto the court with the same agenda of making a quick run offensively. Senior guard Darius Graham kicked off the game with a deep 3-pointer, the first of many from the Mules.

The opening quarter stayed close, but the Mules trailed 18-15 at period’s end. The Mules quickly made adjustments on the defensive side and saw the benefits of playing with quick hands and feet.

Midway through the second, the Mules found a nice flow on both ends of the court by turning steals into easy fastbreak buckets. Hillsboro stood its ground and was able to connect with a few baskets to keep the game within reach.

However, the momentum continued to grow for the Mules as they captured a 13-point lead heading into the final period.

But basketball is a game of runs, and the Mules experienced it firsthand when Hillsboro began to catch fire. The Mules suddenly found themselves in hot water as they scrambled to keep Hillsboro from finding the basket.

While holding a 10-point lead in the final five minutes of the game, the Mules needed to protect the ball and make smart plays. Though Hillsboro stayed in attack mode, the Mules kept their composure long enough to advance to the semifinals.

Graham led the Mules with 15 points, Brendan Durden and Preston Moore each had 13 and Mar’lon Hickman-Roberson added 12.

The Mules will get the chance to go head-to-head in a SEMO Conference rematch Saturday afternoon against the No. 1 seeded Sikeston Bulldogs. Tipoff time is set for 2 p.m.