Cape Central boys basketball team's Tisdell too much inside for Poplar Bluff

~ The Tigers shot 62 percent from the field in their 54-38 win

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- T.J. Tisdell gave Central its first double-digit lead Friday night with an exclamation point.

Tisdell threw down an alley-oop dunk off a long pass from Tim Booker to complete a 14-5 swing in the second quarter for the Tigers, who beat Poplar Bluff 54-38 in SEMO Conference play.

"He played well," Central coach Drew Church said. "When he isolated, he got to the free-throw line or scored. And when he was doubled, he found people."

Tisdell scored the first 13 points for Central and finished with 28 to go with 17 rebounds. Booker added 10 points for the Tigers (14-4, 2-0 SEMO).

Central's Ross McClanahan, left, and Poplar Bluff's Stacy Gipson battle for a rebound Friday.

Kendric McCain scored 20 for Poplar Bluff (6-11, 1-1), which was without two starting forwards -- seniors Joey Bloodworth and Jake Rathbun. But the Mules shot 29 percent from the field (15 of 51).

"We couldn't keep it out of [Tisdell[']s] hands and in ours," Poplar Bluff coach Lamont Frazier said. "That's basically the way it went."

Poplar Bluff led 11-9 after one quarter despite missing nine shots. Tisdell scored the first four points of the second quarter before Garan Evans scored at the 5 minute, 5 second mark of the first half. It was the first points scored for the Tigers by someone other than Tisdell.

After a putback got Poplar Bluff back within a basket, Tisdell hit three straight free throws in consecutive possessions, and Ross McClanahan got a three-point play before Booker scored.

Tisdell's dunk with 41 seconds left before halftime came off a pass from Booker on the left wing and gave Central a 10-point lead. The Tigers led 26-19 at halftime following McCain's last-second three-point play.

"The thing that hurt us is we got a little quick," Frazier said. "Instead of jabbing for four quarters, we were trying to knock them out."

The Mules got within six early in the third quarter, but Tisdell answered from the low post to start a 13-4 run. Poplar Bluff missed five more shots during the run, which put Central ahead 41-25 heading to the fourth.

The Tigers led by as many as 20 points before Poplar Bluff closed to within 13 late after consecutive 3-pointers by McCain.

Tisdell finished his night with a three-point play after the Tigers ran off just more than a minute from the clock.

McClanahan finished with seven points for the Tigers, who beat Poplar Bluff 55-33 in the SEMO Conference tournament in December.

Central shot 62 percent from the field (20 of 32) to go with 12 of 20 free throws, including an 8-of-14 performance by Tisdell.

"We just wanted to make sure we took good shots," Church said. "When you can get good shots close to the basket, your percentage is going to be high. I credit our kids doing it tonight."

Central 9 17 15 13 -- 54

Poplar Bluff 11 8 6 13 -- 38

CENTRAL (54) -- Ross McClanahan 7, Vance Toole 5, Tim Booker 10, Garan Evans 2, T.J. Tisdell 28, Jamal Cox 2. FG 20, FT 12-20, F 10. (3-pointers: Toole 1, Booker 1. Fouled out: none)

POPLAR BLUFF (38) -- Michael Griggs 4, Kendrick McCain 20, Tyheim Town 4, Ryan Brittingham 3, Stacy Gipson 4, Clay Stocks 3. FG 15, FT 5-8, F 14. (3-pointers: McCain 2, Brittingham 1. Fouled out: Gipson)