Central encounters sixth straight loss to Sikeston

~ Tigers yielded an 11-0 run at the start of the second half and lost 59-44.

Sikeston needed just 90 seconds to score half as many points as it mustered in the opening 16 minutes Friday night at Central.

The nine-point spurt, which turned into an 11-0 run to open the second half, lifted the Bulldogs to a 59-44 victory in the SEMO Conference clash.

Sikeston, ranked No. 3 in the state's latest Class 4 poll, improved to 18-3 overall. Central fell to 10-14 with its sixth straight loss.

"We didn't play very well in the first half," Sikeston coach Gregg Holifield said. "We were standing around, we weren't moving."

The Bulldogs were barely scoring, as Central double-teamed all-state post player Michael Porter and held him to two points in the first half, which ended with Sikeston leading 18-15.

Porter scored 19 seconds into the second half, Sherwin Jones knocked down a 3-pointer, Porter scored off an offensive rebound, and then one of his seven blocked shots led to a layin for Matt Ritch and a 27-15 lead.

"They just hit shots," Central coach Drew Church said. "Basketball is a game of hitting shots. We didn't hit ours as well as we usually do.

"Usually, we get a lot of scoring from our four guards, and Sikeston did a pretty good job defending out on the perimeter."

Central, which had 28 3-pointers in its last three losses, was just 4-of-18 Friday with three by Anthony Watts, who scored nine points, and the other by Jajuan Bell, who scored a team-high 17.

Central's shooting was cold from long distance even as the Tigers built a 9-6 lead in the first period and held on for a 9-8 edge after the opening 8 minutes.

Brandon Washington led Sikeston with 18 points, including eight in the second period when the Tigers shut out Porter.

"I figured if they were going to double on him and the ball was going to come long on missed shots, I would have a rebound and could step up," Washington said.

Porter scored 14 points in the second half to finish with 16. He added 10 rebounds.

"We put a guy in front of him and behind him," Central freshman Zach Boerboom said. "They kept finding ways to get him open."

Central finishes the regular season next week with Charleston and Dexter. Church isn't worried about his team's psyche.

"It's a group that has never stopped fighting all year, no matter what the score is," Church said. "We've played eight teams ranked in the top 10, and we've either beaten them or lost a close game. I think the kids know we can play with good teams, we just have to do the things that we've talked about. If we continue to work hard, something good will come out of it."

Sikeston 8 10 24 17 -- 59

Central 9 6 11 12 -- 44

Sikeston (59) -- Juqualin Wiggins 2, Brandon Washington 18, Matt Ritch 10, Sherwin Jones 3, Dominic Fondon 2, Michael Porter 16, Eli Jackson 8. FG 25, FT 7-16, F 9 (3-pointers: Jones 1, Ritch 1. Fouled out: none)

Central (44) -- Cantrell Andrews 2, Jajuan Bell 17, Anthony Watts 9, Chase Johnson 2, Zach Boerboom 5, Anthony Watts 2. FG 18, FT 4-5, F 13 (3-pointers: Watts 3, Bell 1. Fouled out: none)