Doniphan survives road slugfest at Dexter

DEXTER – With 23 seconds remaining in a heated, physical varsity girl’s basketball game between host Dexter and MSHSAA Class 4 District 1 rival Doniphan on Monday, Donnette sophomore guard stepped to the free throw line with her team up a single basket, and she was smiling.

Of course, she hit both free throws, which helped seal the 40-36 win. That level of calm and confidence is indicative of the Doniphan program, which has been astoundingly successful ever since fifth-year coach Adam Epps walked back into town after spending six years leading the Van Buren boy’s program.

“It’s a good time to be in the Doniphan basketball program,” Epps said.

The Class 4 No. 7-ranked Donettes won their 15th game in 16 outings on Monday (101st in five years under Epps), and they did it with a ferocious degree of physicality and toughness.

“It was tough,” Dexter junior guard Abbie Lloyd said of dealing with the defensive tenacity of Doniphan for 32 minutes.

To the Bearcats’ credit, they DID deal with it and had opportunities down the stretch to win the game.

“It’s nice knowing that we can get around (the defensive pressure) the next time,” Lloyd said, “and it is not going to stop us.”

These two teams very well could meet again in the District tournament, which will also be played at Dexter.

On Monday, though, both teams just participated in a slugfest.

Players would cut through the lanes and be banged.

Blockouts involved throwing every pound of strength into each other and fighting for possession.

And no drive into the paint went uncontested without drawing hard contact.

“We are meticulous in how we prepare in the off-season in our conditioning,” Epps said. “Our practices are pretty good. It’s pretty brutal.”

Epps wasn’t satisfied with how his team played in the opening half, despite holding leads of 13-9 after the first quarter and 22-18 at the break.

As hard as the Donettes were playing, Dexter (12-6) was matching the visitors.

“I thought we did well tonight,” Bearcat coach Eric Sitze said. “I thought we hung in there.”

Dexter actually took a 34-33 lead into the final period, but Doniphan was relentless with its defensive pressure and limited – this number isn’t made up – Dexter to a single basket in the final eight minutes.

“We needed to finish that game off,” Sitze said.

To his point, Dexter was just as tough defensively and the game was tied at 36 with 2:28 remaining.

Following a Bearcat turnover, Doniphan got a high-low bucket from 6-foot-1 Kenzie Redus off a pass from 6-foot Sarah Owen for a 38-36 lead.

Following both teams turning the ball over, Bearcat junior Allison Turnbo made a steal, but Kenzie Redus blocked a shot attempt by Bearcat sophomore guard Kate Nichols with 31 seconds on the clock.

That set up Madilyn Redus’ made free throws, which were followed by a pair of close misses by Dexter in the final seconds.

“That is what we are trying to learn,” Sitze said, “is trying to finish a game like that off.”

Through the years, Doniphan has learned that skill.

The Donettes have won at least 20 games for four consecutive seasons and have a pair of District titles in the past three seasons.

The Doniphan program hasn’t had a losing season since Madilyn Redus was in the second grade.

“These girls work so stinking hard,” Epps said.

Nichols led the Bearcats with 20 points and had the lone fourth-quarter points for her team, while senior center Caitlin Giles totaled eight in the loss.

Kenzie Redus had 12 points to pace six Donettes, who produced offensively.

Brook Klepzig added nine in the win, while Owen had seven and Madilyn Redus chipped in six.

Doniphan will visit Clearwater (1-12) tonight at 7:30 p.m.

Dexter will host Sikeston (3-13) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.