Down a man doesn't matter to Sikeston hoops in latest rout

DEXTER - Not having 7-foot junior post Trace Sadler leaves a massive gap, literally and figuratively, in the lineup for the Class 4 No. 1-ranked Sikeston High School varsity boy’s basketball squad. However, the Bulldogs are deep enough, and talented enough to even overcome losing a NCAA Division I prospect of that size.

Sikeston showed just that on Tuesday, as it rolled SEMO Conference opponent Dexter 94-63 in the Bearcat Event Center.

“You lose that length inside,” Holifield said, “and that really changes the game. But our guys have done really well in stepping up and filling in.

“They did a great job pressuring the basketball and trying to guard.”

The Bulldogs (18-0) got offense from six different players in the opening quarter, as they scored 17 of the game’s initial 19 points.

Sikeston junior Lekereon McCray had nine points in the fast start while juniors Tristan Wiggins, Chris Artis, and PJ Farmer had six apiece, as their team led 34-11 entering the second quarter.

As the Bulldogs stretched their margin to 59-29 at halftime and 79-51 entering the final period, Holifield thought his team “lost a little bit of focus,” which was unusual for this group, the coach said.

“Honestly,” Holifield said of playing sharp with a large margin, “we’ve done a really good job of that. I thought tonight, we lost a little bit of focus at times, but that is going to happen."

The Bulldogs average margin of victory this season has been 32 points.

“But you have to give Dexter credit,” Holifield continued, “because they battled, and they kept continuing to fight. They were going to, because (Bearcat coach Chad Allen) is such a great coach.”

In the case of Sadler, he sprained his ankle over a week ago in a strange happenstance, when he stepped on a ball during a children’s activity, where he was taking part in a community event for the National Honor Society.

“We hope that he is (only) about a week out,” Holifield said of Sadler’s return. “He had significant swelling in it, and he is day-to-day, but he is improving.”

At halftime, Sadler, who has now missed four games, lightly jogged back to the locker room, which can give the Bulldog Nation something to cling to with games against Poplar Bluff (11-9) on Friday, Cape Central (12-6) on Monday, and an epic battle with Class 3 No. 1-ranked New Madrid County Central (18-1) on Feb. 13 at the Sikeston Field House.

McCray paced his team against the Bearcats (5-13) with 15 points while Farmer (14 points), Wiggins (14 points), senior Dontrez Williams (13 points), junior Chris Artis (14 points), and senior J’Kwon Applewhite (13 points) also contributed.

Farmer led Sikeston will 11 rebounds and narrowly missed having a triple-double, as he dished off nine assists and made three steals.

Applewhite added six boards while Dontrez Williams had five rebounds and McCray had five assists and three steals.

Dexter got 19 points, including five 3-pointers from junior shooter Tucker Temples while senior center Ethan Zabelin added 18 points and sophomore Gibson Booker tallied 11 points.

The Bearcats will host Notre Dame (8-12) today at 7:30 p.m.