DROUGHT FATAL FOR JACKSON

POPLAR BLUFF -- Jackson was shooting well early in the third quarter. Then its shooting well went dry in the fourth.

The second-seeded Indians, leading 38-34 going into the fourth quarter missed its first nine shots in the final period and was ousted from the Class 4A District 1 Tournament with a 62-56 loss to No. 3 Sikeston Tuesday night.

The Indians missed 12 straight field goals in a span of almost seven minutes during the drought, while Sikeston ran off 16 straight.

"We had wide open looks from 3-point range, but we missed them just like they did," Jackson coach Steve Burk said. "We needed to get it inside a little bit more."

Jackson's No. 1 3-point shooter Doug Cary was abnormally cold Tuesday night, hitting his only three with :30 left in the game to pull the Indians within 58-55. Sikeston's persistent pressure limited the sharpshooter to just seven points, all of which came in the second half.

Jackson made just three of 15 3-point attempts and one of nine in the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs didn't shoot particularly well either, making just two of 18 from 3-point range.

Sikeston, usually a poor free-throw shooting team, made good on 11 of 15 foul shots in the fourth to secure the win.

The Indians (16-9) had no answer for Sikeston's dangerous duo of Bryan Ellitt and Brandon Barnes. Ellitt, a 6-foot-4 forward, finished with a game-high 24 points, while Barnes tallied 11. And the two dominated under the boards.

"I thought the key in the game was rebounding," Burk said. "Their big kids just chased it down and did a very good job. That's why they won the game."

Sikeston, who will play Cape Central in the district finals at 7:30 p.m. Friday, jumped out to a big early lead.

The Bulldogs made their first five shots from the field and led 10-3 after a little more than three minutes into the game.

But Jackson, which trailed 15-10 going into the second quarter, battled back and led 25-23 at halftime.

The Indians made six of their nine shots in the second quarter and five of eight in the third before the shooting drought began.

Jackson's Tori Meyr personally kept Jackson in the game. He ended up scoring 22 points. He made 15 of 18 from the free throw line.

"He played great," Burk said. "He's a kid who plays full speed at both ends and makes you guard him. I thought he had an excellent ballgame.

"I think that this team achieved pretty well (over the course of the season). Obviously, we're disappointed in losing this basketball game, but in terms of effort and working together, I thought this team did a very good job."

John Oehl added 13 for the Indians.