Indians run past Sikeston

~ Jackson used a 16-0 run in the third quarter to defeat the Bulldogs 64-50.

Last week, in its first game without injured guards Drue McNeely and Jake Leet, the Jackson boys basketball team had trouble getting into its offense in a 62-52 loss at SEMO Conference opponent Poplar Bluff.

Both players were out once again at home on Tuesday against SEMO Conference foe Sikeston -- McNeely, a senior, will likely miss the rest of the year due to a knee injury -- and through the first half, Jackson's offense again looked anemic.

The Indians turned things up in the second half, and thanks in large part to a 16-0 third-quarter run were able to pull out a 64-50 win against the Bulldogs.

"You can give a lot of that to their pressure," Jackson coach Darrin Scott said of the slow start. "In the second half, we did a better job getting into our offense."

The Indians improved to 15-4 and 4-1 in conference play. Jackson's next two games are against conference foes, including Friday at home against Caruthersville.

"The next two games are big," Scott said. "If we can pull out two wins, we're right back in it [the SEMO Conference]."

Jackson's offense flows through the post, with 6-foot-11 senior Aaron Redecker, 6-6 sophomore Hunter Grantham and 6-5 sophomore Spencer Goodman. Once the Indians get it inside, the lanes on the floor start to open up.

"We have to keep finding ways to get the ball down into the post to break defenses down," Scott said.

Sikeston continued to stick around early in the third quarter, down 28-27 early in the period, before Jackson's offense finally kicked into gear. Ryan Leet started Jackson's decisive 16-0 run with a 3-pointer following Michael Porter's layin.

The turning point in the run came when Ryan Leet hit a layin and went to the line. Leet missed the free throw, but Goodman got the long rebound and hit a 3-pointer to push Jackson's lead to 38-27.

"That was a big shot," Scott said. "Any time you can get an offensive rebound and kick it out for a 3-pointer that's a big shot."

Sikeston coach Gregg Holifield received a technical foul during the run, resulting in a four-point swing for the Indians. Throughout the run, and for most of the game, Jackson dominated the boards.

"Bottom line is we did a poor job blocking out and rebounding," Holifield said.

Defensively, Jackson was able to limit Sikeston's perimeter game. Sikeston guards Kash Bratcher and Julian Beard combined for just 12 points and one 3-pointer.

"I felt like defensively we took away what we wanted to," Scott said. "We wanted to get out on their shooters."

Inside, the undersized Bulldogs were stifled as well. Porter, a 6-3 freshman, led the Bulldogs with 12 points. Rod Moore, a 6-0 senior, scored just six points.

"Their size negated our post game," Holifield said.

Goodman led the Indians with 20 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter. Redecker added 15 points and 13 rebounds, and Ryan Leet and Kyle Pridemore scored 10 points apiece.

"He went to the boards extremely hard," Scott said of Goodman. "He went to the boards and gave us another rebounder to attack the offensive boards."

While the game did not get within nine points after Jackson's third-quarter run, the Indians were able to keep the Bulldogs at bay in the fourth with a 11-for-12 free throw performance. Jackson shot 16-for-19 overall.

"The thing that feels good is when we get fouled you can tell we feel confident when we go to the line," Scott said.

Jackson 64, Sikeston 50

Sikeston 12 9 10 19 -- 50

Jackson 11 13 21 19 -- 64

SIKESTON (50) -- Michael Porter 12, Isaac Porter 9, Ray Rogers 6, Rod Moore 6, Julian Beard 5, Kash Bratcher 7, Blake Taylor 2, Josh Porter 3. FG 20, FT 7-13, F 18 (3-pointers: Bratcher 1, I. Porter 1, J. Porter 1. Fouled out: I. Porter)

JACKSON (64) -- Spencer Goodman 20, Aaron Redecker 15, Ryan Leet 10, Kyle Pridemore 10, Hunter Grantham 6, Logan Lawson 2, Luke Clippard 1. FG 22, FT 16-19, F 12 (3-pointers: Leet 2, Goodman 2. Fouled out: none)

JV -- Sikeston 56, Jackson 51