Jackson holds off Bearcats, wins by 8

Jackson's boys basketball team came into Friday night's home opener against Dexter riding a two-game winning streak and unranked in the SEMO Top 15 poll.

But the Indians (3-1) pulled ahead by as many as 10 points against the sixth-ranked Bearcats, then withstood a second-half comeback for a 60-52 win Friday.

"I think we kind of made a statement to everyone that we can play," Jackson center Tyler McNeely said.

McNeely set the tone for the Indians from the start. Whether it was bringing down offensive rebounds or taking Dexter's top scorer, Derek Demaree, out of the game, McNeely's seven-point first quarter helped the Indians build a 19-13 lead.

"He is so strong," Jackson coach Mike Kiehne said. "He's only 6-foot-3, but he plays wide."

Jackson's guards hit shots in the second quarter to push the lead to 26-16, but that's when the Bearcats started to click on offense. Demaree hit a 3-pointer to start a 12-4 run, which cut the halftime lead to 30-28.

"We got a little fatigued with my starters," Kiehne said.

Dexter scored the first two points of the third quarter to tie the score at 30, and with 2:30 left in the third quarter the Bearcats took their first and only lead of the game at 39-38.

The Indians responded with a strong drive by Jason Schafer, which gave Jackson the lead at 40-39. After a stop on defense, McNeely got another strong rebound underneath the basket for a three-point play.

"It seems like he really eats up space and gets the boards," Kiehne said.

A pair of baskets by Dexter at the end of the third quarter tied the score at 43. Both teams exchanged baskets to start the fourth when Brad Eaton made his first and only basket of the game, a big 3-pointer, to give Jackson the lead for good.

"Our senior leadership is really good this year," McNeely said. "They took the lead right before the fourth quarter, and we buckled down and took the game over."

Dexter cut the lead to 48-47, but Jackson would not let the lead fall below five points the rest of the way.

McNeely had 22 points. Jack Puisis added 12 for Jackson, and Schafer had 11. Demaree led Dexter with 17 points.