Mules can't dig out of Jackson Hole

A slow start by the Poplar Bluff High School boys basketball team proved to ultimately doom the Mules’ chances of victory Monday against the Jackson Indians.

The Indians scored the game’s first eight points and led by 23 points midway through the second quarter on the way to a 67-54 win in SEMO Conference action at the Poplar Bluff High School gym. Monday’s game was a makeup of a Jan. 16 contest that was postponed because of winter weather.

The Mules (14-11, 4-4 SEMO) struggled from the start of the contest as Jackson took an 8-0 lead on Blayne Harris’s 3-pointer with 4:48 in the half, forcing a Mules timeout. Despite the timeout, the Indians continued their hot start and led 24-7 at the end of the opening period.

Cold shooting also hurt Poplar Bluff on Monday, as the Mules shot just 31% from the field (18-for-58) and 32% inside the 3-point line (16-for-50).

Jackson (17-8, 6-2) took its biggest lead of the game when Braedon Thoma’s running floater with 4:21 left in the the second quarter made it 32-9 in favor of the Indians.

Poplar Bluff trailed 38-17 after Jackson’s Kole Deck sank a pair of three throws with 1:47 left in the half, but the Mules scored seven points in the final 51 seconds before the intermission to make it 38-24 going to the locker room.

Darius Graham popped a 3-pointer with 50 seconds remaining in the half to open the run, then Nicolai Kombet added a layup with 27 seconds left and Graham finished the half with a one-handed dunk to give Poplar Bluff some momentum at the intermission.

However, after a Dallas Williams basket to start the second half and cut the Jackson lead to 38-26, the Mules’ momentum slowed and Jackson maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

Graham led Poplar Bluff with 15 points, while Mar’lon Hickman-Roberson added 14, Dallas Williams had nine and Preston Moore finished with seven, plus eight rebounds.

The Mules are back in action Thursday night when they host Park Hills Central to wrap up the regular season.