Mules rally for win over PHC to wrap up regular season

The Poplar Bluff Mules boys basketball team overcame an early 10-point deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter and beat the Park Hills Central Rebels 79-74 Thursday night at the Poplar Bluff High School gym.

With the win, the Mules end the regular season 15-11.

The Rebels used an 11-0 run in the opening period to turn a 7-6 deficit into a 17-7 lead at one point. PHC led 19-14 at the first quarter’s end.

Poplar Bluff did not go away, cutting the Rebels lead to 37-33 at halftime and to 58-55 by the beginning of the fourth quarter.

The Mules tied the game at 60 on Isaiah Nevel’s 3-pointer with 6:55 to go, then took a 63-60 lead when Darius Graham drained another triple 32 seconds later.

But the game wasn’t over yet.

After Jobe Bryant gave the Rebels a 70-68 with 2:15 to go, then Mar’Lon Hickman-Roberson put the Mules ahead 71-70 with a three-point play with 1:58 remaining.

Bryant scored with 17 seconds left to cut the Mules’ lead to 75-74, but Brendan Durden hit a pair of clutch free throws with 15 seconds left to give the Mules a 77-74 lead.

Bryant then missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer and Nevel grabbed the rebound, was fouled and hit two free throws with two seconds left to ice the game and set the final score.

Hickman-Roberson paced Poplar Bluff with 22 points, while Nevel and Graham each had 16 and Preston Moore added 13.

Bryant led PHC with 37 points.

The Mules are off until next Thursday, when they take on Hillsboro in the first round of the Class 5 District 1 Tournament at North County High School in Bonne Terre. Poplar Bluff is seeded fourth and Hillsboro fifth in the tournament. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.

__GIRLS__ __Doniphan 89, Sikeston 33__

At Doniphan, the Donettes moved to 23-0 on the season with a dominating performance against the Sikeston Lady Bulldogs.

Doniphan led the Lady Bulldogs 22-13 after the opening period, but dominated the second quarter to lead 47-23 at the intermission.

In the second half, the Donettes held Sikeston to just 10 points, taking a 74-28 lead to the final period.

Kenzie Redus paced Doniphan with 28 points, while Ellie White and Kenna Kirby each had 13, Sarah Owen added 10 and the duo of Carsyn Hagood and Peyton Lowery each ended up with eight.

Landri Hammondtree led Sikeston with 18 points.

The Donettes wrap up the regular season Friday at Poplar Bluff.