Mules split at Dexter as boys win, girls lose

DEXTER — A tough night on the boards cost the Lady Mules dearly.

The Poplar Bluff High School Mules basketball teams took a trip over to Dexter to face off against the Bearcats and Lady Bearcats in a doubleheader for some good area competition on Tuesday.

The Lady Mules and Lady Bearcats kicked off the first matchup of the night, and after a first-half explosion from Dexter’s Kate Nichols, the Lady Bearcats had all the momentum needed to walk away with a 65-47 victory. Nichols led the Lady Bearcats with 33 points, three rebounds and three assists, shooting 55% from the field.

The Lady Bearcats improved to 12-10 on the season, while the Lady Mules fell to 7-13.

Despite having a 5-12 record against Dexter, the Lady Mules held the upper hand by claiming a win in last year’s matchup, where they won 59-39, and the Lady Bearcats came prepared to get their revenge.

While both teams entered the contest with a win from their previous game, whoever came out the gate swinging first would possibly take the win. Each team has played through its own struggles but has made great strides in their last few matchups, so it was expected to be a competitive matchup.

The Lady Bearcats saw an opening to snatch the lead early as Nichols stepped onto the court in attack mode. She led the Lady Bearcats on a quick run by kicking off the game with back-to-back threes, setting the tone for the rest of the game. The Lady Mules didn’t rattle as they attempted to keep the gap as close as possible.

While trailing 33-21 at the half, the Lady Mules needed to pick up the slack in the post as the Lady Bearcats outrebounded them for most of the first half. While Nichols was cooking for the Lady Bearcats, Poplar Bluff senior Abby Wilson handled the game for the Lady Mules, which gave them a good boost to start the third.

Regardless of any run the Lady Mules attempted to make, the Lady Bearcats kept the same intensity throughout the game and made Poplar Bluff pay with many second-chance buckets. Despite the effort from the Lady Mules, the Lady Bearcats remained locked in long enough to secure the win.

Mauriona Menley had nine points, Allison Turnbo had seven and Karis Kennedy had five points. Wilson led the Mules with 19 points, Ireland Gowen had nine and Kennedy Zgaynor had six.

The Lady Mules will be back in action on Friday when they hit the road to take on Kennett High School, while the Lady Bearcats will host Jackson on Thursday.

MULES 62, BEARCATS 36

After ending a three-game losing skid with a win over Notre Dame, the Mules wanted to keep its winning spirit rolling as they looked to knock the Bearcats on the road.

The Mules didn’t waste any time building a solid lead, which carried throughout the game and gifted them a 62-36 victory over Dexter to improve to 13-10 on the season.

Mules’ head coach, Will Durden, said the key to taking down the Bearcats was controlling the pace, and they did just that.

“Coach Allen is a good coach,” Durden said. “He’s always looking to control the pace by what they run on offense. He may throw a press or trap at you, so we just had to come out here and just play our game. We’re just continuing to get better. That’s been our main focus: get better each game.”

While the Bearcats have found a steady flow by entering the matchup on a two-game win streak, they needed to have a presence under the rim for a chance of getting a win over a longtime rival to get their third straight win.

The game started in natural fashion as both teams looked to build an early rhythm for a chance to pull away. The Mules unutilized some full-court defense to land their first basket with a steal and jumper from Mar’Lon Hickman-Roberson.

The Bearcats didn’t waste any time responding with a dagger from beyond the arc from Gibson Booker, keeping the score tight for most of the first quarter. The Mules began to extend the lead to start the second quarter with a quick bucket from Hickman-Roberson and a slam from senior Darius Graham.

The Mules established a swift pace midway through the second quarter by connecting with multiple baskets off the fastbreak, outscoring the Bearcats 26-8 for a halftime lead of 36-15. While holding a 25-point lead to start the fourth, the Mules only focused on the final buzzer as they would coast to the win.

Hickman-Roberson led the Mules with 13 points and six rebounds. Brendan Durden and Dallas Williams would finish with 10 points, nine points from Graham and seven from Preston Moore.

The Mules play again on Thursday as they take on Charleston High School on senior night.