Notre Dame boys basketball team tames Fredericktown in Class 4 District 1 semifinal

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Notre Dame boys basketball team expected a tough battle from Fredericktown on Wednesday despite having routed the Blackcats by 26 points in early January.

"Coach told us they were really improved from the first time we played them," Notre Dame senior guard Ryan Hale said. "They're a really good team. We knew they would give us a fight."

Fredericktown was as pesky as advertised, but the top-seeded Bulldogs disposed of the fifth-seeded Blackcats 70-60 in the semifinals of the Class 4 District 1 tournament at the Sikeston Field House.

"It wasn't the prettiest game, but a win's a win," Notre Dame senior guard Nathan Meystedt said. "We just move forward."

Notre Dame advanced to Friday's highly anticipated 7:30 p.m. district final against second-seeded Sikeston, the tournament host and defending Class 4 state champion.

The Bulldogs have lost to Sikeston in the past three district title games. Notre Dame's last district crown came during its state championship season of 2007-08. The teams have met in the past six district finals.

"We know each other really well," said Notre Dame coach Kevin Roberts, whose squad has split two meetings with Sikeston this year. "They beat us once and we beat them once. It should be a great matchup."

Notre Dame (20-6), which had its 13-game winning streak snapped Friday in a one-point loss at De Soto, led all the way Wednesday but never could pull away.

"We knew we weren't going to come out and beat them big," Meystedt said. "We knew it would be a tough matchup. They're a good team."

Hale and Meystedt did much of the offensive damage for Notre Dame. They combined for 38 points.

Hale had a particularly impressive performance with 20 points, including four 3-pointers.

"He was our X-factor tonight," Roberts said. "He not only shot the ball well, but he played good defense. He did everything."

Hale missed just one shot all night.

"Just going into shootaround today, I felt good," Hale said. "I got good looks all night. I was lucky enough to get the shots to go in."

Meystedt, Notre Dame's top scorer this season, followed with 18 points.

Fredericktown (18-10) got 18 points apiece from 6-foot-8 senior center Brock Mills and 6-6 junior forward Nick Oertel. Senior guard Keith Jackson hit three 3-pointers and added 16 points.

"They had some big boys down low who could finish," Meystedt said.

The much taller Blackcats did finish well inside. They shot 62.5 percent from the field (25 of 40).

But the much quicker Bulldogs used their tenacious pressure defense to force 27 turnovers while committing just 10. Notre Dame shot 44.2 percent (23 of 52) and made seven 3-pointers compared to just three for the Blackcats.

Notre Dame built a quick 9-2 lead, and it was 15-10 after one quarter. Fredericktown cut the deficit to a point twice in the second quarter, fell behind by 12 and trailed 32-23 at the break.

Hale's jumper late in the third quarter gave Notre Dame the night's biggest advantage at 52-37. It was 52-39 entering the final period, thanks in part to Hale scoring nine of the Bulldogs' 20 points in the third.

The Bulldogs stayed in control the rest of the way, but Fredericktown still wouldn't go away.

The Blackcats pulled within seven points twice late before Notre Dame iced the victory.

"Teams at this time of the year are better than they were earlier," Roberts said. "We expected a tough game."

Notre Dame now turns its attention to playing for the district title, where the Bulldogs will face an old adversary in front of what should be a huge crowd.

"We're excited," Meystedt said. "It should be a great game."

Fredericktown 10 13 16 21 -- 60

Notre Dame 15 17 20 18 -- 70

FREDERICKTOWN (60) -- Keith Jackson 16, Nick Oertel 18, Justin Sawyer 4, Tanner Ward 4, Brock Mills 18. FG 25, FT 7-9, F 16. (3-pointers: Jackson 3. Fouled out: none)

NOTRE DAME (70) -- Demonte Farmer 6, Jonathan Lynch 6, Jordan Reddin 5, Nathan Meystedt 18, Joe Siebert 9, Cody Heisserer 6, Ryan Hale 20. FG 23, FT 17-25, F 11. (3-pointers: Farmer 1, Meystedt 1, Siebert 1, Hale 4. Fouled out: none)