Saxony girls basketball team holds off Dexter

DEXTER, Mo. -- The Dexter Bearcats varsity girls basketball team jumped out to a 10-0 lead but it wasn't enough to upend the No. 2-ranked Saxony Lutheran Crusaders Tuesday at Bearcat Event Center in Dexter.

Saxony Lutheran moved ahead 15-14 by the 3:51 mark of the second period, increased its lead to 29-21 by halftime and hung on for a 50-44 road win against Dexter.

Dexter stormed back late and tied things up at 39-39 with 6:24 left.

Brianna Mueller hit a pair of free throws and Grace Mirly knocked down a shot with 5:30 left to put Saxony Lutheran back on top 43-39.

Dexter drew within one, but didn't score in the game's final 55 seconds.

"We were real cold at the start," Saxony Lutheran coach Sam Sides said. "When we challenged them outside they hurt us inside. Garrison hurt us inside early and then when we shutdown their inside game they hit shots outside. It caught us in a bind, but we made enough shots to stay ahead late.

"If we would have got behind it would have been hard for us to recover. But we hung in there, took care of the ball when we had to and didn't give them a lot of second and third opportunities."

Reynolds and Mosby both finished with 16 points for the Bearcats.

Wieser finished with a team-high 17 points. Mirly added 14 points and Mueller contributed 13 points.

"It's the first time Reagan has really contributed," Sides said. "She's been out with ACL surgery. .... They like to play that box-and-one on Brianna Mueller, and with Wieser back in there you cannot really do that without paying the price.

"This is a tough place for us to win. We haven't played very well down here. A lot of that has to do with Dexter's team though. It was just a good win for us tonight."

Dexter (14-4) is ranked No. 9 in the latest Class 4 state poll and Saxony Lutheran (19-2) is ranked No. 2 in the latest Class 3 state poll.

Saxony Lutheran 7 22 9 12 -- 50

Dexter 2 9 13 10 -- 44

SAXONY LUTHERAN (50) -- Grace Mirly 14, Ali Galemmo 2, Brianna Mueller 13, Ashlynn Collier 2, Raegan Wieser 17. Maddie Brune 2. FG18, FT 8-10, F 8. (3-pointers: Wieser 4, Mirly, Mueller. Fouled out: None.)

DEXTER (44) -- Dakota Reynolds 16, Chaylea Mosby 16, Krysten Garrison 6, Melanie McKuin 6. FG 18, FT 0-3, F 11. (3-pointers: Mosby 4, Reynolds 4. Fouled out: None.)