SCAA: Semifinal loss aside, Bell City's numbers are improved at both ends

BLOOMFIELD – It wasn’t evident in Bell City’s 72-34 consolation semifinal loss to Dexter on Wednesday in the Stoddard County Athletic Association Boy’s Basketball Tournament at Bloomfield High School, but the Cubs have made significant statistical strides at both ends of the court this season.

Prior to last season, the Bell City program had won a combined five games over five seasons. First-year coach Luke Bixler lifted the program to five wins last season and already has matched that this year.

“The kids have just really bought into what we are trying to do,” Bixler said.

The end result of that buy-in is victories, as well as near victories, on the court, but a deeper analysis shows statistically why the Cubs are far more competitive than in previous years.

At the offensive end, even with the anemic production against the Bearcats, Bell City is averaging over 51 points per game this season. That number is markedly better than last year’s numbers (36.8). In fact, this season, the Cubs have the most productive team since 2017.

“We are moving the basketball,” Bixler explained of his team’s offensive improvement. “We are finding guys.”

A key part of the Bell City attack is to “feed the ball inside,” according to Bixler.

“We do a really good job, with our bigger guys, of feeding them the ball and playing inside and out,” Bixler said. “We’ve got guys who can shoot the ball.”

Wednesday’s outing, aside, the Cubs had 57 points in an overtime loss to Advance earlier this season and followed that effort up with a 57-point outing against Richland (Essex), which has evolved into one of the better teams in the Bootheel.

“(The players) are really just playing with a pace of basketball that fits our style and our personnel,” Bixler said. “We are finding the open guy and not being selfish.”

Prior to Wednesday, Bell City had four consecutive games of scoring at least 55 points, including 71 points in a win at Delta and 73 in a home win over Zalma.

While Bell City has made strides offensively, it has done the same defensively.

After allowing opponents to average nearly 72 points per game over each of the previous six seasons, the Cubs’ defense has limited foes to 64.5 points per game this winter.

“I’m really proud of our effort,” Bixler said.

It took a while for Bixler to figure out how to utilize his personnel this season at the defensive end.

The Cubs opened the season losing its first seven games, and in so doing, allowed teams to score 62 (at Leopold), 64 (Richland), 65 (Advance), 73 (Oran), and 78 (Jackson) points. However, over the ensuing eight games, Bell City won five of those and limited opponents to 51 points or fewer in four of those contests.

“We started off the season playing zone,” Bixler explained. “I felt like we came out flat and we’ve changed (defenses) and changed our mentality.

“We’ve been focused on man-to-man (defense) and have been putting a ton of pressure, or trying to, put a ton of pressure on the basketball.”

The Cubs have seven games remaining in the regular season and only one of those opponents has a winning record at this point. So, topping last season’s five victories, and thus, achieving the most success for the program since 2017 (12 wins), SHOULD occur if the Cubs can continue with their improved effort defensively.

“Once we switched to man,” Bixler said, “we just played, and we went harder out of it. The guys just seem to understand their assignments better out of the man (defense).”

Bell City will host North Pemiscot (0-10) on Monday at 7:30 p.m.