NMCC downs Dexter for sixth-straight win

New Madrid County Central's William Bledsoe is fouled by Dexter's Taylor Jarrell (45) and Bryn Hester (11) at the Bearcat Event Center in Dexter.
(Photo by David Jenkins, Staff)

sd_sports@yahoo.com

DEXTER -- Heading into the fourth quarter of Thursday's game against the Dexter Bearcats, New Madrid County Central seemed as if their five-game winning streak might come to an end. However, the Eagles buckled down and held off the Bearcats 60-48 to win their sixth game in a row.

With less than 30 seconds left in the third quarter, Dexter held a slim 36-35 lead but after a jump shot by Lamonte Nelson and a Bearcat turnover that led to a Dontre Jenkins layup, NMCC ended the quarter up 39-36.

NMCC rode that momentum into the fourth quarter and helped by Bearcat turnovers, started the frame on an 8-0 run that left the Eagles comfortably ahead 47-36. Dexter was never able to get the lead under seven points again.

"I think their physicality just kind of wore on us a little bit," said Dexter coach Rob Nichols. "We played pretty well in the first half and at times in the second half we didn't play too poorly. We just had a couple two or three minute stretches where we just kinda kicked it around the gym and let them have a lot of baskets off turnovers and gave them a lot of offensive rebounds."

While the game ended with a 12-point margin, it looked as if Dexter was primed for the upset early as the Bearcats led 15-9 after one quarter thanks to the Bearcat accuracy behind the arc. Dexter hit 4-of-7 3-pointers in the first quarter as the Eagles seemed to be unable to get out to the Bearcat shooters. NMCC fought back in the second quarter, taking a 25-20 lead with just over 30 seconds remaining but back-to-back 3-pointers by Bryn Hester and Brandon Stoker gave the Bearcats a 26-25 lead at halftime.

"Dexter came out in the first half and couldn't miss," said NMCC coach B.J. Stone who was filling in for head coach Travis Day who was unable to be at the game after a death in his family. "They were knocking down everything they got. I went in at halftime and told the guys that we just had to weather the storm and we needed to play our style of basketball.

"I thought in the second half we responded and came out and played more pressure defense that we wanted to play."

The Bearcats ended the first half hitting 6-of-12 from behind the arc, something that concerned Nichols at halftime and for good reason as the Bearcats failed to hit a 3-pointer in the second half.

"That was kind of a worrying point for us going in at halftime," Nichols said. "I knew that we had made a lot of 3's and you can't really rely on that most nights to keep you in the game and we kind of ran out of that in the second half."

One reason for the Dexter halftime lead was the Bearcats' ability to keep the Eagles from pounding the ball inside, as most of the NMCC points came from jump shots and free throws.

NMCC started the third quarter on a 9-0 run, including seven straight points from Kony Ealy as the Eagles made a concerted effort to get the basketball inside.

"My whole halftime speech was telling the guys to get the ball inside," Stone said. "We took too many flatfooted jump shots in the first half and had too many guys taking quick shots. I emphasized at halftime that we needed to look inside to Kony (Ealy) and G'Darius (Stevenson) more."

"The first half we executed the game plan pretty well to a T, defensively," Nichols said. "The second half they were a little more patient and their guards started backing us down a little bit to get it in to the paint instead of trying to beat us off the dribble. I think they made some good adjustments to get some better looks that second half."

Trailing 34-26, Dexter battled back as they went on a 10-1 run before the Eagles took the lead for good at the end of the quarter.

NMCC (10-6) was led in scoring by Ealy and Jenkins who finished the game with 16 points apiece. Ealy also grabbed eight rebounds. Stevenson finished the game with 15 points.

Dexter (6-8) was led by Alan Flannigan's 15 points and 12 rebounds.

NMCC (60) -- Dontre Jenkins 16, Lamonte Nelson 7, Keith Holmes 4, G'Darius Stevenson 15, Kony Ealy 16, William Bledsoe 2. FG 20, FT 18-34, F 15. (3-pointers: Nelson 1, Holmes 1. Fouled out: none).

DEXTER (48) -- Brandon Stoker 9, Ryan Windham 3, Gary Summers 3, Alan Flannigan 15, Jon Bowman 7, Bryn Hester 9, Logan Robey 2. FG 15, FT 12-18, F 19. (3-pointers: Stoker 2, Hester 2, Bowman 1, Flannigan 1. Fouled out: none).

Junior Varsity

The Dexter junior varsity squad outscored NMCC 20-7 in the final quarter to defeat the Eagles 57-46.

Jake Lee led Dexter with 20 points while Armando Thatch added 20 for NMCC.