Nobody asked me but ...

Wednesday, February 1, 2006

Nobody asked me but...Dez Johnson of East Prairie is having a very solid year at point guard for the Eagles. The last two games witnessed by your humble scribe on the Prairie, Johnson has combined for 24 assists.

Johnson has cat-like quickness and excellent vision to see the entire floor. Johnson can penetrate any defense and the big men down low for East Prairie are usually set-up for an easy basket in the paint.

Johnson or Scott Central's D.D. Gillespie, who is the better point guard? Good debate, but I will take Johnson and his huge assist numbers.

How good is sophomore Tony Jones going to be in a few years for East Prairie? Jones has a nice turnaround "J", good leaping ability and soft hands which makes him a force in the paint for the Eagles. If Jones can keep out of foul trouble, this kid will be a monster.

Folks I am telling you, it is worth the price of admission just to go over to the Prairie and hear the P.A. announcer for boys basketball. I came for the game, I stayed for the passion!

I don't know who the best player in the area for high school boys basketball is, but I do know who the biggest force in the game is, Rogers...Matt Rogers. This 6-foot-10 blocking machine from Doniphan is hands down the defensive player of the year in the area...no scratch that, the entire state.

With long arms and excellent timing, Rogers is an intimidator in the paint. If Rogers had the same intensity for offense that he has for defense, it would be scary.

Is the Dexter boys basketball team going to win a home game this year? With Advance, Bell City and Cape Central left on the home schedule...the answer is no.

Can a high school player score 39 points in one half of action? The answer is...yes. Case in point, Tuesday night as FRESHMAN Dustin Ferguson of the Clarkton Reindeer poured in 39 points in the first half against Delta C-7. Don't start the conversation of best freshman in the area, Clarkton fans. That conversation would start and end with Michael Porter of Sikeston.

Big loss for the Sikeston Lady Bulldogs basketball team when Latoya Gipson left the team for personal reasons. No time for crying ladies, players just need to step up and contribute a little more. Sikeston is in a tough district, but Dexter lost to Poplar Bluff at home this week. A Poplar Bluff team that Sikeston dismantled recently. All is not lost Lady Bulldogs, the title is in your grasp.

Congratulations to the Sikeston eighth grade boys basketball team, who recently completed a 12-1 season. Also the ninth grade team finished with a 12-5 mark. While a 12-5 record is not monumental, what should be noted is the improvement this team has shown from last year as eighth graders, when they won one game.

Lot of talk around town about Sikeston boys and girls basketball teams and the lack of student support. I mentioned before about the Bleacher Bums, Red Peppers and just the overall student body failing to show up for Sikeston games.

But there's another disturbing trend I've noticed...the lack of support from the cheerleaders. Sikeston's cheerleaders have shown up to just one road game this year for either the boys or the girls. And the day Sikeston's boys played at Jackson, I'm told the cheerleaders didn't show up because they were practicing. In contrast, on a Tuesday night, I observed that Puxico High School traveled to East Prairie with a varsity AND junior varsity cheerleading squad. If one is wondering, that is 67 miles one way for Puxico to travel.

Hey, I must admit, I have seen the routines and stunts and it is obvious that a lot of hard work and preparation has gone into perfecting those tasks. That's not the point.

I've always felt that the cheerleaders' main focus was to support athletes and teams. I am concerned that the focus has shifted from "cheerleading" to one of routines and dances.

And finally, nobody asked me but...the Super Bowl is on Sunday and I predict...hmmm...I predict I am looking forward to the commercials more than the game.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: