Menu
Dexter downs host Sikeston 51-38 for 5th straight girls basketball district title
The Dexter varsity girls basketball program photographs itself after securing the Class 4, District 1 championship Saturday night at Sikeston High School.
Note: A photo gallery of the Dexter girls basketball team in action in the district title game is available at this link: View Photos Here
Dexter's Krysten Garrison takes a shot in the paint Saturday at the Sikeston Field House.
SIKESTON, Mo. - The Dexter Bearcats were more than ready to take care of business on the defensive end of the floor after falling behind the Sikeston Bulldogs 12-10 after one quarter of play in the Class 4, District 1 championship Saturday night.
"Sikeston came out aggressive," Dexter junior Melanie McKuin said. "They came out and punched us in the face and we weren't ready for it. . . We were getting mad at ourselves for the score being as close as it was, and we just really buckled down on defense."
The Bearcats' defense created serious problems for the Bulldogs soon enough.
Sikeston tallied only four points on two made free throws and a 2-pointer in the second period.
In the meantime, Dexter enjoyed a pair of 8-0 runs as it surged ahead of Sikeston 26-16 by halftime.
Sikeston scored the first four points of the second half to cut the deficit to 26-20, but Dexter followed with the next nine to pad its advantage to 35-20 and led by at least 11 the rest of the way as its secured a 51-38 district championship victory at Sikeston.
"It feels a lot different this year," Dexter junior starting point guard Dakota Reynolds said of the program's fifth straight district title. "This year I had to step up and help out more than last year. We had four really good [seniors] last year, and this year me and my partner Melanie had to step up and take over."
Dexter sophomore Cheyenne Mosby penetrates by the Sikeston defense near the baseline.
The Bearcats faced the daunting task of attempting to stop five-foot-ten junior forward Erica Peet and five-foot-nine sophomore forward Tyeshia Mitchell.
Mitchell tallied nine of her team-high 13 points in the first half, while Peet calculated 10 of her 12 points after halftime.
No other Sikeston player scored more than four points.
"Defensively, I thought we did a good job tonight, especially collapsing in on Peet and Mitchell," Dexter coach Chad Allen said. "Those two girls are great players that are hard to stop. I thought we did a good job denying inside, and also helping when they dribble-penetrated."
Dexter freshmen forwards Krysten Garrison and Hannah Thurmon more than matched Sikeston's inside presence.
Garrison recorded all five of her 2-point field goals in the second quarter on her way to a 13-point performance.
Thurmon added half of her 14 points in the third quarter and finished with a team-high 15 rebounds.
"Hannah and Krysten are just phenomenal athletes," McKuin said. "They are very talented and it was really nice to see them both do really well tonight."
Dexter freshman Hannah Thurmon measures a 3-pointer in the corner.
McKuin took care of the rest as she recorded a field goal in every quarter on her way to a game-high 20 points.
"I thought Melanie did a great job, especially with Dakota getting in foul trouble," Allen said. "In these kind of games she thrives. It seems like the bigger the game, the better she plays. I thought she did an outstanding job handling the ball for us, penetrating to get others open and knocking down shots when she had opportunities."
Sikeston finishes its season with a record of 20-6. It's the first time in school history the Bulldogs have enjoyed a 20-win campaign.
"If you look at our group we're not great overall shooters and every team that we play knows that," Sikeston coach Matt Schonhoff said. "The difference that makes us different from everybody else is speed, hustle, grit and determination, and that got us to 20 wins. We beat some really good ball clubs doing those things."
Dexter (17-9) takes on North County Tuesday at 7:45 p.m. in a Class 4 sectional at Jackson High School.
"We haven't watched them play," Reynolds said. "But we will probably watch film on them the next practice we have."
Top-seeded North County (19-7) beat fourth-seeded Farmington 70-60 in its district semifinal and second-seeded DeSoto 42-37 in its district championship.
"I filmed them early in the season when they were playing a preliminary game at Jackson," Allen said of North County. "They are a great team and have a great player in Kekec. They are also well-rounded, it's not just her. They've got a great team. Hopefully, we can develop a good game plan going into Tuesday night and we will see how we do."
The Dexter Bearcats varsity girls basketball team with its district championship plaque Saturday night at the Sikeston Field House.
No. 1 Dexter 51, No. 2 Sikeston 38
SHS 12 4 8 14 - 38
DHS 10 16 13 12 - 51
SIKESTON (38) - Kiera Steward 2, Dominique Roach 2, Tyra Bonner 4, Zaytiana Williams 2, Erica Peet 12, Miranda Harrison 3, Tyeshia Mitchell 13. FG 13, FT 11/20, F 20. (3-pointers: Harrison 1. Fouled out: Bonner)
DEXTER (51) - Dakota Reynolds 2, Melanie McKuin 20, Sydney Rogers 2, Hannah Thurmon 14, Krysten Garrison 13. FG 17, FT 15/23, F 21. (3-pointers: McKuin 1, Thurmon 1. Fouled out: Reynolds, Garrison)