Semoball

High School Basketball Forum: North Pemiscot: Second Best Class 1 Basketball Team in SEMO

Posted by drawmules on Sun, Dec 6, 2009, at 1:24 AM:

Entering this season, I was unaware North Pemiscot had the most talented sophomore class in the Missouri Bootheel.

After watching the Mustangs shock the top three seeds in the Bulldog Classic, everyone in the Missouri Bootheel is starting to realize this team is for real. Dominic Butler, James Macklin and Lejuane Johnson are simply amazing. These three sophomores will bring multiple trophies to North Pemiscot over the next three seasons.

North Pemiscot may not be able to get past Scott County Central "this season." Players such as center Britton Wilson will provide senior leadership during the postseason. However, the Mustangs have a young team. Therefore, I think a trip to Columbia is a more realistic possibility for the Mustangs in 2011 or 2012.

With the exception of Scott County Central, North Pemiscot is the most talented Class 1 team in Southeast Missouri. And most basketball fans north of Highway 60 don't even realize it.

If you want to watch an exciting basketball team that plays the game the right way drive to Wardell, Missouri, in the upcoming weeks and take a look at the North Pemiscot Mustangs. You will not be disappointed.

Does anyone else agree this team is extremely talented? Are there any critics out there that want to remind me it's still too early in the season to classify North Pemiscot as the second best Class 1 team in Southeast Missouri? Does anyone think North Pemiscot could upset Scott County Central this season in the state playoffs?

Replies (38)

  • Can't speak as to whether they're the second most talented or not, since I haven't seen them play.

    Absolutely no way does anyone from this area touch SCC in the playoffs. I'll reiterate my stance on making statements like this....I am usually not one to speak in absolutes when it comes to high school athletics, but the only way anybody will come close to SCC is if a couple significant injuries occur. I'll gladly take the bashing if this opinion seems too bold or if somehow I am proven wrong, but I'm not too worried about that happening.

    -- Posted by FarmBoy06 on Sun, Dec 6, 2009, at 4:20 PM
  • FarmBoy06

    I tend to agree Scott County Central is the team to beat this season. However, North Pemiscot is very talented. They may not get a great deal of respect in the polls because of their geographic location and their schedule. They are also really young. Their youth may prevent them from winning 25 games. But I think they are going to do some impressive things over the next three seasons. This team plays with a great deal of energy. The energy they bring to the court makes them exciting to watch.

    -- Posted by drawmules on Sun, Dec 6, 2009, at 5:11 PM
  • Any thoughts on North Pem/Delta C-7 result?

    -- Posted by drawmules on Mon, Dec 7, 2009, at 11:34 PM
  • North Pem over Delta C-7 58-55 for those who didn't see it in the other thread. Delta rimmed out a 3 at the buzzer.

    -- Posted by badams2s on Tue, Dec 8, 2009, at 12:42 PM
  • Good news. It appears that we now have a North Pemiscot boys TeamTracker, so we'll be able to keep up with the Mustangs all season!

    -- Posted by Rachel Crader on Wed, Dec 9, 2009, at 2:37 PM
  • The Mustangs have proven once again they are among the best Class 1 teams in Southeast Missouri. North Pemiscot defeated Risco 71-65 to win the Tri-County Conference Tournament Friday. The Mustangs start three sophomores. Don't be surprised if the Mustangs go deep into the state playoffs this season. The Mustangs are going to be a force in Class 1 in upcoming seasons. It is a good year to be a Mustang.

    See link: http://www.dddnews.com/story/1612510.html

    -- Posted by drawmules on Fri, Feb 19, 2010, at 10:44 PM
  • Just looked at there schedule, they lost by 10 to Portageville. SCC beat Portageville by 39. I'd say no chance against SCC this year.

    -- Posted by igobybob on Sat, Feb 20, 2010, at 5:41 AM
  • You're right. But that might not be their main goal in life at the moment: To beat Scott County Central. It's probably to just be the best they can be. I believe this team won like 7 games last year. Now they are approaching 20 wins and have been in the finals of every tournament they've been in this year, winning 1st place in two of them. For a team like Scott Country Central, anytime you don't win a state championship you've had a failure of a season. But for 95% of other Class 1 schools, it's about the journey, the ups & downs, and the achievements along the way. I think North Pemiscot has every reason to be proud of the season they are having. If they get a chance to play SCC (even if they get beat by 40) it would be what everyone expected anyway. But North Pem went from basically nothing last year, to probably the biggest surprise in the Bootheel. Hats off to that group of young men.

    -- Posted by Pwilcox on Sat, Feb 20, 2010, at 12:18 PM
  • Pwilcox

    North Pemiscot is one of the best stories in Southeast Missouri. I enjoy watching the Mustangs. It is a special time in North Pemiscot.

    -- Posted by drawmules on Sat, Feb 20, 2010, at 1:57 PM
  • drawmules

    I think you are probably right and fair in your assessment of North Pem Mustangs. I only wonder about the depth on their bench, but then they are young and the future will tell.

    Pwilcox

    Nice words. We spend the majority of our time talking about the best teams, when the majority of the teams will never share in the limelight of champships. Nonetheless, they put in long hours of hard work in pursuit of the dream. May they all look back on these days with pride and joy.

    -- Posted by sawdust49 on Sat, Feb 20, 2010, at 2:21 PM
  • Well put sawdust49.

    -- Posted by drawmules on Sat, Feb 20, 2010, at 2:49 PM
  • *

    Thanks for giving the Mustangs their props. It has truly been fun to see the team play this season. As the team tracker and father of Senior and Team Captain, Britton Wilson, I can truly say, no one expected the Mustangs to have the season they are having. It's been a year of "everything to gain and nothing to lose". Of the Mustangs 5 losses, only one can I say was a true UPSET. That being the game against Gideon. Champions "Bulldog Classic", one to be remembered, 2nd Place Campbell Christmas Tournament and Tri-County Conference Champs. Mustangs, now at 17 wins and 5 losses. Looking at a tough game tonight at home against Hayti and looking forward to next weeks District Tournament. Ranked 1st ... can they win it?? I truly hope so. God Bless,

    -- Posted by RWILSON on Fri, Feb 26, 2010, at 8:36 AM
  • *

    Class 1 Basketball in Missouri this year............Scott County Central, then every body else. I'm sure North Pem would have a chance of winning the everybody else state tournament.

    -- Posted by 6+4+3=2 on Fri, Feb 26, 2010, at 11:39 AM
  • Class 1, 2, 3...maybeeee 4: Scott County Central, then everybody else. They would probably be ranked number 1 in all 4 of those classes in the state. That's the tough part about the other teams competing in Class 1. They won't just run into the "best Class 1" team, it's a team that is probably better than 1-4 combined. Although, I don't think they are as good as they were last year. But that probably won't matter.

    -- Posted by Pwilcox on Fri, Feb 26, 2010, at 11:51 AM
  • *

    I feel sorry for Richland. They are a good ball team but have to face SCC before even getting past Disticts. I say, give SCC a bye all the way to the state championship game, then let them beat ..oops.. play, the winner of all the rest. lol

    -- Posted by RWILSON on Fri, Feb 26, 2010, at 1:06 PM
  • RWILSON

    I'd love to hear a report pertaining to tonight's Hayti / North Pemiscot game. Did it come down to the last shot?

    -- Posted by drawmules on Sat, Feb 27, 2010, at 12:09 AM
  • RWILSON

    Come on man, give us a description of the game. did the Mustangs play up to potential? did hayti look up or down? don't let your boys hang their head...after all, hayti is capable of being the victor next week at class 2 dist. 1. How bout it.

    -- Posted by sawdust49 on Sat, Feb 27, 2010, at 9:31 AM
  • North Pemiscot was down 5 at the half. It went back and forth in the 2nd half...NP had a lead at some point. It was tied 57-57 with 20 seconds to go, North Pem with the ball...their point guard got hip checked/tripped to the floor taking it to the basket. They were in the bonus, so he should have been shooting 1 and 1. Instead, the refs swallowed their whistles and Hayti came up with the ball and hit a short jumper at the buzzer to win.

    Hayti was the slightly more athletic team and bigger across the board than North Pemiscot, other than Britton Wilson. If Hayti plays like that, they will win their district.

    -- Posted by Pwilcox on Sat, Feb 27, 2010, at 3:38 PM
  • Thanks. Sounds like an amazing game that should help prepare both teams for districts.

    -- Posted by drawmules on Sat, Feb 27, 2010, at 5:57 PM
  • I expect North Pem to be playing SCC for a trip to the final four. I can't see Risco or the winner of the Dora district beating them. However, that is where their dream will end. Still a great season for team nobody was talking about in the pre-season.

    -- Posted by Hoss Jones on Tue, Mar 2, 2010, at 12:45 PM
  • Risco plays well in tournaments. I like North Pemiscot's chances but Risco plays well in tournaments. The team from the Dora district, Eminence, dominated Clarkton last year in sectionals.

    -- Posted by drawmules on Tue, Mar 2, 2010, at 1:35 PM
  • Eminence graduated the farm. Basketball in that area is very down. Clarkton was, is, and always will be "head-cases". I thought you watched a lot of games? What about North Pem's tournament play. Bulldog classic 1st, Campbell Holiday 2nd, Tri-Co 1st. It's North Pem's to lose til SCC.

    -- Posted by Hoss Jones on Tue, Mar 2, 2010, at 1:45 PM
  • I so watch alot of games. Risco plays well in tournaments. They should nit be overlooked.

    -- Posted by drawmules on Tue, Mar 2, 2010, at 1:48 PM
  • Consider them overlooked.

    -- Posted by Hoss Jones on Tue, Mar 2, 2010, at 2:38 PM
  • Several typos in the last post. The post should have read . . . I do watch alot of games. Risco plays well in tournaments. They should not be overlooked.

    -- Posted by drawmules on Tue, Mar 2, 2010, at 3:16 PM
  • Risco barely beat Southland! North Pem to role to district title in a lop sided win.

    -- Posted by Hoss Jones on Wed, Mar 3, 2010, at 1:19 PM
  • Hoss Jones

    North Pemiscot has had problems with Risco twice this season. I like North Pemiscot. But not by 30. History repeats itself my friend.

    -- Posted by drawmules on Wed, Mar 3, 2010, at 1:41 PM
  • I don't think North Pemiscot will win by 30. I think it will be a good game. However, it seems to me as if North Pemiscot has done a better job of 'figuring out' Risco than vice versa.

    Once North Pemiscot was down 30-14 in their first meeting, they outscored Risco by 25 the rest of the game. In their second meeting, North Pem had a 12 point lead at half time. A technical foul that resulted in 6 points and cut their lead to 2 at the time, resulted in a tight 1st half of the 4th quarter. After that, North Pem was up by 10 and won by 7 or so. The game wasn't in question the last 2:00 min. So perhaps North Pemiscot wants history to repeat itself. But North Pemiscot has sucked in tournaments all year and Risco hasn't, so I'm picking Risco to win by 19.

    -- Posted by Pwilcox on Wed, Mar 3, 2010, at 2:13 PM
  • Pwilcox

    I detect some sarcasm in that last comment.

    -- Posted by Hoss Jones on Wed, Mar 3, 2010, at 3:19 PM
  • Gloves on boys

    -- Posted by sawdust49 on Wed, Mar 3, 2010, at 5:50 PM
  • *

    But North Pemiscot has sucked in tournaments all year and Risco hasn't, so I'm picking Risco to win by 19.

    Wow ..... North Pem. has played in 3 tournaments this season. They placed 1st. in two and 2nd. in the other. I really don't think that warrants "sucked" as a description of their play.

    The first two meetings between Risco and North Pem. were close. Reason would tell you that tonight's will be as well. As for North Pem., they have to shut down the outside shooting of Bennett and Bixler and keep Williams off the boards. Maclin has to stay away from foul trouble. For Risco, the same is true for the outside. Johnson, Maclin, and especially Hollomon can hurt you if they are on. Williams has to stay out of foul trouble. Defense will be key for both teams. Mustangs win the inside game. Williams is good but the match up against Wilson puts him at risk of foul trouble. NP's Bryant can also hurt Risco on the boards and Childress as 6th man not only makes Williams job tougher but makes foul trouble among the big guys less of a factor for NP. Poor shooting from both teams, favors North Pem. This game could simply come down to "Who's hot and who's not".

    -- Posted by RWILSON on Thu, Mar 4, 2010, at 9:10 AM
  • *

    Guess this will finish out this thread. Risco 71, North Pem. 70.

    -- Posted by RWILSON on Mon, Mar 8, 2010, at 7:34 AM
  • I was impressed with North Pemiscot all year. They had only a couple slip ups along the way, but I feel that their big surprise victories they had canceled out any minor slip ups this year. They played big in tournaments! Losing the district championship game by 1 is nothing to be ashamed of. In Class 1 it's a lost cause because of the dominance of Scott County Central. It's crushing to lose a big game by a point, but how much better would it be to lose the game that sends you to the Final Four by 40 points? I doubt it would feel any better at all. Maybe worse. It's almost too much to ask for a team to come out of no where, like North Pemiscot, to continue a fantastic season. It seemed like they went from zeros to heroes. I believe they beat Risco twice this year. And the one time Risco SLIPS by, just so happened to be the finals of districts. With the year they've had, the hardware they've won, a 2nd place district tournament result isn't too bad in my book. If districts were all that mattered, then the season would start with a district tournament and no other tournaments or regular season games would take place. Congrats go out to the Mustangs on a stellar season.

    Their Bulldog Classic and conference tournament 1st place wins were more impressive than their District Tournament anyway. Good job guys! Hope to catch some games next year!

    -- Posted by Pwilcox on Mon, Mar 8, 2010, at 11:42 AM
  • Sounds like mustangs will be tough to contend with next year. How will disco fair?

    -- Posted by sawdust49 on Mon, Mar 8, 2010, at 7:45 PM
  • sawdust49

    I have to agree. The Mustangs could be the team to beat in Class 1 next year.

    -- Posted by drawmules on Mon, Mar 8, 2010, at 8:26 PM
  • Disco is dead.

    -- Posted by FarmBoy06 on Mon, Mar 8, 2010, at 8:45 PM
  • I don't get the disco part. Could someone explain?

    -- Posted by drawmules on Mon, Mar 8, 2010, at 8:55 PM
  • Sounds like mustangs will be tough to contend with next year. How will disco fair?

    -- Posted by sawdust49 on Mon, Mar 8, 2010, at 7:45 PM

    He misspelled Risco...

    -- Posted by mandm96 on Mon, Mar 8, 2010, at 9:10 PM

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