Doniphan

There were several great basketball performances throughout Southeast Missouri over the last week. However, the exploits of New Madrid County Central player, Donnie Brown, and Oran senior Katie Webb stood out, according to Semoball readers.

Drum roll, please. After seeing a lot of chatter on who the top-10 boys and girls basketball teams are in the region, I have put together a list of who I think deserves to be mentioned. Here is the absolutely accurate (see the sarcasm) boys’ list: New Madrid County Central (9-0)...

ELLSINORE, Mo. — East Carter spent a lot of time in practice preparing for Doniphan’s press. The preparation worked wonderfully … until Doniphan changed defenses. The Redbirds scored five field goals in the first 4 1/2 minutes, largely after beating the press for an easy basket, and led by seven points...

DONIPHAN — Twin Rivers needed to get the last points in a quarter one last time. The Royals struck last in each of the first three quarters, but an attempted 3 to force overtime missed and Doniphan hung on to win 53-50 on Friday in Doniphan. The biggest lead of the game was eight points, nobody led by more than two possessions in the second half, and there were three lead changes in the fourth quarter...

Four boys basketball teams and five girls basketball teams from the Semoball coverage area are state-ranked in the first basketball poll released by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association.

CHARLESTON, Mo – Mistakes made Tuesday, a night the Charleston Bluejays would like to forget. After nearly handing visiting Doniphan a loss in regulation, the Bluejays allowed missed free throws and turnovers to extend the game in the Don’s favor. It took two overtimes, but Doniphan left the court with a 76-75 decision that gives the Dons their fifth win in their last six games...

DONIPHAN — In less than 3 minutes, the Donettes turned a close game on its head. Doniphan scored 14 unanswered points in less than 3 minutes in the second quarter, tripling its lead to 21 points, and went on to beat Poplar Bluff 56-27 Monday in both team’s first game of the new year...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — In the three games leading up to Wednesday’s third-place matchup, every contest Portageville played in seemed like a down-to-the-wire affair. The Bulldogs had a pair of overtime games and a nine-point victory over Hayti before falling to Doniphan 46-40 in the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament...

BLOOMFIELD – The largest lead was six points. In a game destined to come down to the final few possessions, it was Doniphan big man Orie Owen came through three times in three different ways to lift Doniphan to a 36-32 win over Bernie in the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament quarterfinals on Monday...

BLOOMFIELD — After falling behind by double digits early Saturday, 12th-seeded Holcomb got within a basket midway through the second quarter after chipping away at Doniphan’s lead. But in less than a minute, the Dons padded their lead as the No. 5 seed rolled to a 62-44 win in the opening round of the 64th Bloomfield Christmas Tournament...

BROSELEY — New Madrid County Central stole Doniphan’s momentum and a shot at the Lady Royals Classic title. Jimmya Caldwell-Newson’s two steals with just under three minutes remaining gave the Eagles the lead for good after Doniphan once again overcame a double-digit deficit in the second half...

BROSELEY – The Donettes cruised into the semifinals after a hot start. Third-seeded Doniphan scored the first 19 points against fifth-seeded Dexter and went on to win 47-27 in the quarterfinals of the Lady Royals Christmas Classic on Monday. “We were making a whole bunch of shots, and that makes the defense that much better. ...

New Madrid Central has earned the top seed in the Lady Royal Classic with a trio of Ozark Foothills Conference teams behind it. The Eagles, one of three teams in the tournament along with Kelly and Greenville to have played more than five games, earned the top spot after picking up wins against Jackson, Sikeston, Dexter and Kennett with losses against Notre Dame and Cape Central...

The postseason for winter sports in Missouri will look different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MSHSAA announced Friday. MSHSAA released district assignments for winter sports and also announced that it will modify some postseason activities due to concerns with the virus...

ELLSINORE — Levi Boyer rose just a little higher than everyone else. The East Carter big man stood underneath his own basket and leaped inches higher than the Doniphan defenders on either side of him, to earn a game-winning tip-in that barely beat the buzzer and Doniphan, 58-56...

The finalists for the Carr Trophy given to the top player in the SEMO Conference were announced Wednesday, a week before the award will be presented at the 75th annual Gridiron Banquet. Jordan Jarrett of Kennett, Jackson’s Connor Tollison and Cael Welker are up for the award given annually since 1979...

DONIPHAN — In a game that seemed feast or famine, Doniphan had two suppers. After an even first quarter, Doniphan outscored Greenville 38-12 between the second and fourth quarters while the Bears outscored the Dons 12-5 in the third. Doniphan ended Greenville’s third-quarter momentum with a hot start to the fourth before winning its home opener 55-34 on Tuesday...

ALL-SEMO CONFERENCE Members of the All-SEMO Conference football team as selected by the conference coaches with a player's school, year, height and weight listed: NORTH OFFENSE QB — Cael Welker, Jackson, sr., 5-11, 185; RB — Daniel Dickerson, Jackson, sr., 5-11, 200;...

VAN BUREN — The Lady Dawg Classic was exactly that. Ellington and Twin Rivers needed every second of double overtime to settle the championship game. Eventually, it was Twin Rivers’ Brianna South at the foul line, no time left, nobody around her, tie game, all the pressure. She swished the bonus attempt to deliver a 62-61, championship upset Thursday night...

The seedings have been released for the Clarkton Christmas Tournament. The eight-team varsity boys basketball tournament takes place Dec. 14-18 at Clarkton High School. Defending champion East Carter County, which is off to a 1-1 start after beating Willow Springs 70-49 and suffering a 73-62 loss to Park Hills Central, has received the No. ...

The South Pemiscot Bulldogs rebounded nicely about 24 hours after suffering a 72-60 quarterfinal loss to the Clarkton Reindeer at the Gideon Invitational. No. 5 seeded South Pemiscot beat No. 8 seeded Delta C-7 56-20 in a consolation semifinal Tuesday at Gideon...

VAN BUREN — Ellington’s Kaylee King put on a show for the second night in a row. After finishing with 38 points in an opening-round blowout against eighth-seeded Mountain Grove Christian Academy, King scored 35 against a fifth-seeded Van Buren squad focused on keeping her from touching the basketball to lead the Whippets to a 59-50 win in the Lady Dawg Classic semifinals Tuesday in Van Buren...

The host Van Buren Lady Dawgs earned the only upset of the first round as four local teams reached the semifinals of the 2020 Lady Dawg Classic. Fifth-seeded Van Buren topped fourth-seeded Koshkonong 55-48. The top three seeds, respectively, Ellington, Doniphan and Twin Rivers, advanced as well...

VAN BUREN — Preston Golden was money in the third quarter for East Carter while Senath-Hornersville overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter Saturday at the Current River Challenge. Golden scored 20 of his game-high 33 points in the third quarter, helping East Carter pull away for a win...

Doniphan finished 12-15 last season without any seniors. “We return everybody from a team that competed really well,” said coach Daniel Cagle. “Our expectations are high within our team this year. We expect to play good basketball.” A year ago the Dons seemed to peak after finishing fifth in the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament. Cagle believes improved depth will be this team’s biggest asset...

The Missouri State High School Activities Association is pushing back the announcement of class and district assignments for winter sports to Friday, December 11. District assignments and classifications were originally scheduled to be released Friday, November 13...