Poplar Bluff basketball teams look to knock off rust next week before districts

The snow may have come at the worst time for area basketball teams with the MSHSAA district playoffs starting this weekend for the smallest schools.

But it may have been good timing for the Poplar Bluff boys basketball team.

“Sometimes you need a break this time of year. The season is really long, it can be a grind,” Mules coach William Durden said. “If you got a little momentum and you’re hot, it kind of hits at a bad time.”

Having lost three of four, the Mules (12-7) have not played since February 5 with games against Saxony Lutheran, Dexter and Charleston being postponed.

Poplar Bluff was scheduled to host North County on Friday night but that game has also been canceled.

Several area district tournaments, which were scheduled to start Saturday, have been pushed back to Monday, including Class 1 District 2, Class 2 District 3 and Class 3 District 2.

“We’ve been holding the team together with Band Aids and duct tape so this break has definitely been good for the kid’s bodies,” Durden said. “A little rest, the mental aspect has been good for them too.”

Poplar Bluff’s girls have not played since February 4, but will have at least three games over the next week. The Mules will host Farmington on Monday, Kennett on Wednesday and travel Thursday to Notre Dame to end the regular season.

Poplar Bluff’s boys will play at Park Hills Central on Thursday and host Notre Dame on Saturday, Feb. 27, with a 1 p.m. junior varsity start. The senior players, cheerleaders and poms will be honored prior to the varsity game.

Neither team has been in the gym since Sunday.

“We’ve been going pretty hard here the last couple of months so definitely feels different not being in the gym right now,” Durden said. “I think the kids will be excited when they come back so it’s always good.”

Poplar Bluff’s boys earned the No. 2 seed in the upcoming MSHSAA Class 6 District 1 tournament. The Mules will host Seckman at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 2, in one semifinal. Jackson, the top seed, will host Northwest in the other semifinal.

Poplar Bluff’s girls will play at top-seeded Jackson at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 2, while Seckman plays at Northwest in the other semifinal.

The winners advance to the championship, with the girls tipping off at 6 p.m. and the boys following at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 4, at Northwest High School in Cedar Hill.

Admission for district games is $5.

“We’re going to definitely have a couple of games to shake off some of the rust before districts,” Durden said. “It’s fine. Really, what we need more than anything is a little practice time.”