Posted by sideline starter on Sun, Feb 20, 2011, at 6:11 PM:
It is time for District 1 in Classes 4 and 5 to decide who their top teams are with district tournaments at Dexter and Cape respectively. We know that Sikeston has the top seed in Class 4 followed by Dexter, Notre Dame, Perryville, Fredericktown, and Ste. Genevieve. In Class 5, Cape has the top seed followed by Poplar Bluff, Jackson, and two scrubs with no chance.
Class 4: With an undefeated record and wins over every team in the district, Sikeston is the clear favorite. The Bulldogs have tired teams out all season playing close for spells before causing second half chaos. I'd say they do the same to Perryville in the first semi-final game riding a blowout to the finals. The other match-up is where things get interesting. Dexter will be playing Notre Dame barring an upset of epic proportions. These two have split their season series, Notre Dame winning at the conference tourney in December but Dexter getting the regular season win at ND in January. The Bearcats have homecourt and haven't been to the finals of the district tournament since 2005. Their star player Flannigan has played great at points this year though the team has been erratic, winning over Notre Dame but losing to lesser teams such as New Madrid. Notre Dame is making one last attempt at getting their star Jacob Tolbert a district title. As a team that many wrote off early, the Blue Dogs have been riding under the radar for most of the second half of the season. I think that ND has one last run in them taking out the Bearcats and crushing the dreams of Dexter fans having their home team in the district finals. For the finals, it is time for another Sikeston vs. Notre Dame classic. ND played Sikeston closer than any other team in the state of Missouri this season exposing early on a potential flaw in the Red Dogs of playing lazily when they have a lead late. However, exposing this flaw just before Christmas may have been what Sikeston needed as they came out afterward with a fire and a desire to lay the knockout blow. Anything can happen come districts, but I see Sikeston getting the three-peat in a fifteen point win.
Class 5: Cape Central has established themselves as SEMO's Class 5 team to beat. Though they took a close loss to Jackson in December before the debut of SEMO's most discussed player Curtis Branch, the Tigers have taken down both of their major district rivals in the past few weeks defeating Jackson by 18 and Poplar Bluff by ten. Since Cape has a virtually guaranteed spot in the finals, the other semi-final showdown will be where the action lies. The x-factor in the Jackson vs. Poplar Bluff game will be the health of Bluff's premiere player, Jake White. If White is back and in form, the Mules should be able to pull out a 10-15 point victory. If he is not up to snuff, then the Jackson Indians will return to the finals to defend their title. From what I have been hearing from Poplar Bluff folks, White will be a gametime decision which I believe even if he is back, won't be enough to get over the great size that Jackson has. Thus, the final will be another chapter in one of the most heated rivalries in Southeast Missouri between Jackson and Cape. I think this is the year of the Tigers as they will end their district drought and win their first title since I believe the nineties. Their speed and skilled guards will be too much for Jackson.
So it is going to be Sikeston and Cape going on to the state tournaments in their respective classes. What do you all think? Let the discussion begin.
Replies (53)
Great thread! Enjoyed reading your assessment, very insightful and much more enjoyable than the often posted comments like, "Sikeston by 50" stuff we see all too often.
And I agree with both of your predictions too.
-- Posted by GreatFun on Sun, Feb 20, 2011, at 6:15 PM
Thanks GreatFun, I figured it would turn off some people to have to read paragraphs but I figured why not just do it. There's not enough posts like that on here.
-- Posted by sideline starter on Sun, Feb 20, 2011, at 6:20 PM
Sideline what is the date for the class 4 district championship game!?
-- Posted by BuckMajor on Sun, Feb 20, 2011, at 7:06 PM
Both the Class 4 and Class 5 District 1 boys championship games will be at 7:30 P.M. on Friday, February 25.
-- Posted by sideline starter on Sun, Feb 20, 2011, at 7:19 PM
Okay thanks! I'll be there haha.
-- Posted by BuckMajor on Sun, Feb 20, 2011, at 7:25 PM
Hopefully, I can make it too Buck.
-- Posted by sideline starter on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 6:49 AM
i agree sikeston will win their district title and it doesn't matter who they play, they will win by 25. cape central should bring home a district title, hoping that it will be a cape-jackson final. good luck tigers, cape by 15
-- Posted by runner50 on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 7:13 AM
I think Notre Dame is too skilled of a team for Sikeston to beat by 25. They always play top notch in district games with Sikeston, even last year (Sikeston just had a much better gameplan in last year's district title game than the regular season game). If it is Dexter, I could see it potentially being a 25 point game but you never know when it is a team that hasn't had a lot of success lately playing on their home court with the talent to make a run.
-- Posted by sideline starter on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 7:26 AM
I have some questions. 1.What has been sikestons biggest point deficit this year? 2.Have they been down by more than 8 in any game this year? 3.Do you think they can respond if that happens?
-- Posted by PO526 on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 8:02 AM
I have no idea about the first one, but i think 8 is the most we've been down..
I think they can respond.. They did it at charelston and that could be charelston biggest home game of the year.. They were hype, and its hard to win at the jays nest anyways..
Plus they all know how it's like to lose two straight years in the quarter finals.. I know they don't want that again
-- Posted by Dustin Ruby on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 9:07 AM
Sikeston showed how they can respond in that Charleston game after coming out very flat in the first half. I remember that Corey Porter took over the last couple minutes of the second quarter to get Sikeston close and Darryl Howard took the leading role in the third to built the big advantage. The only game this season where I remember Sikeston trailing by any in the fourth quarter was the Holt game which was back and forth all the way down to about the last three or four minutes. They were down at least six at one point in the first half of that game if I remember correctly, and that deficit may have even been eight. Can't quite remember.
For the question of if they can respond if it happens, of course they can. I'm not saying it will always happen but they have at least six guys (Porter, Howard, Holifield, Hatchett, Jamison, and Gibson) who have done it at points this season leading the team out of a deficit or taking over to put the game out of reach. The more guys who can do it, the better of a chance for it to happen. Only one or two of them have to be "hot".
-- Posted by sideline starter on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 9:17 AM
I would say that your assessment is very good. IMO, I think Dexter will beat ND at home to set up a Sikeston-Dexter finale. I think Sikeston will win by 20+. I think that will be the case even if ND pulls off the "upset."
Gadget....I just noticed the avatar. That's hilarious!!!!
The only comment that I disagree with is when you said you don't think Sikeston can beat ND by more than 20. A Sikeston administrator heard Coach Roberts (of ND) tell his assistant coach that they were going to beat Sikeston in districts. He said this after the regular season meeting in which Sikeston won by 7 or so. I'm fairly confident that this has been relayed to the team. Not that they needed it....but now Sikeston will come out with a chip on their shoulder. Not to contradict myself.....Coach Roberts has to tell his team that. They have to think they can win or they are beat before they hit the floor. I just don't think I would have said it within earshot of Sikeston admin.....it gives an already great team some bulletin board material.
-- Posted by Rocket689 on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 9:55 AM
I think this will be my avatar for now on hahah
-- Posted by Dustin Ruby on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 10:12 AM
Thumbs up from me!!
-- Posted by Rocket689 on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 10:29 AM
I guess it is a matter of opinion Rocket. We all know that Sikeston won't take their biggest rival lightly if they play ND. However, I just can't believe that someone as competitive as Tolbert is won't do everything in his power to win this game, just like Austin Greer almost pulled off a couple of years ago at the Field House. I don't expect a down to the wire game, but when is the last time Sikeston defeated Notre Dame by twenty?
-- Posted by sideline starter on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 2:11 PM
I think we both agree, basically, but I just think the Dogs are too deep and playing MUCH better than in December. I think it will be bigger than 15.
I don't remember the last time Sikeston beat them by 20. It may have never happened. I think this may be the year though. It really doesn't matter though....as long as they win.
-- Posted by Rocket689 on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 4:10 PM
I'm not sure if this was by 20 or not, but I know Sikeston beat ND by a large margin in the SEMO tourny two years ago. Sikeston got some serious revenge on the defending district champs, then proceeded to get beat at ND.
-- Posted by thepurpleturtle on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 4:34 PM
I remember what you are talking about purple turtle. It was three years ago in Willen's senior year when ND was without Willen or Greer at SEMO Conference, then Greer came back the next week and Sikeston barely beat them. Then, Willen got healthy and won state.
-- Posted by sideline starter on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 4:42 PM
Agreed on the Class 4 districts, don't believe Jackson can beat PB. PB beat Jackson at Jackson handily by pressuring the ball. By now everyone knows how to beat Jackson. Just press them the whole way. Not to put any kid down, they just don't have the skilled ball handler to help them get out of trouble. If they had a Curtis Branch they would be great!
-- Posted by wolfwoman on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 8:16 PM
Jordan and I will with you for Cover It Live for the Class 5 District 1 boys semifinals on Wednesday. I will try to announce other games as soon as I know them.
-- Posted by Rachel Crader on Mon, Feb 21, 2011, at 11:52 PM
I'll speak for everyone on this one, but we appreciate everything the semoball staff has done this year, and even though we all get out of hand at times.. This is the premier sports website around..
Thank you
-- Posted by Dustin Ruby on Tue, Feb 22, 2011, at 12:03 AM
Awww, inspector. You're going get me all teary-eyed. Thank you.
Hopefully this week is just the beginning of a lengthy basketball playoff season.
-- Posted by Rachel Crader on Tue, Feb 22, 2011, at 12:07 AM
Papi, Poplar Bluff is going to need Jake White back if they want to hope to even hang with Jackson this time around. Without him, the Mules just don't have a true leader or big time scorer. If he is back, he probably won't be 100% and it will be his first game back. I think all of that is just too much stacked against Bluff even if they did defeat Jackson by twelve in their season meeting.
Crader, you can't go wrong with either Class 4 or 5 this week. I'd say that the most interesting game to see though will be the Notre Dame-Dexter game Thursday night. Also, piggybacking off of Gadget's post, I have to agree. There is no website with as good of content, blogs, insight, and posters as the community on semoball. I'm glad that the Sikeston-Cape discussion has died down and the sports are taking center stage.
-- Posted by sideline starter on Tue, Feb 22, 2011, at 12:10 AM
To all "submitters" on SEMOBALL...it's always "interesting" to get on here and read other's opinions. AND, I do VERY wholeheartedly agree with the "overall" opinion that there is NO other website that can come close in content, information or just outright FUN with SEMOBALL. And a BIG thanks goes out to Rachel for keeping us all inline (I'm all TOO sure that you enjoy your job...hahaha)
Keep it up, everyone...and GO DAWGS!!
-- Posted by shsbulldog on Tue, Feb 22, 2011, at 9:11 AM
What they said about Semoball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-- Posted by JuniorBulldog on Tue, Feb 22, 2011, at 10:31 AM
Well if you twist my arm... I guess I agree with shs and junior.
I just hope that Semoball goes to the right game on friday night... wink wink ;)
-- Posted by Haterade on Tue, Feb 22, 2011, at 10:41 AM
Ok, ok.....I agree too. Semoball is the best website around!!
Seriously.....it is the best for stories, blogs, and forums. You can always find the score of any game in the area. Kudos from a satisfied customer!!
-- Posted by Rocket689 on Tue, Feb 22, 2011, at 10:59 AM
Hey junior....way to tell them what you really think!!! If you knew how to drive, you wouldn't wreck in the green/white/checkered finish!!!!
-- Posted by Rocket689 on Tue, Feb 22, 2011, at 11:00 AM
Take it easy juicer!
-- Posted by JuniorBulldog on Tue, Feb 22, 2011, at 11:36 AM
I think semoball pretty swell myself. It is always fun to see scores and get other people's inuts on various topics. It also is a place where I can go back in time to the 80's, a sort of Hot Tub Time Machine.
-- Posted by Hemingway on Tue, Feb 22, 2011, at 11:50 AM
Anybody have an update on the boys games at Dexter?
-- Posted by sideline starter on Tue, Feb 22, 2011, at 9:45 PM
Nevermind, I just found it. Notre Dame over Ste. Gen 69-27. In a mild upset, Fredericktown ends Perryville's season 73-66. Also, Farmington and DeSoto won their games to set up a rematch in the district finals.
-- Posted by sideline starter on Tue, Feb 22, 2011, at 9:50 PM
Perryville knew better than to win and have to play Sikeston. :)
-- Posted by hoopsguru on Tue, Feb 22, 2011, at 10:05 PM
For fans of Class 4 basketball, defending Class 5 state champ and Class 4 #2 ranked Hillcrest has lost one of their starters Darnell Green-Beckham, who I believe is the brother to star player Dorial, for the season. I don't know if it was medical reason or breaking team rules though I have no reason to believe it was. Considering that Darnell is out, Dorial is still playing with a splint, and Petry (one of their primary starters) has had a real bad illness for the past week and still isn't recovered amongst other things, I'd be looking at Rogersville (ranked 5th in Class 4) to be coming out of that district instead as they only lost to a healthy Hillcrest by three and Hillcrest has almost no depth.
-- Posted by sideline starter on Wed, Feb 23, 2011, at 9:08 AM
starter,
I just read the thread on the "other forum." Someone just said it was Dorial. The facts seems kind of fuzzy now.....
-- Posted by Rocket689 on Wed, Feb 23, 2011, at 9:15 AM
Rocket, I just read a story on it out of the Sprinfield News-Leader. That poster on the "other forum" that just posted I believe is mistaken. Austin Petry has a bad illness, Darnell is out with injury, and Dorial has that splint.
-- Posted by sideline starter on Wed, Feb 23, 2011, at 9:18 AM
Ok. I didn't know where to look for the story. I just read the post.
-- Posted by Rocket689 on Wed, Feb 23, 2011, at 9:22 AM
Yeah, it isn't looking too good for Hillcrest. Did you see where they were defeated by Camdenton 58-21? Dorial seems to be most of the team, and I've been told they usually only have six players get in if they can help it. I'd say Rogersville pulls that district out.
-- Posted by sideline starter on Wed, Feb 23, 2011, at 9:25 AM
Yeah, I saw the blowout. The score surprised me since they are ranked so high. I don't know much at all about that district, but it sure looks like Rogersville might pull that one out.
-- Posted by Rocket689 on Wed, Feb 23, 2011, at 9:32 AM
Just found out why Darnell is out. The poor kid has been diagnosed with leukemia. That is a shame and hopefully he can fight and win this battle.
-- Posted by sideline starter on Wed, Feb 23, 2011, at 10:11 AM
Oh my gosh! One of the posters on the "other forum" said that he needed our prayers. Suddenly basketball seems a little trivial now. I certainly wish the best for him and his family.
-- Posted by Rocket689 on Wed, Feb 23, 2011, at 10:23 AM
Man that just kills you to hear stuff like that..
I can't imagine what his brothers going through either..
Basketball's probably on the back burner for now, family comes first
-- Posted by Dustin Ruby on Wed, Feb 23, 2011, at 10:54 AM
Cape defeats Northwest 74-34 and Bluff and Jackson are tied at the half.
-- Posted by sideline starter on Wed, Feb 23, 2011, at 7:59 PM
what is the score now?
-- Posted by PBMuleFan on Wed, Feb 23, 2011, at 8:46 PM
Jackson defeats Bluff 62-49 setting up Cape-Jackson Round 3 as Cape looks to win their first district title since 1997 against their biggest rival.
-- Posted by sideline starter on Wed, Feb 23, 2011, at 8:47 PM
how did white do?
-- Posted by PBMuleFan on Wed, Feb 23, 2011, at 8:48 PM
Jake played but wasn't real effective he just didn't have any legs or stamina wasn't very explosive but if he wouldn't have played we would have lost by alot more.
-- Posted by BIGELW on Thu, Feb 24, 2011, at 7:14 AM
The cape-jackson game was probably the dirtiest game I have watched this year. Very surprised that nobody was given a technical.
-- Posted by BB-BORE on Fri, Feb 25, 2011, at 10:00 PM
Cape and Sikeston both won
-- Posted by cttigers on Fri, Feb 25, 2011, at 10:28 PM
Crader how are you going delete my comment. You know it's true.
-- Posted by ctjungle11 on Fri, Feb 25, 2011, at 10:31 PM
cape 56 jackson 42 sikeston 66 notre dame 52 and that game was very close until the very end!
-- Posted by TFA on Fri, Feb 25, 2011, at 10:44 PM
cape 56 jackson 42 sikeston 66 notre dame 52 and that game was very close until the very end!
-- Posted by TFA on Fri, Feb 25, 2011, at 10:44 PM
Sikeston 66 ND 52
Cape 46 Jackson 32
-- Posted by mandm96 on Fri, Feb 25, 2011, at 10:46 PM
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It is time for District 1 in Classes 4 and 5 to decide who their top teams are with district tournaments at Dexter and Cape respectively. We know that Sikeston has the top seed in Class 4 followed by Dexter, Notre Dame, Perryville, Fredericktown, and Ste. Genevieve. In Class 5, Cape has the top seed followed by Poplar Bluff, Jackson, and two scrubs with no chance.
Class 4: With an undefeated record and wins over every team in the district, Sikeston is the clear favorite. The Bulldogs have tired teams out all season playing close for spells before causing second half chaos. I'd say they do the same to Perryville in the first semi-final game riding a blowout to the finals. The other match-up is where things get interesting. Dexter will be playing Notre Dame barring an upset of epic proportions. These two have split their season series, Notre Dame winning at the conference tourney in December but Dexter getting the regular season win at ND in January. The Bearcats have homecourt and haven't been to the finals of the district tournament since 2005. Their star player Flannigan has played great at points this year though the team has been erratic, winning over Notre Dame but losing to lesser teams such as New Madrid. Notre Dame is making one last attempt at getting their star Jacob Tolbert a district title. As a team that many wrote off early, the Blue Dogs have been riding under the radar for most of the second half of the season. I think that ND has one last run in them taking out the Bearcats and crushing the dreams of Dexter fans having their home team in the district finals. For the finals, it is time for another Sikeston vs. Notre Dame classic. ND played Sikeston closer than any other team in the state of Missouri this season exposing early on a potential flaw in the Red Dogs of playing lazily when they have a lead late. However, exposing this flaw just before Christmas may have been what Sikeston needed as they came out afterward with a fire and a desire to lay the knockout blow. Anything can happen come districts, but I see Sikeston getting the three-peat in a fifteen point win.
Class 5: Cape Central has established themselves as SEMO's Class 5 team to beat. Though they took a close loss to Jackson in December before the debut of SEMO's most discussed player Curtis Branch, the Tigers have taken down both of their major district rivals in the past few weeks defeating Jackson by 18 and Poplar Bluff by ten. Since Cape has a virtually guaranteed spot in the finals, the other semi-final showdown will be where the action lies. The x-factor in the Jackson vs. Poplar Bluff game will be the health of Bluff's premiere player, Jake White. If White is back and in form, the Mules should be able to pull out a 10-15 point victory. If he is not up to snuff, then the Jackson Indians will return to the finals to defend their title. From what I have been hearing from Poplar Bluff folks, White will be a gametime decision which I believe even if he is back, won't be enough to get over the great size that Jackson has. Thus, the final will be another chapter in one of the most heated rivalries in Southeast Missouri between Jackson and Cape. I think this is the year of the Tigers as they will end their district drought and win their first title since I believe the nineties. Their speed and skilled guards will be too much for Jackson.
So it is going to be Sikeston and Cape going on to the state tournaments in their respective classes. What do you all think? Let the discussion begin.
Replies (53)