High School Basketball

Dexter rallies past Naylor for Twin Rivers title (12/23/07)
Lady Bearcats wear down Naylor in fourth quarter for second straight championship in Twin Rivers Lady Royals Holiday Classic

Dexter beats Kelly to reach Twin Rivers tournament final (12/21/07)
Bearcats will play Naylor; Kelly to face Portageville for third; NMCC plays for ninth

Basketball: It's not just a winter sport anymore (07/02/08)
Teams use summer to polish up their skills

Catching up with: Fred Johnson (07/01/08)
'Once a Raider, always a Raider'

Sarah Ruff will play softball at TRCC (07/01/08)
Kelly standout will play softball, may play basketball

Three dimensional: Jones named Athlete of the Year (06/30/08)
East Prairie senior Tony Jones led Eagles in football, basketball and track to earn Sikeston Standard Democrat honor.

Dowdy takes charge at Advance (06/22/08)
The summer off season has brought about a high school coaching change in Stoddard County, but it won't require a major revamping of sideline apparel. Josh Dowdy has traded in his Puxico orange and black for the same colors at his new positions at Advance High School. Only the Puxico Indian logo will need to be replaced with Advance's Hornet...

Catching up with: Chad Allen (06/17/08)
By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer The 2007-08 basketball season brought more than one change for Chad Allen. Besides leaving Puxico for Dexter, Allen switched from coaching boys to coaching girls. As it turned out, the transition couldn't have gone much more smoothly...

Johnson to play two sports at Williams Baptist (05/19/08)
By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer There are many multiple-sport athletes in high school but rarely do athletes play more than one sport in college. Twin River's Briana Johnson is an exception. Johnson recently signed to play basketball and volleyball at Williams Baptist in Walnut Ridge, Ark...

TRCC signs Portageville's Penn (05/14/08)
By Alex Abate ~ DAR POPLAR BLUFF -- Kellye Penn knows what it takes to win. She led Portageville to its first district title in 20 years this past season and is looking to take her winning to another level. She recently signed to play basketball at Three Rivers Community College, the same place her mother, then Susan Spencer, played in 1981-82...

Wilson twins choose different colleges (05/08/08)
Doniphan's Charles Wilson recently signed his letter of intent to play at Williams Baptist while Chandler Wilson signed with Iowa Wesleyan.

Semoball High 5 basketball teams (05/06/08)
Check out the stories and video of the top five boys and top five girls players in Southeast Missouri for 2007-08.

SEMOBALL 5 BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM (05/02/08)
The five players selected for the Semoball 5 team, which includes players from all classes (Click on players' names to read more, see video interviews): G -- Jake Leet, Jackson, 6-3, senior G -- Nick Niemczyk, Bell City, 6-1, senior F -- Drew Thomas, Scott County Central, 6-0, junior...

Drew Thomas, Scott County Central (05/02/08)
Junior 6-0, guard

Michael Porter, Sikeston (05/02/08)
Junior 6-6, forward

Ryan Willen, Notre Dame (05/02/08)
Senior 6-8, center

Nick Niemczyk, Bell City (05/02/08)
Senior 6-1, guard

Jake Leet, Jackson (05/02/08)
Senior 6-3, guard

SEMOBALL 5 GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM (05/02/08)
The five players selected for the Semoball 5 team, which includes players from all classes (Click on players' names to read more, see video interviews): G -- Hailee Deckard, Naylor, 5-10, senior G -- Sara Woodgeard, Greenville, 5-10, senior G -- Katelyn Heil, Dexter, 5-10, junior...

Sara Woodgeard, Greenville (05/02/08)
Senior 5-10, guard

Hailee Deckard, Naylor (05/02/08)
Senior 5-10, guard

Katelyn Heil, Dexter (05/02/08)
Junior 5-10, guard/forward

Jane Morrill, Notre Dame (05/02/08)
Sophomore 6-0, center

Aereill Davis, Poplar Bluff (05/02/08)
Senior 5-6, guard

Raiders pick up Jamarcus Williams (04/25/08)
The Charleston grad is transferring from UT-Martin's football program to play basketball at Three Rivers.

Blackwell to play at MUST in Rolla (04/18/08)
By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer DONIPHAN -- Doniphan's Jaysa Blackwell has always wanted to play college basketball and now she has the chance to do so. Blackwell signed her letter of intent to play basketball for Missouri Universirty of Science and Technology, formerly University of Missouri-Rolla, Thursday afternoon at Doniphan High School...

Lady Raiders sign Ferguson for softball (04/15/08)
By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer Poplar Bluff standout Stefanie Ferguson has been a good leadoff hitter for the Lady Mules over the past four seasons and now she is ready to step into a new batter's box. Ferguson signed her letter of intent Tuesday to play softball at Three Rivers Community College next season...

Bell City's Niemczyk follows father's footsteps to TRCC (04/15/08)
By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer Nick Niemczyk is glad to be following in his father's footsteps. Nick's father, Pat, played for Three Rivers' national championship team in 1979 and this past Friday, Nick signed his letter of intent to continue his basketball career with the Raiders...

Blue will take on new role at Three Rivers (04/11/08)
Twin Rivers guard will stay close to home to play basketball.

It's official: TRCC lands Woodgeard (04/09/08)
By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer GREENVILLE -- Sara Woodgeard has had to wait over a month, but she can now breathe a small sigh of relief. After verbally committing to play basketball at Three Rivers in late February, Woodgeard signed her letter of intent Tuesday to play for the Lady Raiders next season...

Hall of Famer steals awards show (04/06/08)
By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer Lou Brock's message to the high school athletes gathered at the B.A. Sports All-Star Gala on Saturday was simple: "Nobody can do it better than you." The baseball Hall-of-Famer and former St. Louis Cardinal covered several topics and told more than a few stories of his experiences in professional baseball, but he always came back to how each individual must take responsibility for his own success...

Up-in-the-air senior makes pitch (04/06/08)
By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer Van Buren's Brandon Tucker was honored to be part of the B.A. Sports All-Star Extravaganza on Saturday afternoon, but the soon-to-be high school graduate also wants to cement some plans for the future. Tucker would like to play college basketball but doesn't have anything nailed down. He is hoping to try out for Three Rivers or possibly College of the Ozarks in the near future...

Coaches all-state team includes Porter, Penn and others (03/30/08)
Six local players recognized by state basketball coaches

Doniphan players lead OFC selections (03/27/08)
DAR Staff The All-Ozark Foothills Conference was led by three Dons and a pair of Lady Eagles. Charles Wilson, Chandler Wilson and Tyler Collins led Doniphan to the OFC title while coach Jason Andrews was named Coach of the Year. Clearwater, Naylor and Twin Rivers each placed two players on the team. Luke Hillis and Kyle Randolph qualified from Clearwater, while Eagles Travis Thomas and Caleb Johnson and Royals Kenny Johnson and Dylan Stockton were also honored...

Greenville senior Sara Woodgeard makes all-state again (03/27/08)
By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer Sara Woodgeard sat glued to a chair, watching her teammates run and down the floor and make up all the plays. Now she is the one everyone is watching. Back in sixth grade, Woodgeard sat the bench, but now she has just finished her Greenville basketball career and was recently named to the Class 3 All-State squad for the third time...

Hailee Deckard earns all-state honors (03/27/08)
By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer Naylor's Hailee Deckard capped off an outstanding high school career with a spot on the Class 2 All-State basketball team for a third straight season. The point guard averaged a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds a game and displayed a balanced game that also accounted for 8 assists and 4 steals per game as she led the Lady Eagles to the quarterfinal round of the MSHSAA Class 2 playoffs...

All-state team released (03/26/08)
Eight local players honored by Missouri sports writers.

Semoball High 5 FINAL BASKETBALL rankings (03/26/08)
BOYS 1. (tie). Notre Dame (24-6) ... Class 4 state champions with wins over Lincoln Prep and St. Charles West. Last ranking: 1 (tie). 1 (tie). Jackson (20-8) ... Indians won a Class 5 district championship and their season-ending loss was against the eventual state champion. Last ranking: 1 (tie)...

Southeast Missouri all-region team (03/26/08)
Southeast Missouri All-Region BOYS Class 5 First team Jake Leet, Jackson Spencer Goodman, Jackson Hunter Grantham, Jackson Jay Raulston, Poplar Bluff Jajuan Bell, Cape Central Coach of the year -- Darrin Scott, Jackson Class 4 First team Ryan Willen, Notre Dame...

ALL-STATE BASKETBALL and FINAL POLLS (03/26/08)
Missouri all-state high school basketball teams, from the Missouri Sportwriters and Sportscasters Association, and final rankings, for classes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. CLASS 5 BOYS First Team Dusty Allen, 6-5, sr., Kickapoo Jordan Dressler, 6-8, jr., Rock Bridge...

The All-Standard Democrat basketball teams (03/24/08)
The 2007-2008 All-Standard Democrat Basketball Team is a collection of the top basketball players in the Standard Democrat coverage area. Teams were selected by David Jenkins, Josh Mills, Andrew Powell and Chris Pobst. Teams in our coverage area include: Sikeston, Charleston, Dexter, East Prairie, Kelly, Oran, Portageville, Richland and Scott County Central. Photos were taken by David Jenkins...

Heil's record-breaking season leads Dexter (03/24/08)
The junior averaged 18.4 points per game en route to Standard Democrat girls basketball player of the year honors.

Sikeston's Porter makes presence felt (03/24/08)
The 6-foot-5 junior is the Standard Democrat player of the year in boys basketball.

SEMO Conference players honored for achievements (03/20/08)
By Brad Hurt ~ SEMO News Service POPLAR BLUFF -- Some of the best coaches and players in Southeast Missouri shared the spotlight Wednesday night as representatives from the member teams of the SEMO Conference gathered in the student center of Poplar Bluff High School for the 50th annual Poplar Bluff Letter Club Basketball Banquet...

Cookson to return to Scott County Central (03/19/08)
By Chris Pobst ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- After the Scott County Central Braves came back from Columbia with a third-place finish in the 2008 MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown last week, there were many who didn't know for sure if the head coach for the Braves would be back on the sidelines for next season or not...

Scott County Central loses thriller to Jefferson (03/14/08)
By Chris Pobst ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com COLUMBIA -- It was one of the most anticipated match-ups throughout the 2008 MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown. It was one of the most anticipated matchups throughout Class 1. It was even one of the most anticipated match-ups throughout the state of Missouri...

NMCC's season ends at hands of the Blue Devils (03/10/08)
Eagles rally late but are unable to overcome deficit

Two more to go: Braves heading to Columbia (03/10/08)
By Chris Pobst ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com WEST PLAINS -- It seems that the Scott County Central Braves (27-2) have made a habit of opening the first quarter with a very quick lead throughout the season. At the West Plains Civic Center on Saturday, the Braves did just that to put away the Chadwick Cardinals, 98-73, in the Class 1 quarterfinal round to advance to their first final four appearance since 1994...

Seniors lead teams in playoff runs (03/09/08)
By ALEX ABATE ~ Sports Writer FARMINGTON -- Naylor's Hailee Deckard and Greenville's Sara Woodgeard have had some great battles over recent seasons. However, both players' careers came to an end Saturday afternoon as their respective teams fell in the MSHSAA quarterfinals at the Farmington Civic Center...