Sikeston boys basketball team survives Class 4 Sectional against Hillsboro 57-56

Sikeston's Fred Thatch is fouled by Hillsboro's Tyler Isaacson in a Class 4 sectional Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at the Farmington Civic Center in Farmington, Mo. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)

FARMINGTON, Mo. – Parker Long grabbed the ball and held on for dear life.

It was the only thing the Sikeston junior had on his mind with the clock ticking away and Hillsboro looking prime to steal a win.

Hillsboro's Isaiah Martin took a pass in the paint, eyed the rim above him and settled in for the winning shot. But Long ripped the ball away and fell out of bounds with under two seconds to go.

It was a season-saving play from Long that kept the Bulldogs out in front as Hillsboro's next game-winning attempt fell short.

"I knew that we had to stop them," Long said. "If they got a shot close to the basket they were most likely going to win. They got it in the paint and I just got it in my mind to snatch it."

Sikeston's Parker Long drives past Hillsboro's Benjamin Lampkins in a Class 4 sectional Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at the Farmington Civic Center in Farmington, Mo. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)

Long's stop and a slew of big baskets from standout Fred Thatch allowed Sikeston to sneak away from the Farmington Civic Center with a 57-56 win over Hillsboro on Tuesday during a Class 4 Sectional in Farmington, Mo.

Sikeston will play St. Mary's on Saturday during a Class 4 Quarterfinal at Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Mo., for a chance to reach the state tournament for the second time in three seasons.

Thatch led all scorers with 29 points, six rebounds, five assists and a steal. The St. Louis University signee scored all but two of his team's 12 fourth-quarter points when the Hawks continually threatened to cut Sikeston's season short.

As the many Sikeston fans who were caught holding their breath towards the end could attest, Tuesday night was no cakewalk for the top-ranked team in Class 4.

Sikeston (26-2) had to withstand a furious rally by the Hawks in the third and a fourth-quarter deficit. It's the second time in a row Sikeston has had to beat back Hillsboro in the second half after getting by the Hawks during last year's sectional, 70-56.

"I knew they would play great because we played them last year and it was a difficult game," Sikeston head coach Gregg Holifield said. "It's a tough game. I think they're a tremendous team. They've won 50 games in the last two seasons with these guys and they have tremendous size. They're well-coached and hard to go against."

Hillsboro (24-5) gave Sikeston their biggest scare of the season in the fourth after doing something most teams haven't against the Bulldogs.

The Hawks turned around a nine-point Sikeston lead after halftime with a dominating third quarter where they outscored the Bulldogs 25-12. Hillsboro shot 9 for 12 from the floor, which included 4 for 6 from 3-point range. Gaven Pinkley, Hillsboro's leading scorer who stands at 6-8, drained a 3 to end the frame and cap a 10-2 run to put the Hawks ahead 50-45 going into the fourth.

"When we were able to execute and not get in a hurry we were getting good looks," Hillsboro head coach Daniel Johnson said. "We weren't in panic mode, only down eight points, but we talked about how it should be a closer game. As long as we didn't get in a hurry, we'd be able to get open looks and that's what we did in the third. Our guys started knocking down those looks and got a little bit of momentum and got right back in the game."

Sikeston's Fred Thatch shoots around Hillsboro's Gaven Pinkley in a Class 4 sectional Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at the Farmington Civic Center in Farmington, Mo. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)

Hillsboro led for the first four and a half minutes of the fourth. That is, until Thatch's eyes were widened and the ball started to find his hands every trip. He scored Sikeston's last six points to put his team ahead for good.

"I just lock in and focus on a certain situation or a certain play," Thatch said. "I told myself I was either going to score the ball or they were going to foul me. One of the two... Something just took over and I didn't want to lose the game. If we lose, you know I went down fighting."

The Sikeston senior buried a 3 to put the Bulldogs up 54-53 at the 3:05 mark.

He bullied a ball away from Pinkley moments later, got fouled on the other end and sank both free throws to extend Sikeston's lead to 56-53.

Thatch's final heroic deed ended at the free throw line after again muscling his way to the basket where he hit one of two free throws with 59 seconds left to make it 57-54.

"He's the best player I've ever played with in high school basketball," Long said. "Best player I've ever seen."

The Sikeston bench watches in the final seconds of the Bulldogs' Class 4 sectional win Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at the Farmington Civic Center in Farmington, Mo. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)

Hillsboro didn't go away quietly, however. They pulled within one after Martin found himself in trouble under the basket and flung it high off the glass for two with 31 seconds left.

The Hawks had three chances to go ahead in the final 10 seconds.

They threw the ball away on an inbounds pass on their first attempt.

After a missed free throw from Don Larry, Hillsboro raced down the floor and found Martin under the basket again. Only this time Long was there to snatch it away. Though Long fell out of bounds on the play, his stop with two seconds to play certainly gave Sikeston hope to hold on.

"He's as tough as it gets," Holifield said about Long. "He brings so much to our team."

After Long's steal, Hillsboro was left with a long 3-point attempt that fell way short as time expired.

"I told by teammates [Hillsboro] wasn't going away easily. This is nothing new for them," Thatch said. "... They weren't making shots earlier, but I knew they would start. It's basketball and it's a game of runs. We just needed to keep our composure and I felt we did that. That was big time for us to do that."

Hillsboro's size was Sikeston's biggest villain. With a lineup of 6-8, 6-5, 6-4 and 6-3 roaming the court at all times for the Hawks, the Bulldogs' press was ineffective and their chances at the rim were thwarted. But they still led by eight at halftime.

"We couldn't get our easy buckets that we usually get on the inside," Thatch said. "We kind of had to rely on shooting 3-pointers and pulling up in the mid-range. I tried to tell my players that, because I watch a lot of film, and last year we'd go in and they just pounded us, packing it in and blocking all our shots. We tried to limit that and pick our spots when we're going to attack."

A back and forth first quarter gave way to an 8-2 run by Sikeston to put them ahead by one. The Bulldogs opened the second with a 9-2 run that eventually led to a 31-21 lead after a pull-up jumper by Kevin Jones with 2:17 to play.

Their defense was just as effective, holding Hillsboro to just 1 of 4 shooting from the floor in the second quarter. Only Pinkley was able to score for the Hawks, who had all eight of his team's points after a field goal and six free throws.

"I thought our defense was very good the first two quarters and the fourth quarter," Holifield said. "It was just the same identical scenario last year. We came out in the third quarter and the same thing happened. I think that has to do with their experience and who they are. They really did a great job of attacking and got the ball where they needed to. We did a poor job of keeping that ball out of the middle."

Sikeston finished shooting 21 for 53 (39 percent) from the floor which included 5 for 21 from 3-point range. They were slightly out-rebounded by the Hawks 26-24.

Hillsboro was 19 for 37 (51 percent) from the field. Pinkley led the Hawks with 20 points and eight rebounds. Martin finished with 13 points.

"We had a chance against a great team like Sikeston to hang in there, take some punches," Johnson said. "Well-deserved victory for those guys. Coach Holifield does a great job with them and they obviously have great players in their program."

The Bulldogs will take on St. Mary's in a battle of state-ranked teams on Saturday. The Dragons took down the two-time defending champions Vashon in another Class 4 Sectional, 83-70. St. Mary's is 27-3 on the season and ranked second in the state.

"All I know is that Vashon beat me two years,' Thatch said. "I don't plan on losing any more this season. They just better be ready. I'm going to be ready. My teammates are going to be ready."

SIKESTON (57) – Trey Jenkins 13, Parker Long 4, Don Larry 2, Fred Thatch 29, Kevin Jones 6, Owen Long 3. FG 21 FT 10-13 F 14. (3-pointers: Thatch 4, O. Long 1. Fouled out: Jenkins.)

HILLSBORO (56) – Benjamin Lampkins 9, Gaven Pinkley 20, Isaiah Martin 13, Michael Brewer 8, Tyler Isaacson 6. FG 19 FT 13-18 F 13. (3-pointers: Lampkins 3, Pinkley 2. Fouled out: Isaacson.)