Sikeston smashes records, dominates Cape Central for SEMO Conference Title

Sikeston celebrates winning the 2024 SEMO Conference Tournament at the Field House on Friday, Dec. 13.

Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat

SIKESTON — Sikeston didn’t just win the SEMO Conference Championship on Friday — it left no doubt about which program owns the tournament.

With a 90-52 win over Cape Central, the Bulldogs (6-0) set records for the most points scored and the largest margin of victory in a title game. The win marked a second consecutive championship and 10th overall, more than the combined total of the rest of the teams in the conference. 

“We found our rhythm tonight,” said Sikeston coach Gregg Holifield. “The energy was contagious, and everything just clicked. Our aggressive play on both offense and defense really started to pay off. It was like a domino effect – the guys really started to feed off each other and we got tougher down the stretch.”

The dominance extends beyond the lopsided matchup with the Tigers (4-2). Over the course of the tournament, Sikeston had a 35-point average margin of victory, matching the record set by last year’s title-winning squad for the largest in tournament history. 

The Bulldogs’ long history of dominating the tournament includes winning nine of their 10 championships by an average of more than 20 points per game. 

Charleston's 18-point average in its 2006 title run is the highest margin of victory achieved by any other champion.

From the opening tip to the final buzzer, Sikeston put its stamp on the game with relentless pressure and highlight-worthy plays. 

The Bulldogs were powered by a stellar showing from PJ Farmer, who finished with a game-high 25 points on 12-of-17 shooting. He added five rebounds, four steals, three assists and a block in a display that left the Tigers with no answers. 

“We’re all feeling good because that’s our biggest rival,” Farmer said. “We came out with the right mentally and physically. We kind of got beat up on the boards a little bit, but second half, we for sure picked it up. The results speak for themselves. We’ll probably see them again in the district championship. It’s good that we set the tone this early in the season.”

Right out the gate, Farmer imposed his will, rejecting a shot on the opening possession before swiping a steal and cashing in for the first points of the game. 

The intensity didn’t let up from there, as Chris Artis Jr. picked off a pass and converted a pair of free throws to make it 10-2. 

Cape Central briefly showed some life, cutting the lead to 12-7 behind a 3-pointer from Jaidyn Johnson, but Sikeston answered with a dominant burst. 

Farmer glided through the defense for a soft-touch floater along the baseline, then set up Lekereon McCray with a perfect feed for a quick bucket in the paint. 

Moments later, Artis Jr. exploded alongside the end line for a rim-rocking dunk that pushed the lead to double digits and forced the Tigers to take a timeout.  

The Bulldogs ended the first quarter firmly in command, 26-16, after Farmer floated a pinpoint alley-oop to Trace Sadler for a high-flying finish. 

Seconds later, Sadler returned the favor, snatching a steal and finding Farmer streaking down the court for a smooth transition layup. 

Cape Central hung tough in the opening minutes of the second quarter, trading a few buckets with Sikeston, but the Bulldogs’ depth, confidence and firepower quickly tipped the scales.

Marquel Murray drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 40-23, leading to another Tigers’ timeout.

Sadler then provided one of the night’s top highlights, hammering down a punishing and savage dunk over a defender that gave Sikeston a 47-31 lead at the break.

“We just have to keep working on everything,” Sadler said. “Our success is going to come down to playing with pace, leadership and communication. We also have to stay consistent with our efforts at practice.”

Cape Central came out swinging to start the second half, scoring six straight points to narrow the gap to 47-37 and momentarily hint at a comeback. 

“The first three minutes of the second half, in close games, is one of the most important parts of the game and we just didn’t play well or have the right mindset,” Holifield said. “But you have to live and learn from those mistakes. That has to be corrected.”

Farmer quickly silenced those hopes with a putback dunk that snapped Sikeston out of its slump. 

From there, the Bulldogs erupted, increasing the lead to 20 points after seven straight points from Farmer. 

When the smoke settled, Sikeston had closed the third quarter on a 25-5 run, extending the lead to 73-41 and triggering the running-clock mercy rule heading into the fourth quarter. 

“They understood we weren’t playing well and they took it to a different level,” Holifield said. 

The final period was little more than a formality, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Marcus Sanders Jr. that pushed the margin to 40 points. 

Cape Central managed to edge Sikeston in rebounding, 32-26, but it did little to slow the efficient offense as the Bulldogs shot a blistering 61 percent (37-of-61) from the field.

Murray chipped in 13 points on an efficient 5-of-6 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, while contributing five steals, four assists, and four rebounds. Tristan Wiggins added 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting, pulling down four rebounds and dishing out an assist. 

“Murray did some great things and got us going,” Holifield said. “Wiggins was aggressive and tough. He did a great job being a leader.”

Sadler finished with eight points on 4-of-5 shooting, grabbing three rebounds, snagging two steals, and blocking a shot.

“People play tough and physical against [Sadler] and he’s getting better every day,” Holifield said. “He had an aggressive mindset tonight and did some really good things. I’m very proud of his effort.”

Artis Jr. was perfect from the field, scoring eight points on 2-of-2 shooting, while also contributing a steal. McCray was active all over the floor, finishing with six points, five assists, three steals, and three rebounds.

“You have to credit McCray and Artis as well,” Holifeld said. “This team plays with incredible chemistry and they feed off each other.”

Malachi Davis scored seven points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting, adding three rebounds to the effort, while Kobe Thomas may have only scored three points but also had six assists and three steals.

“It’s all about the team,” Holifield said. “Kobe Thomas had a great game. He was really tough and consistent, but as a team, all of our guys played well together.”

Sikeston returns to action on Friday, Dec. 20, hosting Notre Dame (2-3) at the Field House. 

“We have to get better and we know that,” Holifield concluded. “Cape Central is a very good team, and things just kind of snowballed tonight. It’s part of it. With our style that sometimes happens. But we have a ton of respect for [Tigers’ coach Lamont] Frazier and the entire staff and team. We know that next time we play them it is going to be tough. We understand that and will continue to work to get better.”

Cape Central will travel to Farmington (5-0) on Thursday, Dec. 19. 

SIKESTON 90, CAPE CENTRAL 52

Cape Central (52) — Mar’K Mills 14, TySeanDre’ Edwards 14, Jaidyn Johnson 7, Landrick McFerren 5, Goliath Morris-Young 5, Antonio Sims 4, Deshawn Sims 2, Matayo Rivers 1. FG: 16. FT: 14-17. F: 156. (3-pointers: Mills 2, Johnson 2, McFerren 1, Edwards 1. Fouled out: Rivers.)

Sikeston (90) — PJ Farmer 25, Marquel Murray 13, Tristan Wiggins 11, Trace Sadler 8, Chris Artis 8, Malachi Davis 7, Lekereon McCray 6, Marcus Sanders Jr. 5, Jaharus Goodwin 4, Kobe Thomas 3. FG: 37-62. FT: 11-15. F: 21. (3-pointers: Murray 3, Davis 1, Sanders Jr. 1. Fouled out: None.)