Dexter GBB has up-and-down performance in loss to Knights

Dexter High School sophomore forward Mauriona Menley handles the ball against defensive pressure from Farmington on Thursday at the Bearcat Event Center.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

DEXTER – The Dexter High School girls basketball squad has won five of its 11 games this season, which means it has lost six of those contests. That up-and-down performance was on full display Thursday in the Bearcats’ 72-45 loss to Farmington in the Bearcat Event Center.

For three quarters of the game, the Bearcats battled the Knights (8-4) closely, trailing in those periods just 45-39. However, in the second quarter, the visitors tore off for a 27-6 advantage and the game was never in doubt following halftime.

“The pace of play of what they were playing at,” veteran Dexter coach Eric Sitze said following the loss, “versus what we were playing at, we didn’t match that.”

The Knights picked up their swarming defense and the inexperienced Bearcats wilted under the pressure. Not only could the hosts not score the ball, but they had difficulty even getting shot attempts because they continually turned the ball over just one or two passes into many of the possessions.

“We haven’t seen that (pressure) in a while,” Sitze continued. “Probably since the SEMO Conference Tournament. We haven’t seen that pace of play.”

While Farmington was wreaking havoc defensively, it also was clicking offensively. In that second period, Farmington connected on seven three-pointers.

“We adjusted in the second half a lot better,” Sitze said of his team’s defense. “We did switch defenses a little bit and didn’t give them so many open looks on the 3-point line.”

The Knights hit just one three-pointer in the second half, as Dexter matched them offensively with 24 points each.

A big positive for Dexter in the second half was the physical play of sophomore forward Mauriona Menley.

The 6-foot athlete got to the free throw line eight times following halftime and hit six of those shots.

Menley, who missed several games earlier this season with an ankle injury, finished with 13 points.

“She gives us another scorer,” Sitze said of Menley’s presence, “another rebounder. She’s good length on defense inside.

“She has really helped us in those areas.”

Bearcat senior guard Kate Nichols also became aggressive offensively following the intermission.

Nichols paced Dexter with 19 points, 12 of which came after the break.

“Toward the end,” Sitze said, “we adjusted some things on offense a little bit, which got (Nichols) a few better looks.”

The Bearcats got a couple of 3-pointers each from senior Kenady Krapf and sophomore Brooklyn Goodman, as well offensively.

The defeat was the third in four games for Dexter, which had snapped a two-game skid with a recent 41-38 win over Twin Rivers.

That victory over the Royals followed a 54-39 loss to the same team just 11 days earlier.

“We kept our two bigs (Menley and senior center Febe Worley) out of foul trouble,” Sitze said of the win over Twin Rivers, as opposed to the earlier defeat. “And then we shot free throws. We hit 12 of 13 (from the line) and they were one of 12.”

Dexter will travel to SEMO Conference foe Kennett (6-5) on Monday at 7:30 p.m.

The Bearcats nipped the Indians 58-55 to open their season in the SEMO Conference Tournament, as well as took part in the Kennett Jamboree back in November.