In girls’ basketball action, the Jackson Lady Indians started the night with a commanding 85 to 44 victory over Kennett. Jackson’s full-court press overwhelmed the Lady Indians, and Coach Angela Fulton’s squad continues to prove why they are one of the top teams in Southeast Missouri. In other action, the Hayti Lady Indians rolled past Southland with a decisive 77 to 50 win, showcasing their offensive firepower. Over in Perryville, it was a nail-biter as the Lady Pirates edged out Scott City, 56 to 54, behind a massive performance from Abygail Amberger, who poured in 31 points to lead her team. Meanwhile, in the Chaffee Invitational Tournament, Coach Ken Elfrink’s young Chaffee Lady Red Devils squad continued to impress, pulling off a gritty 48 to 40 win over Sikeston in the semifinals. Chaffee’s defense made the difference, and they’re showing plenty of promise early in the season. In the other semifinal matchup, the Delta Ladycats secured a 64 to 52 victory over the Woodland Lady Cardinals. Delta relied on their up-tempo offense and strong second-half performance to advance to the championship. Thursday night will feature Delta and Chaffee squaring off for the tournament championship in what promises to be a thrilling matchup.
Switching over to the boys’ action at the SEMO Conference Tournament, Dexter edged Kennett 55 to 52 in the 8 versus 9 seed matchup. The Bearcats move on to face the top-seeded, heavily favored Sikeston Bulldogs in the next round. In the 7 versus 10 seed matchup, New Madrid County Central nearly pulled off the upset against the Jackson Indians. The game came down to the last shot, but Jackson managed to hold on and pull out the 43 to 39 win, advancing to the next round. And in the final game of the night, Coach Lamont Frazier made his return to Southeast Missouri. The former Charleston great is now the head coach at Cape Central. The Tigers faced Frazier’s alma mater, the Charleston Bluejays, and it was a great game. The Tigers managed to hold off Charleston by a final score of 62 to 56. Charleston, dropping down from Class 3 to Class 2 this season for the first time ever, showed that they are likely to be a powerhouse against smaller schools based on their strong performance.