Prep Basketball: Dragon Boys Register Fourth Straight Victory
Ste. Genevieve’s Aiden Boyer (2) and Nick Plati (1) listen to an official during a recent Ste. Genevieve boys’ basketball game. (Photo by Eric Viccaro/Herald staff)
By ERIC VICCARO
eviccaro@stegenherald.com
KINGSTON — The Ste. Genevieve High School boys’ basketball team won its fourth consecutive game on Tuesday, Dec. 21, downing Kingston, 56-37.
The Dragons played effective defense on talented Cougar center Matthew Nelson, holding him to just six points — well below his season average.
Meanwhile, Ste. Genevieve (6-2) guard Ricky Hunter totaled 20 points, including two 3-pointers and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line.
“Kingston is a very good team,” Ste. Genevieve head coach Robert Coleman said. “They have some good guard play, and the big kid inside did a great job of protecting the rim and made it tough on us to score.”
Nelson couldn’t get anything going on offense because the Dragon post players guarded him closely, and guards helped on the weak side.
Ste. Genevieve was up 11-7 after one quarter, and 22-15 at intermission.
Coleman said the Dragons’ transition game in the second half helped Ste. Genevieve expand its advantage into double figures.
The Dragons outscored the Cougars, 18-10, in the final period for the game’s final differential of 19 points.
Hunter also contributed four rebounds and three steals, and he adjusted to how the referees were officiating the game in the second half.
“Ricky came out in the first quarter, and hit a couple of 3’s,” Coleman explained. “In the second half, his defense was really good, which led to some easy buckets. He did a great job of attacking the basket in the half-court offense.”
Aiden Boyer chipped in with 11 rebounds, including five boards on the offensive glass, to go with two steals and two assists.
Wesley Basler added nine rebounds (four offensive), three assists and two steals. Nick Plati copped a team-best four steals plus he distributed three assists. Thomas O’Brien also had four steals. Both Basler and O’Brien netted eight points.
Kingston fell to 7-2 on the season. Despite that, the Cougars will be a tough team in the Mineral Area Activities Association’s Small School Division.
Kingston won the JV game, 47-37, as Ste. Genevieve dropped to 5-2 overall.
This week
Ste. Genevieve has been seeded sixth for the 66th Annual Bob Sechrest Christmas Tournament, playing Fredericktown at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.
(Editor’s Note: For the complete story and statistics, subscribe to either the print or electronic editions of the Ste. Genevieve Herald. Subscribe: 1-573-883-2222.)
