Dance of the Dragons goes to SGHS

Then slayed by Rebels

By MICHAEL BOYD JR.

HERALD SPORTS EDITOR

PARK HILLS, Mo.  —  Two teams that were sitting atop the conference standings, Ste. Genevieve saw a narrow deficit at intermission get away from them in the second half and therefore left Park Hills with a 67-46 loss Friday (Jan. 20).

to the host Rebels during large-schools divisional boys’ basketball action of the Mineral Area Activities Association.

Central’s two-sport Division I collegiate recruit Jobe Bryant scored torched the T.J. Foulon Fieldhouse floor with 28 points to power the Rebels (15-2, 3-0 MAAA), who won their third straight game.

The game was tied 16-all after one quarter. But Dragons (12-4), who saw their four-game winnings streak snapped, trailed 31-26 at halftime and 51-33 heading into the final frame.

Ricky Hunter had 14 points and three steals, while Aiden Boyer just missed a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.

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Dragons 66, De Soto 51

Senior Ricky Hunter scored a game-high 29 points, aided by his perfection from the charity stripe, and two others added double-doubles to help the host win the “Battle of the Dragons” at SGHS last Tuesday (Jan. 17).

Ste. Genevieve (12-3), which won its fourth straight game shot 48% from the Peggy J. Johnson Memorial Gymnasium floor and were 21 of 26 from the foul line and grabbed 31 total rebounds as head coach Rob Coleman defeated his alma mater for the second time this season.

The host led 19-13 after one quarter, 33-25 at halftime and 51-38 heading into the final frame.

Hunter, who did not score in the fourth quarter, shot 8 for 18 overall with two first quarter trifectas, and scored 11 of his points in the third quarter alone. He was 11 for 11 from the free-throw line and had four assists, four rebounds and three steals.

Aiden Boyer finished with a double-double as he added 15 points  —  14 in the first half and 10 in the first frame  —  on 5 of 10 shooting, grabbed 15 rebounds plus had five steals and blocked a shot.

Kaden Flye also had a double-double with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting, 11 rebounds and two assists.

Zach Henderson had five points with a trey, while Alex Basler had three assists. The Dragons had 31 rebounds total.

Dominique Born had 10 points for De Soto (5-13), while Cole McClinton, Aidyn Mitchell and Nick Sampson each had nine points.

The Dragons defeated De Soto in both teams’ season opener on Nov. 28 during the first round of De Soto’s Fountain City Classic tournament.

NEXT

The Dragons visit the St. Vincent Indians at 5 p.m. Tuesday (Jan. 24), then host the Potosi Trojans at 6 p.m. Friday (Jan. 27).