Basketball

KENNETT – Throughout his highly successful athletic career, Kennett High School senior Tanner Duncan has faced a lot of challenges.

The new Southeast Missouri Preparatory school — formed by former Portageville basketball standout and SEMO basketball star Roy Booker — announced the release of its men’s basketball schedule and the rosters for “both” teams the school will utilize during the 2021-22 basketball season...

The New Madrid County Central boys basketball team will see some of the best high school teams in the country when they take part in the 2022 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions. Springfield Public Schools announced Monday that NMCC will replace Chaminade in the prestigious tournament. One of the teams in the tournament will be Sierra Canyon, featuring Bronny James, son of LeBron James...

There are few businesses anywhere in the world that haven’t had to think differently over the past couple of years in this ever-changing environment that we are all immersed in, more than likely, forever. And Semoball.com is not immune to that. The website devoted to providing sports fans thorough coverage of sports throughout Southeast Missouri is still going to make that its mission on a daily basis, however, the internal pieces are going to be doing some shifting moving forward.

People in and around the Bootheel know the last name Booker very well, especially in Portageville. Two ex-Bulldogs come to mind, as Roy Booker, and his older uncle, Jamie, were local high school basketball stars who took their games to both the college and professional levels. The prior Booker had a stellar 13-plus year career playing professionally overseas.

Former Scott County Central basketball player Otto Porter Jr. has signed a veteran minimum contract with the Golden State Warriors, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports first reported. Details of Porter’s contract weren’t immediately available, but the minimum salary for a player with eight years of experience in the NBA is $2.39 million, according to Sportrac...

2021 Campbell graduate Blake Fowler is spending his fair share of time in a gymnasium this summer before he departs to play basketball at Central Methodist University. “Sometimes I work for my grandparents every now and then,” Fowler said. “But my main job right now is to prepare to play basketball. Me and my dad work out every day of the week. Four days a week I lift and shoot about 1,000 shots a day. I’m treating basketball as my job right now since I’ve received a scholarship to play it.”...

Prior to the MSHSAA Class 4 Boy’s Soccer state championship game last November in Springfield, Jackson senior goalkeeper Luke Mirly wasn’t exactly feeling great.

Iconic Portageville High School boy’s basketball coach Jim Bidewell has submitted his place in Missouri basketball history.

The Semoball Cup is presented to the school with the most successful season based on a formula that takes into account the combined winning percentage of all sports teams (WIN) plus bonus points for advancement in postseason play for both teams (POST) and individuals (IND). The bonus points are divided by the number of teams a school fields. Here are the standings with previous rankings from 2020:...

Caleb LeGrand finished his basketball career this spring at Notre Dame as the Bulldogs’ most prolific shot-blocker ever.

The Kennett Indians boys basketball program began the process of breaking in some new talent at its own two-day shootout last week. “Our personal has changed a little bit as we are beginning to incorporate some of our freshmen,” Kennett second-year head coach Corbin Clark said. “I don’t think we will have as much size as we had last season after graduating Michah from our front court. But I think top to bottom we are going to be a little more athletic and a little deeper.”...

Notre Dame junior Lexi Rubel had an emphatic ending to her penultimate season, breaking 1,000 career points in the Bulldogs’ final game. In addition to her career-points milestone, Rubel was named to the Class 5 All-State team for a second-straight year making her an easy choice for the Southeast Missourian Girls Basketball Player of the Year for the 2020-21 season...

The South Pemiscot Bulldogs varsity boys basketball squad graduated eight players of its 2020-21 squad that finished 17-8. Nevertheless, the pieces appear to be in place for the Bulldogs to enjoy continued success moving forward. South Pemiscot returns four of its five starters - Mark Jones, Jonathan Parry, Shawn Kinnon, and Tawonn Amerson. All four returning starters will be entering their senior season...

A slew of high school boys basketball squads are competing in a two-day basketball shootout at Kennett High School Tuesday and Wednesday. Rector, Clarkton, Delta C-7, Kennett, Greenville, and Portageville are slated to compete in head-to-head contests that begin at 8 a.m. and conclude around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday...

Spring sports and top award finalists for the 2021 Semoball Awards presented by SoutheastHEALTH will be announced Friday, along with the final wave of tickets going on sale. The announcement of finalists can be heard at 9 a.m. Friday on SEMO ESPN Radio and on the Semoball.com Facebook page. A story recapping all the finalists will publish later Friday online at semoball.com and in your local newspaper...

2021 Campbell graduate Blake Fowler was contacted by Central Methodist University after his high school squad won the state basketball title in March. “One of their guard spots opened up on their varsity squad,” Fowler said. “They called me and wanted me to come up for a tour. When I went up there I really liked their coaches. They made me feel like I was at home.”...

Former Cape Central and Kelly assistant basketball coach Justin McAlister has been hired at Delta to lead the Bobcats’ boys basketball team. The job at Delta will be McAlister’s first as a head coach after spending five years assisting at Cape Central and three years assisting at Kelly, in addition to coaching the Hawks’ baseball team...

Adam Stoneking is looking forward to the opportunity to take over as head coach of the Jackson girls' basketball team. “My main reason for being excited is the girls,” Stoneking said. “The commitment that I’ve seen from these ladies over the last couple of years is extraordinary. Their work ethic and their want to come in all the time and try and better themselves is hard to look past as a coach. Those are the things that get you excited about being a coach.”...

Former Oak Ridge coach Chris Trimmer is coming out of retirement to lead the Woodland boys basketball team. “I’m really looking forward to it,” Trimmer said. “The new superintendent was my superintendent over at Oak Ridge for the years that I coached over there. He was always super supportive of our program. He was 100% on board with everything we did, and when the job opened up he contacted me to see if there would be any interest in me getting back into the game.”...

BENTON, Mo. — For Adam Stevens, taking over the Kelly girls basketball program was a no-brainer. “For me the opportunity to work at a district with a history of success in the girls game, as well as the support that this community is second to none in my opinion,” Stevens said. “When the opportunity arose, I was extremely excited for the possibility to be a part of this program. ...

Chaffee senior Jagger Sadler recently signed with Missouri Baptist to continue his basketball career. Sadler averaged 15 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game in his senior season. Throughout his career with the Red Devils, Sadler scored 771 points, pulled down 511 boards and blocked 96 shots...

Drew Irby recently signed a letter of intent to play college basketball for Arkansas Fort-Smith. Pictured front row, from left: Tammy Irby, mom; Drew Irby; Jason Irby, dad/coach; (back row): Jamie Massey, assistant coach; Taryn Irby, sister; TJ Smith, assistant coach and Jim Bidewell, athletic director...

SIKESTON — Sikeston senior guard Leroy Atkins signed his National Letter of Intent with North Arkansas College on Monday. Atkins averaged 23.5 points per game on 61 percent shooting (37 percent from 3). He earned Class 5 All-State honors as well. North Arkansas was 12-12 last season, averaging the fourth-most points in the country (95.9) and the third-most field goals made per game (35.5). Additionally, they were also third in total rebounds (47) and first in assists per game (25.8)...

SIKESTON — Off nights weren't in the cards for Sikeston senior Leroy Atkins this past season. The sharp-shooting guard earned Class 5 All-State honors and led the Bulldogs to the Class 5, District 1 Tournament championship. He averaged 23.5 points per game on 61 percent shooting — 37 percent from 3 — to earn himself the 2020-2021 Standard-Democrat Boys Basketball Player of the Year honors...

SIKESTON — Selections for each all-area team center around players from eight surrounding schools and three borderline schools. The eight surrounding schools are: Sikeston, Scott County Central, New Madrid County Central, Charleston, Kelly, East Prairie, Portageville, and Oran. The three borderline schools are: Dexter, Delta, and Hayti...

SIKESTON — Not many players in the area have accomplished what Sikeston's Karris Allen has — in only three years. The do-everything forward for the Lady Bulldogs averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocked shots per game in the 2020-2021 season. ...

SIKESTON — Selections for each all-area team center around players from eight surrounding schools and three borderline schools. The eight surrounding schools are: Sikeston, Scott County Central, New Madrid County Central, Charleston, Kelly, East Prairie, Portageville, and Oran. The three borderline schools are: Dexter, Delta, and Hayti...

Former Delta boys basketball coach Chris Hahn will continue his career coaching the Greenville girls. Hahn, who helped lead the Delta boys to two straight district championships and an overall record of 42-17 during his two-year tenure with the Bobcats, is excited to transition from boys to girls basketball...

SIKESTON — Many greats have walked in and out of the Sikeston Field House doors over the years. But, what if you could only choose five numbers to retire? I asked five rabid Bulldog fans who they would choose. Here is what they said: • Fred Towns: Towns played in the late 60s at Sikeston's former home, the Armory. ...

Malden senior Madison Saulsbery made several visits before determining where she wanted to attend college. “I toured quite a few colleges and had some good offers,” Saulsbery said. “But after visiting the campus at Missouri Baptist University I felt like that was the best fit for me.”...

SIKESTON — Life after retirement can be relaxing for some people. For Erwin Porter, though, life after retirement became busier when he decided to fulfill a dream of publishing a book on Bootheel Basketball — one of his biggest passions. On Saturday night at the Sikeston Field House, Porter, his son Chris, and niece Sydney Seabaugh were in attendance to watch the unveiling of Erwin Porter’s book, “Bootheel Basketball: A Half Century of Supremacy.”...

Mike Kilgore is returning to the Bootheel Conference following a two-year hiatus from basketball. The Malden Board of Education named Kilgore its new varsity boys basketball coach earlier this week. “I’m pretty excited about the opportunity,” Kilgore said in a phone interview with Semoball Wednesday. “I’m thankful the board and administration are providing me with a chance to run the program at Malden.”...

SIKESTON — Over 3,000 wins congregated inside the Sikeston Field House on Saturday night for a Historic Basketball Celebration. The event honored legendary coaches and players from the past and present while also unveiling Erwin Porter’s new book, “Bootheel Basketball: A Half Century of Supremacy.”...

The Zalma and Puxico boy’s basketball and baseball programs will have new leadership for the 2021-22 school year, as Bulldog coach and athletic director Bryant Fernetti announced on social media that he is leaving the Bulldogs to guide the basketball and baseball programs for the Indians.

BENTON, Mo. — It has been a hectic month for the Kelly boys’ basketball program. Now, the wait is over. After interviewing multiple candidates for the vacant position, the Hawks found their next head coach. The Kelly school board announced the hiring of former Notre Dame assistant coach Jeremy Brinkmeyer as its next head coach on Tuesday, making him the 19th different head coach to lead the Hawks' program. ...

BENTON, Mo. — The wait is over for the Kelly boys basketball team. On Tuesday, the school announced that former Notre Dame assistant coach Jeremy Brinkmeyer would take over as head coach of the Hawks, the 19th different head coach in the program’s history. This upcoming season will be Brinkmeyer's first head coaching role as well...

Kennett Indians senior Caroline Patton got her first taste of basketball at a young age. “I started playing Kiwanis basketball and travel ball with Coach Spencer Hoffman at about the same time,” Patton said. “Then I played fifth and sixth grade basketball for my dad. ...

Following a year of missing out on gathering with friends and family due to the COVID pandemic, everyone, including sports fans, is anxious to spend time with those closest to us once again.