Basketball

Free Agent forward Otto Porter Jr. has reached an contract agreement to join the Toronto Raptors on a two-year deal with the second year being a player option. Porter Jr. leaves the Golden State Warriors after helping the team capture the 2022 Larry O’Brien Trophy by defeating the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals...

As if the Cape Central High School boy’s basketball program needed a boost after winning its second MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 championship in four seasons this past spring, the Tigers were unexpectedly blessed to receive another talented student-athlete to the program earlier this month.

Semoball Scholar Athlete finalist Ben McMullan has been a mainstay on the Kennett boy's basketball team for the past four years, and now he'll be taking the court for Webster University in the fall. “I'm looking forward to a change of scenery, starting somewhere new back at the bottom of the totem pole and working my way up,” McMullan said. ...

DEXTER, Mo. — More than 60 teams from five different states competed at a Rib City Shootout at Dexter High School on Thursday, June 23 and Friday, June 24. The event is designed to provide athletes and coaches with an inexpensive, organized and competitive setting for a beneficial, offseason development opportunity. Teams competed in two 15 minutes halves and sudden death overtime if necessary...

If you really want to know the origins of Joe Baldwin passing judgment on pitchers’ accuracy throughout Southeast Missouri, you’d have to go all the way back to the dusty dirt fields of the Marston Little League in the early 1960s.

The Kennett High School basketball team and coaching staff hosted a boys and girls skills camp this week for children of all ages. Coach Noll Billing's camp is designed to teach children not just the fundamentals of basketball, but also to help them develop skills and values that they can use both on and off the court...

Corey Brownsberger has spent his entire experience in athletics competing in a smaller sphere.

Otto Porter Jr. started three games for Golden State in the NBA Finals. The Warriors went 3-0 and took home the Larry O'Brien Trophy during that stretch. Coincidence? Probably. Still awesome? Undoubtedly. The Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics 103-90 in Game 6 Thursday night at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts to win the NBA Championship. Porter scored six points on a pair of 3s and had one rebound...

When you coach an athletic team at Jackson High School, achieving success isn’t negotiable.

The Show Me Center will play host to the MSHSAA State Volleyball Championships in 2023-24 and 2024-25 according to a Missouri State High School Activities Association news release on Wednesday. The MSHSAA Board of Directors decided to put aside proposals to host the state volleyball tournament in 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28 to allow staff members to visit the St. Joseph Civic Arena for consideration...

SIKESTON — After spending the past three seasons at Three River College, former Sikeston standout Kevin Jones recently announced he will continue his basketball career at Dakota State University. It’s been a challenging year for Jones, who suffered a sprained anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and tears to his medial collateral ligament (MCL) and meniscus. The injuries occurred on Nov. 12, when Jones dove to the floor against Triton College...

Leopold's Mason Deck and Caleb Schaab will continue their basketball careers as teammates at Blackburn College, an NCAA Division III school in Carlinville, Illinois. Deck and Schaab finished their basketball careers at Leopold by winning the school's first district championship...

There have been few athletic careers at the high school level in this state that rival what Anelle Harris achieved over the past four seasons at Kennett High School. But for those that thought Harris’ feats wrapped up in leading the Indians to third place in the recent MSHSAA Class 2 Softball State Finals, they would be mistaken.

Frentress Williams joined the Poplar Bluff Mules basketball team for his senior year and his hoping his next team is as welcoming. “It’s going to be a little different,” said Williams, who recently signed his National Letter of Intent to play at Culver-Stockton College...

KENNETT, Mo.- The Kennett Indians basketball program has been looking for a head coach since the beginning of the off-season. Corbin Clark, the former coach of the Indians, tenured his resignation in April to accept a coaching job in Gosnell, Arkansas, coaching the men's basketball program...

Winter finalists, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, have been announced for the 2022 Semoball Awards, presented by SoutheastHEALTH. This year's event — which returns to its roots as the awards show goes back to a gala-style format following two years of alternative plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic — will take place on Friday, July 8, at LaCroix Church (3102 Lexington Ave.) in Cape Girardeau, Mo...

SIKESTON — After a year of serving as the Sikeston girls junior high coach, Vaughn Shepard was recently announced as the new head coach of the Lady Bulldogs’ varsity program. Shepard led the eighth-grade squad to an 8-5 overall this past season.

Kacie Daigger, the most prolific scorer in Scott City basketball history, will take her talents to Morton College in Cicero, Illinois. “I chose Morton because of the coaching staff and facility,” Daigger said. “When I went on my visit, I connected with the coaches on a different level than any other school I had visited. I always knew I would get that feeling when I found the next place to call home and Morton was it.”...

Jackson basketball standout Nick Wasilewski signed a letter of intent to continue his basketball career and further his education with Missouri Baptist University in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Wasilewski, a four-year starter at Jackson who is known for his highlight-reel dunks, has improved his game every season. ...

Saxony Lutheran multi-sport athlete Wilson Lodge recently signed a letter of intent to play college basketball at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois. “I’ve always loved basketball and have always dreamed about playing college ball,” Lodge said. ...

Saxony Lutheran athletic director Sam Sides will return to the hardwood in 2022. Sides — a 2016 Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee — will take back over the girls basketball program next season after stepping down in 2020, the school announced...

If the basketball fans at Delta High School have enjoyed watching the Bobcat girl’s program run roughshod over Southeast Missouri over the past few years, well, get used to watching the boy’s program do the same, because the Heeb boys won’t implement any other style of play other than demoralizing the opposition with offensive speed and defensive pressure.

The basketball courts throughout Southeast Missouri will seem a tad different next winter.

SIKESTON — There will be a shift within the administration at Portageville High School for the 2022-2023 school year, however, there shouldn’t be much of an adjustment period as everyone is a familiar face. The district recently announced Jason Irby will step down as the Bulldogs’ boys basketball coach and into the role of assistant principal at the high school, while baseball coach Tyler Trover will be the school’s new athletic director...

Sikeston native and Saint Louis University men's basketball standout Fred Thatch Jr. was recently named to the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association Scholar-Athlete Team. Thatch, along with teammate Gibson Jimerson, was named to the 12-person Scholar-Athlete Team. They were selected after a special review committee of athletics directors within the NCAA Division I-AAA ADA membership, which comprises 98 Division I institutions that do not sponsor football...

Former Sikeston High School basketball standout Owen Long has committed to playing his final two seasons of college basketball at NCAA Division II Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas.

Former Charleston High School basketball standout Demarcus Sharp is in search of a fresh start to his collegiate career, and hopefully a healthy one. The Missouri State senior guard is transferring to Northwestern State (Louisiana), where he will play for former Missouri State associate head coach, and new Northwestern State head coach, Corey Gipson, who played at Richland (Essex) High School.

A pair of Poplar Bluff seniors will be taking the court one more time this weekend as Gage Rivers and Nic Brumitt will playing in a pair of all-star events. The first will be held at E.T. “Pete” Peters Gym in Poplar Bluff, starting at 6 p.m. tonight before another event Saturday afternoon in Cape Girardeau...

On Saturday night, some of the best high school basketball players from Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois will meet on the court. Former Southeast Missouri State and Portageville basketball standout Roy Booker and his SEMO Prep School are hosting the Battle of the Mississippi starting at 1 p.m. Saturday at Cape Junior High School...

Bernie is well represented on the SCAA All-Conference team. Not only did the Mules land three players on the All-Conference team in seniors Tristan Johnson, John Nimmo and Noah Foster, they took home additional hardware as well. Johnson was named the conference's player of the year, while Foster earned co-defensive player of the year honors. Wrapping up awards for the Mules was coach Jason Long who was named SCAA Coach of the Year...

Meadow Heights and Woodland landed four players each on the BCS Tri-County All-Conference teams. Senior Ashley Gruenke and junior Ashley Allen were both named to the All-Conference first team for the Panthers, while seniors Addie Johnson and Chloe Goodwin were named for the Cardinals...

Jadis Jones wasn’t certain it was real when he first heard that he was named the most outstanding basketball player in the SEMO Conference. “My coach told me and I knew it was real,” said the New Madrid Central sophomore after receiving the John Gibbs Award...

The Cape Central High School boy’s basketball program doubled its win total from 11 victories a year ago to 22 this season, with an MSHSAA Class 5 District championship, to boot, and the continued development of Tiger junior Cameron Williams was a seismic reason as to why.

New Madrid County Central’s Jadis Jones has had a busy couple of weeks. The standout sophomore guided the Eagles to a third-place finish in Class 4 at the 2022 Show-Me Showdown, was selected all-state by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association and was SEMO Conference Player of the Year, joining the likes of Tyler Hansbrough, Lamont Frazier and Fred Thatch...

Charleston coach Jamarcus Williams was named Coach of the Year in Class 3 while junior Rico Coleman was named to the all-state team following the Bluejays championship run. The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association released its all-state team and final rankings Wednesday as several area athletes were honored...

Advance's Alandry Below headlined the girls Class 2 District 3 All-District team. Below received the most votes on the girls' side, averaging a whopping 31.7 points per game to go along with 9.8 rebounds in her senior season. Advance, Bernie and Meadow Heights placed three on the C2D3 All-District boys basketball team, while Oran led the way for the girls with four selections...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — New Madrid County Central overcame a slow start to defeat Pembroke Hill 64-51 and claim third-place of Class 4 at the 2022 MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown on Saturday, March 19, at JQH Arena in Springfield, Mo. Sophomore Jadis Jones led the Eagles (21-8) with 22 points on 10 of 11 field goals. ...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Top-ranked and defending state champion Vashon had too much speed and size for New Madrid County Central to overcome in a MSHSAA Class 4 semifinal at the 2022 Show-Me Showdown. The Wolverines (26-4) won 48-38 against the Eagles (20-8) on Friday,...

KIRKWOOD – As her historic basketball career wound down recently in an MSHSAA Class 5 Quarterfinal loss to Webster Groves, Notre Dame senior Lexi Rubel, who is the second-leading scorer in Bulldog history, continued to – not jack up shots – but hit teammates with passes.

The Bernie High School softball squad opened its 2022 season on Friday with a commanding rout of Charleston. The victory shouldn’t be surprising to anyone that has followed the Mules through the years. And that isn’t limited to softball.

After a state championship season, where he was the backbone of the team and the primary focus of nearly every opposing coach, it would be easy for Charleston’s Rico Coleman to get caught up in his own hype. The class of 2023 forward averaged 13.8 points and 6.4 rebounds for Jamarcus Williams and the Bluejays this past season, and already holds a scholarship offer from Louisiana-Monroe with several other Division-I programs showing interest...

SIKESTON — The Sikeston girls basketball program will be under new leadership next season as head coach Alisha Wills has decided to step down and retire from teaching and coaching. “Honestly, I decided to leave to simply start the next chapter of my life,” Wills said. “I have been teaching for 27 years and 15 of those years I’ve had the pleasure of also coaching as well.”...

Kelly's Gavin Jansen and Scott City's Kacie Daigger headline the Class 3 District 2 All-District teams. Joining Jansen on the All-District team was fellow senior Joel McClain. Three Rams were named to the All-District team on the girls side, while Saxony Lutheran had the most selections for the boys with three...

The Charleston Bluejays recently brought home a MSHSAA Class 3 State Championship and the congratulations are pouring in from the community and some notable alumni. Charleston defeated Lafayette County 58-56 in the title game on Friday, March 11, at JQH Arena in Springfield, Mo. It was the Bluejays 12th state championship and the program’s 24th trip to the final four...

As a player, Charleston’s Jamarcus Williams was referred to as solid, consistent, steady, reliable and a winner. More than a decade later, the same can be said about Williams, now leading from the sideline. In just his second season as head coach, Williams guided the Bluejays to a MSHSAA Class 3 State Championship and 29-3 overall record, the same record Charleston finished with in 2007 when Williams, as a player, led the team to a state title...

Three St. Vincent boys and two girls received JCAA Small-School All-Conference honors. Junior Grant Abernathy and senior Evan DeWilde received second-team honors on the boys' side, while senior Reese Barber was named to the second team for the girls...

It was a long, arduous climb back from the 2018-19 depths of a two-win season for the Saxony Lutheran boy’s basketball squad this season. However, the Crusaders made it back to the land of respectability - and then some.

“That’s just John,” Bernie coach Jason Long said of his senior forward John Nimmo. Long was referring to Nimmo’s decision to wear the number of his late cousin Shannon Tarkington, who died in a car accident prior to the start of his senior year, the 2003-04 season. Darius Wooldridge also died in the accident...

KIRKWOOD – It wasn’t complicated as to what the Webster Groves boy’s basketball team did to Cape Central on Saturday in the MSHSAA Class 5 Quarterfinal at St. Louis Community College – Meramec.