MEXICO ROUNDUP: Pace factors into Winterwarming split with Moberly

By Jeremy Jacob, Sports Editor
Posted 2/8/23

Bulldogs' fast starts slow down Moberly in win

One word that was on the minds of the Mexico boys Friday night during Winterwarming was fast.

Mexico vs Moberly Photo Gallery

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MEXICO ROUNDUP: Pace factors into Winterwarming split with Moberly

Posted

Bulldogs' fast starts slow down Moberly in win

One word that was on the minds of the Mexico boys Friday night during Winterwarming was fast.

Mexico vs Moberly Photo Gallery

The Bulldogs wanted to start fast against North Central Missouri Conference Moberly and that’s exactly what they did in an 83-53 victory. Mexico took an 11-2 lead to start the first half and then began the second half on a 7-0 run on the way to its second-highest scoring game of the season — the first being an 85-82 triple-overtime victory against Strafford.

Head coach Darren Pappas said Mexico (13-7, 5-1 NCMC) didn’t play well in the first quarter of Tuesday’s 69-58 loss at Macon as the Bulldogs were outscored 25-8 in the first quarter. They couldn’t afford to do that again against a conference opponent.

“We wanted to get off to a good start,” Pappas said. “We knew we had to play good defense — in the first quarter we held them to eight points. I’m pleased with the start that we got, the ball movement and the balanced scoring.”

DJ Long finished with a game-high 19 points and three 3-pointers, Jordan Shelton followed with 13 points and seven steals, Jaydon Eldridge finished with 12 points and three 3-pointers, PJ Perkins had 10 points and seven rebounds, and Mr. Bulldog candidate Anthony Shivers had 10 points and two 3-pointers.

On those potent starts in each half, Mexico locked down defensively and then kept Moberly (3-16, 0-6 NCMC) to one shot as the defensive rebounds belonged to the Bulldogs most of the night. The Spartans trimmed their deficit to 37-28 after a more active second quarter on the boards. Collin Huffman had a game-high 11 rebounds along with eight points, and Derieus Wallace finished with nine points and seven rebounds to follow Mason Bivins’ 15 points and three 3-pointers off the bench.

“We wanted to definitely lock down the boards — hold them to one shot and out,” Pappas said. “When we did secure the boards, we were able to find our guys and really push in transition and get some easy buckets.”

Long knocked down some 3-pointers worthy of his name as some of them were a few steps beyond the arc. Eldridge drained one from the Bulldog logo in the middle of the court to help Mexico take a 20-8 lead after the first quarter.

As a team, Long said Mexico’s confidence grows together when shots start falling for them, which he said happened and why Mexico finished with nine 3-pointers.

“Once we see one go into the net, then our confidence really boosts up,” Long said. “Everybody starts taking shots because we know we have a chance to hit them.”

Pappas said the “contagious” nature of Mexico's success behind the 3-point line came through and lasted until the fourth quarter when freshman Kaden Benne converted from deep.

“We got to continue to make those perimeter shots because teams are starting to sag in the paint on us and try to keep us out of the lane as much as possible,” Pappas said. If we can hit the 3-ball, it’s going to make it a little bit easier.”

Moberly felt more ill effects of Mexico spreading throughout the floor on defense as Mexico was able to widen its lead as the game wore on, surging ahead 62-39 after the third quarter and then dropping another 20 points at least for the Bulldogs’ third such quarter.

“Just sit down and guarding and try to put pressure on them,” Pappas said. “Bosco (Coach Dion Nunnelly) did a good job of mixing it up. We really wanted to run, sometimes, two guys at the ball handler and try to get them to give it up and use our length and athleticism to try and get some tips and generate turnovers for some easy transition buckets.”

Mexico has its sights set on winning the conference still, Long said, and Friday’s win against Moberly helps the Bulldogs sit atop the conference with Kirksville at 5-2 in NCMC games and Fulton at 4-1, as of Friday.

“We really wanted to put ourselves atop of the conference,” Long said. “If we won this one, then we have a chance to win the conference ahead of Kirksville and Fulton. This is one we circled on our schedule for sure.”

After playing in the Ramey Basketball Mid-Missouri Invitational on Saturday against St. Louis University High School, losing 64-51, Mexico (13-8) hosted conference foe Marshall (3-17, 0-5 NCMC) on Monday, winning 75-46, and travels to St. Elizabeth (14-7) for a 7:30 p.m. Friday game.

Lady Bulldogs' pace slows in loss at home to Moberly

The Mexico girls couldn’t maintain the offense after the first few minutes of Friday’s game.

The Lady Bulldogs hung around with North Central Missouri Conference foe Moberly until a 14-0 run preceded a cold offensive day and a 61-29 loss. Mexico (7-14, 3-3 NCMC) couldn’t hand the Lady Spartans (13-7, 6-0 NCMC) their first conference loss as a trio of their players — Grace Billington, Asa Fanning and Kennedy Messer — each stepped up at different times.

Head coach Ed Costley said he liked how Mexico started the game being aggressive and quick on offense as the Lady Bulldogs passed the ball down the floor to shoot before Moberly’s defense was set.

“We played with a better pace and tempo (in the first quarter),” Costley said. “In the end of the third quarter and fourth quarter, I felt like we got that back and played a little bit more assertively.”

The teams were knotted at seven points in the first quarter, but Costley said the Lady Bulldogs missed a couple of layups that turned into Moberly points. Grace Billington knocked down one of her four 3-pointers in the first quarter — as part of her 15-point game — after one missed layup and then following a turnover.

Mexico fell behind 21-7 after the first quarter, not establishing a paint presence for most of the game, Costley said. Messiah Simpson was able to notch a 3-point play in the fourth quarter to give her a team-high nine points, Claire Hudson followed with six points, and Karlee Sefrit had five points.

The Lady Bulldogs weren’t able to reach double-digits scoring in any quarter against Moberly’s steady defense. Costley said the Lady Spartans don’t show as much aggressiveness, but that doesn’t hinder them.

“They don’t go for a lot of steals. They stay in front,” Costley said. “They wait for you to make mistakes. It’s almost like they’re playing a sagging defense so they force you to take the outside shot. For us, we’ve seen a lot of teams that are always pressuring and getting in your drives. They don’t give you the drives, and they’re always there on that help side.”

Capri’Ona Fountain grabbed six rebounds for Mexico, but most of the rebounds were going into the hands of Fanning and Messer, who each finished with seven rebounds along with 17 points and 12 points, respectively. Fanning took control of the middle of the game, scoring 15 of her points in the second and third quarters.

“Fanning is the one that is the whole difference maker for them,” Costley said. “She’s really tough on the boards and is just an active player. When she gets that ball in the paint, you have to give her some attention.”

Mexico hosted its next conference foe Marshall (5-14, 0-5 NCMC) on Monday, winning 54-46, prior to playing at Class 5 Capital City (3-16) at 6:15 p.m. Friday.


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