Dexter, Missouri - The Dexter varsity boys basketball program open their 2015-2016 season against powerhouse Charleston Bluejays on the road. They have a season group of athletes ready to take the court this year and coach Josh Dowdy expects his athletes to give all they have on the court to bring home the win.
The varsity team is comprised of five seniors, two juniors and two sophomores.
Seniors Ethan Flowers and Jacob Pedigo along with junior Jason Jarrell started the majority of the 2014 season and are expected to have a great season for the Bearcats.
“We return Ethan Flowers, Jason Jarrell, and Jacob Pedigo,” commented head basketball coach Josh Dowdy. “Ethan will return as our shooting guard. He is an excellent outside shooter who led our team in 3-point shooting last year. Jason will again help us in many different roles. He was our point guard last year and led our team in scoring and rebounding. Jacob is a returning guard who has a nice jump shot with active hands on defense. I believe Jacob is poised to have a real good senior season.”
Other returning starts for the Dexter Bearcats are seniors Adam Webb, Jacob Crumley, and Tyler Heil, junior Ryan Mayo, and sophomores Gabe Jackson and Dawson Kasting.
"Gabe Jackson will play in the paint for us this year," continued Dowdy. "With the addition of Gabe's strength and size, we will be able to play more of an inside/out style on offense instead of settling for perimeter shots."
"Tyler Heil, Adam Webb, and Ryan Mayo all return and will be key contributors off the bench. All of these guys provided us some valuable minutes at our recent jamboree. Senior guard Jacob Crumley has also joined us this year."
The Bearcats open their season on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 against Charleston, a SEMO Conference game. On Friday, December 4th they will host their home opener against the Sikeston Bulldogs, another SEMO Conference game.
Dexter received the #9 seed in the SEMO Conference Tournament. They play #8 seeded Notre Dame at Sikeston on December 7th at 5:30 p.m.
“The history and success of the SEMO Conference really speaks for itself,” stated Dowdy. “There were some great players who graduated, but there are new guys ready to fill their shoes. Sikeston is obviously the cream of the crop.”
Dexter will also host the Stoddard County Athletic Association Tournament in January. The Bearcats took 2nd place to the Bernie Mules in the 2014 season.
“Our primary goal is to practice hard enough to have a chance to compete for a Stoddard County Conference title,” Dowdy said.
“The SCAA Tournament will be balanced once again,” Dowdy said. “Bloomfield will have a real good group this year. They return all of their guys from last season. Advance brings back most of their team, and I expect them to have another good year. Woodland returns most of their guys as well. Their two big guys will be a handful. Bell City will be tough also. I would not count anyone out. Coach Botsch will have his team prepared along with Coach Walk at Puxico. It should make for another exciting year for all involved. I don’t think anyone would want it any other way.”
Dexter will compete in the Class 4, District 1 at Sikeston at the end of the 2015 season against other teams in their District including Cape Central, Notre Dame, Perryville, Sikeston, and Kennett. Notre Dame won last year’s district championship.
“Our attitude towards practice has been much better this year,” explained Dowdy. “We are further along right now than we were at this same time last year. The key for us to compete at the level we expect is to improve defensively by finding a way to grind out stops and make good, sound decisions with the ball. We will only improve as we truly commit to getting stops. That is where we are placing our focus.”
Pictured in the top photo is the Dexter varsity boys basketball team.
Members of the team front row from left to right: #24 Ethan Flowers, #11 Jason Jarrell, #21Jacob Pedigo, #12 Jacob Crumley. Back row from left to right: #15 Dawson Kasting, #33 Ryan Mayo, #10 Adam Webb, #35 Gabe Jackson, #25 Tyler Heil.
Pictured in the bottom photo are the Dexter Varsity Seniors:
#24 Ethan Flowers, #25 Tyler Heil, #10 Adam Webb, #21 Jacob Pedigo, #12 Jacob Crumley
