Staff photo by Mike Buhler Kennett's Jarvis Finley (left) drives to the basket against Caruthersville's Jeffrey Massengale during the first half of Wednesday's SEMO Conference Tournament basketball game at Sikeston. [Click to enlarge]

SIKESTON, Mo. -- After struggling to put the ball in the basket the first two games this season, Wednesday night was just what the doctor ordered for the Kennett Indians.

The Tribe drained six 3-pointers and put up 30 points in the second quarter alone to roll to a 67-36 win over the Caruthersville Tigers in consolation play at the SEMO Conference Tournament here Wednesday.

"That second quarter was a type of quarter that we want to play," Kennett coach Jim Vaughan said. "That needs to be our style of play -- that's what suits us better."

Staff photo by Mike Buhler Kennett's Jimmy Gooden (right) and Caruthersville's Jovan Hagerman battle for a rebound Wednesday night. [Click to enlarge]

In other games at the tourney Wednesday, fifth-seeded New Madrid County Central edged No. 9 Dexter 51-44, while No. 6 Poplar Bluff held off seventh-seeded Cape Central 51-46.

Kennett (1-2) opened the second period on a 10-0 run to wipe out an 11-10 deficit, then closed the frame on a 13-2 run to take a 40-21 lead to the break.

"I think we finally got some shots to fall for us tonight," Kennett junior Jarvis Finley, who scored nine points in the period, said. "Hopefully they will continue to."

One player who played a big part in the quarter was Donald Sims, who scored eight of his 10 points during the second.

"Donald's energy was tremendous," said Vaughan. "It was a big lift for us tonight."

Also helping the Indians were back-to-back 3s from Trey Abmeyer and Jimmy Gooden midway through the first quarter that staked the team to a 6-5 lead with 3:41 left in the stanza.

The opening-period triples were big for a Kennett squad that had struggled from the field in a pair of close losses to Portageville and Dexter to open the season.

"It was nice to see one fall early," Vaughan said. "I think it kind of broke the ice for our kids and relaxed us. I think that seeing an early one fall gave the other kids the confidence to knock those shots down. That's been a mind game for us to this point."

Finley scored a game-high 15 points to pace the Tribe, while Gooden added 12 off the bench.

"Jimmy's one of those kids where it doesn't matter what we ask him to do or what position we ask him to play -- he learns it and he wants to excel at it," said Vaughan. "He wants to be on the floor and he wants to contribute."

Caleb Moss scored eight points to lead Caruthersville.

Kennett is off until Tuesday when it hosts Bootheel Conference foe Hayti before SEMO rival Jackson comes into town next Friday. Both are among the favorites in their respective conferences.

"It's definitely a challenging week next week," Vaughan said. "A game like tonight -- just being able to go in and get a win and a comfortable win -- that kind of gives us confidence going into practice to prepare for Hayti. I feel like we can win now."

Finley echoed his coach's sentiments

"I think the win was big for us tonight," said Finley. "Hopefully we'll have some good practices the rest of the week and get well prepared for Hayti."