Staff photo by Mike Buhler Kennett's Greg Bowles (right) appiles pressure to Twin Rivers' Dylan Stockton during the second quarter of Tuesday's high school boys' basketball game at Broseley. [Click to enlarge]

BROSELEY, Mo. -- The Kennett Indians almost dug themselves out of a pair of big holes. Almost, but not quite.

The Tribe almost wiped out a 19-point third-quarter deficit before coming up just short in an 80-75 loss to the Twin Rivers Royals here Tuesday.

"We dug ourselves an early hole and we weren't very good attacking the basket very early," Kennett coach Jim Vaughan said. "When we did start to go to the hole we figured out they couldn't guard us very good one-on-one."

In other games involving area teams Tuesday, it was Gideon 77, Risco 56; Charleston 75, Malden 60; Hayti 75, Neelyville 60; and Cooter 56, Senath-Hornersville 49.

At Broseley, the Tribe (6-9) found itself down 53-34 midway through the third quarter after a 3-point play by Kyle Oberkramer, but went on a 12-0 run that was capped by 3-pointers from Ty Coleman and Ishmael Whetstone to make it 53-46 with 1:05 left in the period.

"I didn't think there was any give-up in us and that's a positive," said Vaughan. "(But) we've got to get better starts."

The Indians kept up the heat in the fourth quarter, cutting the Twin Rivers' lead to one point (59-58) on Jarvis Finley's 3 with 5:51 to go in the game, but came no closer.

Finley had a big night Tuesday, scoring a game-high 24 points.

"He was under control with the ball in his hands tonight," Vaughan said. "He had more determination with the ball in his hands."

Kennett made one last effort, stealing an inbounds past in the final 20 seconds and cutting the lead to 78-75 on Trey Abmeyer's basket, but Jordan Fowler sank a pair of free throws for the Royals with 7.8 seconds to go to ice the game and set the final score.

Kenny Johnson led Twin Rivers with 22 points, while Fowler tossed in 20, Oberkramer chipped in 17 and Dylan Stockton finished with 13.

Donald Sims added 11 off the bench for the Tribe.

Kennett heads to defending state champion Charleston Friday night for a SEMO Conference battle before opening play in the Bootheel Conference Tournament next week.

Gideon 77, Risco 56
At Risco, a big third quarter lifted the visiting Bulldogs to victory over Tri-County foe Risco.

Risco was outscored 18-8 during the third quarter.

"We were in it at the half," Risco coach Brandon Blankenship said. "In the second half they kind of put us away."

Gideon went 22-for-34 from the free-throw line.

Jordan Boone led all scorers with 20 points and also hit two 3-pointers. Max Johnson scored 13, while Dustin Horad and Zack Robinson had 12 and 11, respectively for the Bulldogs.

Risco was led by Kyle White with 12 points.

The SEMO News Service provided some of the information for this story.