Late Dexter Rally Falls Just Short

A big second half rally came up just short as the Dexter basketball team fell to Ypsilanti Lincoln 

59-57 Thursday night.

The Dreadnaughts got off to a slow start with 19 first half turnovers and fell behind 16-4 after one period.

"Our team is young, so we still need to find our way in valuing the basketball and the little things it takes to win games," coach Jason Rushton said. "There is no doubt that this team will get there."

The offense would pick things up in the second with six points from Scott Smith and a pair of triples from Ben Murphy, but the Splitters would hold a 34-23 lead at halftime.

Lincoln's lead would grow to as much as 15 in the third quarter, but the Dreads would start to rally behind five more points by Murphy to cut the lead to 45-37 after three.

Dexter would rally all the way back with Jack DeMerell scoring 12 in the fourth quarter and the Dreads had a chance at the buzzer, but the shot was off the mark and Lincoln held on for the win.

"There is no doubt that this team will get there. I’m very proud of the way they battled tonight…it didn’t end the way we would hope, but the fact that this team found a way to compete and make this a game when it could have easily gone the other way says a lot about the guys in this locker room," Rushton said.

Murphy and DeMerell led the Dreadnaughts with 18 points each with Murphy hitting four triples on the night.

Smith chipped in with 12 points, while Garrett Sharp had five and Will Simpson four.

The Dreadnaughts schedule doesn't get any easier over the holidays with hosting rival Chelsea next Friday. They then take on Southfield A&T in the Motor City Roundball on 12/28 and Okemos at Little Caesars Arena on 12/30.

Photos by Mike Williamson