Cardinals hammer Forest Park behind swarming defense

By MATT KING/Daily Journal Sports Writer

POPLAR BLUFF - The Mineral Area College Cardinals have shown in the first two games of their basketball season that defensive intensity and hustle will be the fuel that powers them to success.

Mineral Area used suffocating full-court pressure to force an extraordinary 41 turnovers on Saturday night, and piled up several fast-break baskets in an easy 87-48 victory over Forest Park at the Black River Coliseum.

MAC (2-0) quickly took control of the game with an 11-0 scoring run after allowing the first basket of the night. Aggressive steals set up transition layups for Darryl Butterfield and Willie Hassell to highlight the early going.

The Cardinals endured a scoring drought of nearly five minutes during one stretch of the first half, but the Highlanders were unable to capitalize against the stingy MAC defense. Forest Park (0-2) managed just nine field goals during the stanza.

DeAlan Hicks provided a needed spark with a driving baseline slam, and Curtis Muse converted a three-point play after flushing a high lob pass to increase the margin to 24-9.

T.J. Britton crashed the glass for an offensive putback and Butterfield drained a spinning jumper in the lane late in the half, propelling the Cardinals to a 41-25 halftime lead.

Terrell Rice connected on a three-pointer on the opening possession of the second half to cap a 7-0 run by the Highlanders, but MAC would continue to pull away. Hassell turned another steal into a driving layup, and Tony Webb followed with a three-pointer. Britton then dialed long distance to extend the lead to 54-33.

The Cardinals put the game farther out of reach with another impressive surge. Britton broke ahead of the pack for a transition slam, and Muse followed with a vicious dunk on the ensuing possession after catching a pass off of the backboard for a 66-42 advantage.

Muse added two more dunks during a big second-half performance, including one that began with a behind-the-back assist from Dontavis Jones. The sophomore center finished the night with team highs of 16 points and nine rebounds.

Hicks would add a sensational highlight of his own with 1:30 remaining, leaping high to haul in a mid-court pass from Tremaine Wilkerson, then finishing with a mighty slam over a larger Forest Park defender while drawing the foul.

Hicks finished with nine points and Britton netted 11 along with five steals. Both players were named to the All-Tournament squad for the two-day event in Poplar Bluff.

Butterfield chipped in 11 points as well for MAC, and Hassell reached double figures for the second straight night with 10 points and four assists. Ralph Mata led the Cardinals in assists with seven.

DeAnte Cox led Forest Park with eight points, and Arthur Sargeant added seven.

Mineral Area will welcome the Lindenwood J.V. squad for its home opener at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Forest Park 25 23 - 48

Mineral Area 41 46 - 87

SCORING:

Forest Park - Cox 8, Sargeant 7, Boykins 6, Burle 6, Mason 5, Rice 5, Lyles 4, Peebles 3, Howard 2, Lowery 2.

3-point FG - Rice, Sargeant.

Mineral Area - Muse 16, Britton 11, Butterfield 11, Hassell 10, Hicks 9, Mata 6, Jones 5, Wilkerson 5, Claitt 5, Schauf 4, Webb 3, Henderson 2.

3-point FG - Britton, Jones, Wilkerson.

Free Throws: FP 10-15, MAC 15-23