Warren's double-double helps Dexter down Twin Rivers

Jerry Jarrell photo Dexter senior Abbie Warren pulls down one of her 17 rebounds Thursday night against Twin Rivers.

The Dexter senior had a career night charting a big double-double in points and rebounds to help lead the Lady Bearcats to a, 64-36, road win over the Twin Rivers Lady Royals Thursday night in the last regular-season game.

Warren scored a career-high 27 points and cleared the boards 17 times to help Dexter end the season on a winning note.

"I'm glad for Abbie Warren tonight, since it was her last regular-season game she came out and had a career night," Dexter coach Chad Allen said after the game.

"Coming into this game we knew our inside game could hurt them, so was talked about pounding it inside and getting it to her (Warren) and Brittany Harris," Allen added. "She's (Warren) just real physical in there and got a lot of good looks and scored a lot of points."

Dexter trailed the host Lady Royals early in the opening quarter, but a 8-0 run starting with just under four minutes showing on the clock pushed the Lady 'Cats out front, 14-8.

Dexter quickly made it a 10-point game (18-8) as Warren and Harris (17 points) both scored. Warren picked up her third foul at the 5:22 mark of the second and didn't return to the floor until the third quarter.

"She (Warren) sat out a lot," Allen noted. "She got in foul trouble, and it seemed like when she was out was when Twin Rivers made a little bit of a run. Her presence in there really helps us a lot."

Two free throws by Lexi Stockton made it a 18-10 game, but Dexter scored on an offensive rebound and put-back by senior Kaitlyn Phillips (7 points) a drive down the lane by freshman Katelyn Frazier (5 points) and a short baseline jumper by Lauren Ward (6 points) as the Lady 'Cats grabbed their biggest lead of the game at 24-10. Twin Rivers finished of the second on a 9-2 run to stay within striking distance going into half-time down just seven, 26-19.

Dexter blew the game open in the third, throwing on the press and rolling up 20 points while limiting the Lady Royals to just eight.

"We wanted to make conditioning a factor," Allen said of the third quarter turnaround. "I don't like pressing early in case we get in foul trouble, but I knew they were getting tired so I thought I'd throw in on there real quick and try and extend the lead and it paid off."

Dexter started beating the Lady Royals down the court and added to the advantage in the fourth as Warren and Harris combined for 14 of the team's 18 fourth-quarter points.

Dexter finishes the regular season with a 14-9 record. The Lady 'Cats are the No. 2 seed behind Notre Dame Regional High School in the Class 4, District 1 tournament scheduled for Feb. 22-26 at the Bearcat Event Center. The Dexter girls received a first-round bye and will not play until Thursday at 7:30 p. m. when they will take on the winner of No. 3 Perryville vs. No. 6 Sikeston.

Varsity Girls

Dexter 64, Twin Rivers 36

DEXTER -- (fg-ftm-fta-tp) Frazier 2-1-2-5, Ward 3-0-0-6, Hubbard 1-0-0-2, Harris 7-3-8-17, Warren 10-7-7-27, Phillips 3-1-1-7. Totals: 26-12-18-64.

TWIN RIVERS -- Crain 3-2-3-10, Jennings 3-2-6-8, Snider 4-0-0-9, Stocktown 0-5-6-5, Dillinger 1-0-3-2,Hyatt 1-0-0-2. Totals: 12-9-18-36.

3-Pointers: Dexter 0; Twin Rivers 3 (Crain 2, Snider 1).