After a slow start by both teams and several swapping hands of the lead, Notre Dame hit the road with a 53-47 win over Kennett Friday, Jan. 12.

The win pushed the Bulldogs to a 6-8 record on the season, while Kennett falls to a 4-9 record and deeper into a now five-game losing streak.

“We're glad to get a win against a tough, well-coached team in a tough environment,” Notre Dame coach Jeremy Brinkmeyer said. “We know coming into this game every year when we come to Kennett that it's not about x's and o's. It's about toughness and it's about finding a way.”

Notre Dame opened the action with a five-point run, a layup by Brett Dohogne and a three-pointer by Trenton Schumacker. After a timeout, Kennett did just the same by scoring their first points identically, a layup and three-pointer both shot by Dyson Watson. That would be the end of scoring in the first quarter, leading into a 5-5 draw before both teams' offenses picked up steam.

Bulldog Kolton Johnson struck first with two in the second quarter but Watson sank another of his four total three-pointers to take the Indians to their first lead of the contest. Trading scores until the break, Notre Dame's Brody Harden scored from far to enter halftime up 24-19.

Kennett cut the deficit to one point midway through the third quarter before Notre Dame's Logan Landewee cut the run short by sinking a bucket for three. Kennett's D'shun Wilson followed it up with one of his own but, while Kennett outscored the Bulldogs by one point in the third, Notre Dame still led 36-32.

“There were many times that our guys could have given up and feel like everything was falling apart,” Brinkmeyer said, “but we had good attitudes, we continued to fight, and we found a way to win.”

Kennett's Dyson Watson (3) maneuvers around Notre Dame defenders for a layup Friday, Jan. 12.Photo by Christian Johnson, Delta Dunklin Democrat

Brinkmeyer said that, going into the game, the team knew it was imperative to block Watson from shooting and stop Ashton Dismukes' advances in the paint. At different times that objective was met, but rarely at the same time.

The Bulldogs went on a five-point run to kick off the fourth quarter, but Dismukes broke out in the final period for 11 points to keep pace. Just within range of a Kennett comeback, so did Notre Dame's Dohogne with the help of three-pointers shot by both Johnson and Landewee. Outscoring Kennett by two points in the fourth quarter, Notre Dame pulled it out.

“We just did enough to find a way to get a win,” Brinkmeyer said. “It wasn't pretty, but that's okay. A win is a win.”

For the Bulldogs, Dohogne scored 19 points, Johnson scored 14 points and Landewee scored 10 points. Schumacker added five, Brody Harden added three and Hunter Bonham chipped in two. For Kennett, Ashton Dismukes scored 19 points, Dyson Watson scored 17 points, D'Shun Wilson added five, Chris Jefferson contributed four and Ashton Williams put in two.

Notre Dame next travels to Saxony Lutheran (10-4) Friday, Jan. 19. Kennett goes to undefeated Sikeston Tuesday, Jan. 16.