By DONN ADAMSON \ Daily Journal Sports Editor

Published: Sunday, November 26, 2006
Updated: Saturday, November 25, 2006 11:36 PM CST

PARK HILLS - That's what the game's score resembled, Mineral Area Cardinals 100, Dyersburg State Eagles 40. It was the capping of a perfect weekend in the Tradition Inn Classic for the Cardinals to improve their record to 9-1 and their home streak to 30 straight wins.

Mineral Area owned the game from the very tip which they controlled. Chad Henderson would score the first basket after stealing the ball from the Eagles, and the rout was on. The Cardinals rolled up nine straight points before Thurmon Denton III made the Eagles first basket on a putback of an offensive rebound.

Mineral Area's defense forced turnover after turnover, and whenever Dyersburg would try a shot it was usually contested by the Cardinals or just plain missed. The Eagles started the game 0-10 and would be 4-25 from the floor in the first half of play.

The Cardinals, due to the Eagles 19 turnovers in the first half and 14 offensive rebounds for second chances, were able to shoot 44 times, making 18 of their shots from the floor. Tony Webb zeroed in from three-point range and hit four times in the half, while John Fowler and O'Dell Eargle were taking care of things on the inside with six points each in the paint.

Mineral Area was putting points up on the scoreboard at a 4-1 rate over the Eagles, and after finishing with an eight point burst in the final minute of play, the Cardinals held an 48-11 advantage at the half.

Life did not get any easier for the visitors after the break. Henderson hit a three to get the half started. Shortly after Eric Stuckey, MAC's 6'6” center set up his cloud beyond the arc to hit his first of two threes in the game and claim his part in the Cardinals ‘Reign of Threes'. The Cardinals scored 15 points before Denton scored the Eagles first points of the second half with a conventional three.

Dontavis Jones took over the outer perimeter for the Cardinals with three three-pointers to lead MAC's 12 scorers with 15 points, and Sean Romey cleaned the defensive boards with Eargle doing the same on the offensive end for 13 boards between them in the half.

North County grad, Tommy Smith made spin moves inside that had the fans respond with cheering and applause. Smith scored seven points for MAC, all in the second half.

The Eagles were able to respond with a better rate of scoring in the second half. Tyrus Mann with six points and Levon Lake with seven came off the bench to score their only points in the second half. Lake hit the only three for the Eagles who were 1-13 from the arc.

MAC outrebounded their guests 49-35, and also did better on turnovers, 19-29.

The Cardinals will be at Lewis and Clark on Wednesday for their next game, a doubleheader with the Lady Cardinals.

Dyersburg 11 29 - 40

Mineral Area 48 52 - 100

Scoring:

Dyersburg - Denton 9, Lake 7, Mann 6, Maclin 6, Battles 4, Payne 2, Tate 2, Dear 2, Smith 2.

3-Pointers - Lake.

Mineral Area - Jones 15, Webb 14, Fowler 11, Eargle 10, Stuckey 8, Romey 8, Hassell 7, Smith 7, Henderson 6, Fogler 5, Wellington 4, Snow 4, Claitt 1.

3-Pointers - Webb 4, Jones 3, Stuckey 2, Hassell, Henderson, Smith.