Bret Steffens went to work early, scoring eight points in the first quarter, to help lead the Saxony Lutheran boys basketball team to a 57-47 victory at Oran on Thursday.

Steffens finished with a team-high 17 points and 12 rebounds. Max Wieser added 12 points and Ben Courtois 11. Austin Kwikkel chipped in 13 rebounds for the Crusaders (9-2).

"Both teams played really hard," Saxony coach John Daniel said. "This has turned into a very healthy rivalry, and I'm glad our kids kept their composure in a heated game."

Kody Campbell led the Eagles with 21 points, all coming in the final three quarters. He scored 13 of his team's 16 points in the third quarter.

Saxony 19 9 18 11 -- 57

Oran 10 10 16 11 -- 47

Saxony (57) -- Zach Bohnert 8, Ben Courtois 11, Austin Kwikkel 8, Garrett Ruppel 1, Max Wieser 12, Bret Steffens 17. FG 18, FT 20-28, F 14 (3-pointers: Kwikkel. Fouled out: None)

Oran (47) -- Kurt Rendleman 6, Cody Romas 9, Tyler Beardslee 4, Kody Campbell 21, Jake Kluesner 5, Lance Dannenmueller 2. FG 18, FT 11-14, F 23 (3-pointers: None. Fouled out: None)

Notre Dame 73, Dexter 40

The Bulldogs blew open a close game with 36 points in the third quarter on the road.

"We hit some shots," Notre Dame coach Paul Hale said. "Ty Williams hit some big shots. We got it inside."

Williams hit four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points. Ryan Willen led the Bulldogs (8-5) with 21 points.

Notre Dame 11 15 36 11 -- 73

Dexter 8 15 10 7 -- 40

Notre Dame (73) -- Nick Koeppel 7, Ty Williams 16, Mark Himmelberg 9, Austin Greer 16, Ryan Willen 21, Matt Helle 2, Logan Glueck 2. FG 27, FT 14-16, F 13. (3-pointers: Williams 4, Himmelberg 1. Fouled out: None)

Dexter (40) -- David Hessling 2, Bobby Rawson 2, Jered Stephens 2, Drew Kelly 6, Nick Murphey 3, Logan Carwile 12, Kevin Hart 13. FG 16, FT 5-15, F 17 (3-pointers: Kelly 1, Carwile 1, Hart 1. Fouled out: None)

JV -- Notre Dame won 59-50.

Scott City 76, South Pemiscot 43

The Rams took control early and never let up in their home victory.

Jay Simmons hit five 3-pointers and finished with 20 points for Scott City (7-2). Alex King and Caleb Estes each added 12 in the win.

South Pemiscot 8 15 13 7 -- 43

Scott City 26 15 17 18 -- 76

South Pemiscot (43) -- Caleb McIntyre 7, Maurichio Clay 10, Jordan Carter 2, Caleb Canoy 10, Charles Taylor 6, Cameron Lincks 2, Bruce Smith 6. FG 20, FT 2-11, F 15 (3-pointers: McIntyre 1. Fouled out: None)

Scott City (76) -- Jay Simmons 20, Shae Simmons 9, Derek Goodin 2, Caleb Estes 12, Brennan Uelsmann 2, Derek Laxton 1, Travis Scherer 2, Ryan Modglin 11, Jake Campbell 5, Alex King 12. FG 28, FT 12-17, F 11 (3-pointers: J. Simmons 5, S. Simmons 1, Estes 1, Campbell 1. Fouled out: None)

Bell to return to Central lineup tonight

Central guard Jajuan Bell, who was suspended indefinitely last month for breaking a team rule, is back with the Tigers and might see some playing time tonight in a road game against Kennett.

"He's been practicing with us for, I don't know, the last two or three weeks, maybe a little longer than that," Tigers coach Drew Church said Thursday. "I don't know if he will play or not to tell you the truth. It's just kind of how the game goes. He might play, he might not. He's eligible to play based on his punishment. But he's still practicing and got to work his way back up."

Church said the decision to allow Bell to return was a program decision.

"It was a decision of the program," he said. "It was not fully based on a [team vote]. The team did have some input, but I'm not going to go into a lot of detail on that. It was just a decision of the program that if he came and worked hard and did the right things, that he'd have a chance to be back on the team.

"He's been practicing with us ... and he's done what he needed to do to be eligible to play."

GIRLS BASKETBALLNotre Dame 56, Fredericktown 43

Jane Morrill turned in a double-double to lead the Bulldogs at home.

Morrill scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, plus added three blocks. Emily Brumitt had 11 points for Notre Dame.

Alex Fowler and Paige Schumer each had four rebounds for the Bulldogs (9-3).

Fredericktown 8 13 16 6 -- 43

Notre Dame 17 15 9 15 -- 56

Fredericktown (43) -- Courtney Kemp 15, Lauren Henderson 4, Johnna Tinnin 2, Tricia Ward 4, Ashley Mascaro 4, Kylie Oertel 14. FG 17-41, FT 9-11, F 11 (3-pointers: None. Fouled out: None)

Notre Dame (56) -- Allyson Bradshaw 6, Emily Brumitt 11, Alex Fowler 7, Jane Morrill 20, Amanda Pleimann 2, Erika Reinagel 8, Paige Schumer 2. FG 21-50, FT 10-12, F 10 (3-pointers: Brumitt 1, Fowler 1, Reinagel 2. Fouled out: None)

JV -- Notre Dame won 46-27.

Poplar Bluff 57, Central 27

Central dropped to 4-6 with its 30-point loss.

The Tigers were without one of their top scorers, Wendi Zickfield, who sat out with a neck injury she suffered in the final game of the Saint Francis Medical Center Holiday Classic two weeks ago.

The junior is expected to return to practice today and likely will play when the Tigers return to action Wednesday against North County.

Nine different players scored for Poplar Bluff.

Taylor Kirn led the Tigers with six points.

Poplar Bluff 7 13 12 25 -- 57

Cape Central 4 5 12 6 -- 27

Poplar Bluff (57) -- Ruthie Johnson 6, Abby Ivie 1, Jasmin Sumrall 9, Stefanie Ferguson 5, Emilie Thomas 5, Aereill Davis 10, Natalie Stonecipher 10, Kelly Kelm 2, Miranda Burroughs 5, Tori Williams 4. FG 20, FT 11-18, F 12 (3-pointers: Johnson 2, Ferguson 1, Davis 2, Burroughs 1. Fouled out: none)

Cape Central (27) -- Sadie Pittman 5, Starr Harris 2, Jenna Matthews 2, Laura Kinsey 2, Chelsea Pannier 4, Breia Twiggs 2, Taylor Kirn 6, Sarah Uptmor 2, Machaela Durham 2. FG 12, FT -3-6, F 13 (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none)

De Soto 39, St. Vincent 27

The Indians led 10-8 after the first quarter, but De Soto outscored St. Vincent 14-6 in the second quarter to enter halftime with a 22-16 lead.

The Dragons used a zone trap defense while the Indians (6-2) struggled to covert some layup chances.

Lacey Siegmund led the Indians with 10 points and six rebounds.

St. Vincent 10 6 8 3 -- 27

De Soto 8 14 6 11 -- 39

St. Vincent (27) -- Lacey Siegmund 10, Courtney Besand 8, Brooke Brown 2, Elizabeth Rozier 3, Jessica Welker 4. FG 12, FT 2-7, F 15 (3-pointers: Rozier 1. Fouled out: Brown)

De Soto (39) -- Cable 5, Ketcherside 10, Williams 5, Milfeld 6, Stearns 4, Smith 9, FG 14, FT 9-15, F 10 (3-pointers: Cable 1, Smith 1. Fouled out: none)

JV -- De Soto won 39-27.

Perryville 91, Hillsboro 43

Perryville's Ava Johnson recorded a double-double, netting 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, to help the Pirates to a 48-point win.

The Pirates also received a strong effort from Kendra Schilli, who poured in a game-high 27 points.

Perryville outscored Hillsboro 31-7 in the first quarter and 26-11 in the third quarter.

Hillsboro 7 21 10 5 -- 43

Perryville 31 21 26 13 -- 91

Hillsboro (43) -- Hohmann 17, White 4, Maupin 6, Moore 4, James 8, Mills 4. FG 13, FT 14-25, F 21 (3-pointers: Hohmann 2, James 1. Fouled out: none)

Perryville (91) -- Alicia Kueker 19, Ava Johnson 22, Nicole Gremaud 5, Kendra Schilli 27, Alyssa Bauwens 11, Makenzie Schirmer 5, Emily Hanquist 2. FG 37, FT 13-25, F 18 (3-pointers: Kueker 2, Johnson 1, Schilli 1. Fouled out: none)

JV -- 49-42.

Meadow Heights 56, Clearwater 46

The Panthers netted six 3-pointers to earn the road win.

Three Meadow Heights players scored in double figures -- Amanda Hendrickson with 19, Gina Cureton with 11 and Chelsey Kight added 10.

Meadow Heights (4-6) jumped out to a 16-11 lead after the first quarter and a 31-23 lead at halftime.

Meadow Heights 16 15 14 11 -- 56

Clearwater 11 12 16 7 -- 46

Meadow Heights (56) -- Gina Cureton 11, Ashley Doublin 7, Amanda Hendrickson 19, Heather Dietiker 5, Danielle Welker 4, Chelsey Kight 10. FG 21, FT 8-14, F 15 (3-pointers: Cureton 1, Doublin 1, Hendrickson 2, Dietiker 1, Kight 1. Fouled out: none)

Clearwater (46) -- Payton 2, D'Amico 21, Bell 7, Hill 3, E. Miller 9, K. Miller 4. FG 16, FT 13-18, F 15 (3-pointers: Bell 1. Fouled out: K. Miller)

-- From staff reports