Dexter is the top seed once again in the Lady Royals Christmas Classic.
The Bearcats have won the tournament four of the past five years and eight of the past 12. They received 10 first-place votes as they look to continue their run on top.
After coming off a third-place finish at state, the Bearcats brought back most of their firepower from last year's team. They lost seniors Harley Allen and Cheyenne Mosby to graduation while they return leading scorer Chaylea Mosby, as well as forward Hannah Thurmon, who signed with Three Rivers College on Thursday.
Dexter (6-2) loaded the front end of its schedule as usual with difficult teams and tournament. It beat St. Joseph's Academy, Sikeston, Jackson and Saxony Lutheran all on the road. Then beat Earle (Ark.) and Oxford (Miss.) in the SEMO Border Challenge before losing the tournament championship to Pine Grove (Miss.), the defending Mississippi 1A state champion. Dexter's only other loss was to the top ranked team in Class 5, Kirkwood.
Chaylea Mosby did not play in the SEMO Border Challenge after suffering a mild concussion in practice the day before the tournament started.
Dexter was 3-5 at the same point last year with a similar schedule. It had losses to St. Joseph's, Kirkwood, Jackson, Earle and Ingomar (Miss.).
With the improved record the Bearcats were ranked No. 10 in the most recent Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Poll.
Since 2011, Dexter has an average winning margin of 74.8 points in the first round. None of those No. 16 seeded teams scored more than 18 points and four of them were held to 11 points.
This year's No. 16 seed is East Carter (2-5), who faced Dexter in the first round in 2014 and lost 77-11.
Dexter's average winning margin in the second round since 2011 is 48.2. Assuming a win over East Carter, Dexter will face either Portageville (3-3) or Kennett (1-5) in the second round.
In the past six semifinals, Dexter has won by an average of 32.3 points.
Naylor, in 2015, was the last team to come close to upsetting the Bearcats before the championship. The Eagles lost 57-49.
And in the championship, Dexter's average margin is 16 points, including the 15-point loss to Neelyville in 2014.
It is almost a given that Dexter and Neelyville (5-3) will face each other at some point. The two squads have played for the championship in each of the past five years. They also faced each other in the semifinals in 2009 and 2011.
Neelyville beat Dexter in the semifinals in 2009 and in the finals in 2014.
"We run into them almost every year," Neelyville coach Becky Hale said. "They always play tough, they always play hard, they play that matchup zone. They really get after us and we try to do the same."
In 2014, as the No. 2 seed like they are this year, the Tigers upset Dexter 72-57 after pulling away just before halftime. It was the third LRC championship for Neelyville, which was undefeated at the time and went on to quarterfinals of the Class 2 state tournament.
Thurmon was a freshman for Dexter then and was third on the team in scoring with 13 points.
The Tigers came close to another upset last year. Again the No. 2 seed, they were down by two midway through the fourth quarter but Dexter went 12 for 16 at the free-throw line late to win 67-58.
"We've always got a chance to win it, but it is a tough field and everybody is wanting the same goal. So we've got to work for it," Hale said.
Neelyville will play No. 15 Campbell (1-4) in the first round Saturday. The Camels went 4-16 last season, graduated two seniors and have one starter back on a young squad.
Host Twin Rivers (4-4) is the No. 3 seed this year and will face Malden (3-4) in the first round.
The Royals have five seniors who all played considerable minutes last season. They have wins over Portageville and Malden, as well. The Green Wave return three senior starters and include five underclassmen in the varsity lineup.
Naylor (1-6), which initially tied Twin Rivers for the No. 3 spot in the seed meeting before being voted the No. 4 seed, will take on No. 13 Kelly (5-2).
The Eagles played three Class 4 schools and a Class 5 school in four of their five losses. They beat Perryville and return their leading scorer from last season in 6-foot, 1-inch forward Callee Pickrell, who is averaging more than 29 points in her senior season. The Hawks return one starter and have three seniors. They have wins over Caruthersville, Scott City and Malden.
No. 5 Chaffee (5-2) will face No. 12 Clearwater (3-3).
The Red Devils have all five starters and their entire bench back from last year's 18-10 team that was the No. 10 seed and won the first day. They have wins over Scott County Central, Puxico, and twice against Scott City. The Tigers have three seniors and have wins against East Carter, Ellington and Lesterville with losses to Twin Rivers and Neelyville.
No. 6 New Madrid Central (8-0) will face No. 11 Charleston and No. 7 Doniphan (5-2) will take on No. 10 Greenville.
The Eagles start three freshman in what is a talented but young class. They have wins over Perryville, Puxico, Hayti, Caruthersville and twice against Scott County Central. The Bears have wins over Campbell and Ellington with losses to Portageville, Van Buren and Alton.
"It is always hard to seed that tournament," Hale said. "It is early on in the year and there are teams who haven't seen each other play. It is anybody's tournament at this point."