THRILLER: CAPE CENTRAL OUTLASTS NOTRE DAME IN 4 OT

If ESPN would've been there, it would've been an instant classic.

In four overtimes, Cape Girardeau Central upset cross-town rival Notre Dame 62-57 Wednesday night at Notre Dame High School.

It was a game of extremes, one of big shots and busted chops; ugly at times and captivating at others. If featured one team toward the bottom of the area's high school food chain, Central (4-14), and one of the area's best. Notre Dame is 14-5.

Central is one of the smallest teams in the area. Notre Dame, with four starters 6-foot-3 or taller, is one of the biggest.

But on Wednesday, the teams couldn't have been more equal.

The game finally came down to two missed 3-point attempts by Notre Dame's Mark Rubel. A long rebound came down to Central's Matt Cardin, who coasted in for a layup at the buzzer to account for the five-point margin.

But the end really didn't do the game justice as a 3-pointer by Central's Chris Cole with six seconds left in regulation sent the game into its first overtime; the second overtime went down to the buzzer with two missed shots by Notre Dame; Central's T.J. Erlacker sent the game into the third overtime on a coast-to-coast layup; and Notre Dame's Cory Buessink hit two free throws with 2.3 seconds left to send the game into its fourth extra period.

In the third overtime, Rubel hit three consecutive 3-pointers, to score nine of his game-high 22 points.

Cape Central's Justin Welker came up with one big rebound after another -- and made six of his eight free throws down the stretch.

In short, it was a game that neither Notre Dame nor Central will forget soon.

"I was going crazy out there," said Welker, speaking of his nerves. "But I love those situations because the best comes out of everybody. That game just shows how much heart we've got."

Said Central coach Brett Reutzel, "I've been saying this all year: We may not be the biggest, the fastest or the strongest, but we play as hard or harder than anyone on our schedule."

In a game that wasn't pretty through the first four quarters -- the game was tied 31-31 at the end of regulation -- both teams turned the intensity up late in the fourth quarter.

After Central trailed most of the game, Welker tied the game at the 6:16 mark of the fourth quarter and the Tigers took their first lead in a long time on a basket by J.P. Limbaugh with 4:10 left.

Central ran a weave and played keep-away for most of the fourth quarter, but the teams traded leads for the remainder of regulation. Jonathan Ressel hit a 3-pointer with one minute left to put Notre Dame up 29-28 and two Scott Wittenborn free throws with 15 seconds left put Notre Dame ahead 31-28.

But Cole, who had already missed the front end of a one-and-one and missed a 10-footer which would've given Central a lead, redeemed himself with a 3-pointer with six seconds left.

Cole used a screen at the top of the key and hit nothing but net.

"It felt good," Cole said. "I've done it (hit buzzer beaters) a couple times lately. It seems to be going in. We actually ran the play the wrong way. It was supposed to go to the corner, but I came off the screen at the top. It was a relief because I felt so bad missing the free throws, I just wanted to make up for it."

In the first overtime, Rubel kept his team in it with three quick 3-pointers. Central, meanwhile hit five of six free throws and got two shots from Cole as the Tigers and Bulldogs went into the second overtime tied at 40.

With nine seconds left in the second overtime, Ressel scored to put Notre Dame up 46-44, but Erlacker took the ball straight down the court and scored a layup over a defender with 2.1 seconds left. Erlacker was fouled on the play, but he missed the free throw.

Central twice had an opportunity to put the game away in the third overtime, but the Tigers missed two of four free throws in the final 25 seconds, while Rubel hit a short jumper and Beussink hit his two free throws with :2.1 left.

A Welker layup with 1:15 to go in the fourth overtime gave Central a 57-55 lead and the Tigers didn't trail thereafter. Erlacker hit two free throws with :33.6 left to give Central a four-point lead.

Cole ended up with a team-high 17 points for Central with only two coming in the first half. Erlacker and Welker scored 10 apiece for the Tigers.

For Notre Dame, Jacob Ressel added 11 points.

"I'm proud of the effort," said Notre Dame coach Darrin Scott. "I think I've made them play too tight and be too patient against the zone. Hopefully the guys will get some good experience from this."