Rams tame Panthers

For a second consecutive game at the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament, Meadow Heights attempted a furious fourth-quarter comeback.

The Panthers' press, which allowed them to erase a 17-point deficit Saturday against Delta, could not pull off the same feat Monday against Scott City at the Show Me Center.

The Rams advanced to the consolation championship game with a 59-50 victory.

"I believe the message was 'Slow down,'" Scott City coach Lance Amick said of his team's fourth-quarter play. "Sometimes, I feel like we get in too big of a hurry and some of that comes from being uncomfortable with the ball in that type of situation."

Scott City did not make a field goal in the final quarter, but the Rams made 14 of their 18 free throws in the period.

"Any time you make those, it puts pressure on their mental toughness because if we keep making those free throws, you hope the air goes out of their sails a little bit each time those free throws go in," Amick said.

Bell City 56, Oran 48

Bell City coach Brian Brandtner was pleased to watch his team drain five 3-pointer early in its consolation bracket semifinal against Oran.

Despite leading 17-4, he also was a little concerned.

"If you just start relying on 3-pointers, sooner or later you're going to start missing and team's are going to be able to get back in the game," Brandtner said.

The Cubs allowed the Eagles to get back in it, though they held on in the end.

Ronnie Gross, who hit three 3-pointers, said the team simply cooled off.

"We just wasn't making the shots we started off making," he said. "They just stopped falling, so we had to find a different way to score."

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:Scott City 59, Meadow Heights 50

@z_agate_HSbasketball_linescore:Scott City1092416--59

Meadow Heights1071122--50

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:Scott City (59) -- Skylar Cobb 10, Cody Page 16, Shae Simmons 20, Tyler Glueck 2, Brennan Uelsmann 2, Caleb Anderson 4, Jake Campbell 5. FG 17, FT 23-31, F 8. (3-pointers: Simmons 2. Fouled out: None)

Meadow Heights (50) -- Derrick Wilfong 14, Adam Welker 2, Tyler Brune 2, Luke Nitsch 5, Ethan Mayfield 8, Zac Hotop 4, Nick Webb 4, Josh Keller 1, Tyler Welker 10. FG 22, FT 2-10, F 20. (3-pointers: Wilfong 1, Nitsch 1, T. Welker 2. Fouled out: None)

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@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:Bell City 56, Oran 48

@z_agate_HSbasketball_linescore:Oran891615--48

Bell City1971515--56

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:Oran (48) -- Kurt Rendleman 3, Preston Scherer 11, Jake Carter 6, Gabe Kielhofner 8, Dilon Glastetter 3, Nathan Michelsen 4, Zac Chasteen 2, Jon Morrow 11. FG 19, FT 5-8, F 15. (3-pointers: Scherer 3, Carter 1, Glastetter 1. Fouled out: None)

Bell City (56) -- Melvin Johnson 6, Jeff Long 10, Ronnie Gross 26, Skylor Blackler 10, John Arnold 4. FG 20, FT 9-17, F 11. (3-pointers: Johnson 2, Long 2, Gross 3. Fouled out: None)

-- Rachel Crader