SCOTT CITY TAKES HOME ITS 2ND U-HIGH TROPHY; RAMS HOLD OFF ADVANCE 48-45 IN TOURNEY CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Since the 1995-96 season, Scott City had won 114 games.

But one particular game had eluded the Rams, leaving a long, bitter taste with each of the Rams' six seniors who stepped on the floor of approximately 5,500 fans at the Show Me Center Thursday night.

Scott City seniors David Enderle, Ryan Oller, Scott Johnston, Ryan Weatherspoon, Ronald Watson and Matt Miller savored the sweetness that two-time all-stater Jon Beck never cherished.

The Rams won the University High Christmas Tournament.

In a game that was decided in the waning seconds, the second-seeded Rams held off the surging and resilient Advance Hornets 48-45 for the school's first tournament championship since 1963 when the school was known as Illmo-Scott City.

"We've had some big wins, but this has to be one of the biggest," said Scott City Derek McCord, whose team has finished in the top four spots of the tournament the last four years. "From the top player all the way down, this is about everybody. I'm so happy for our seniors."

The game, which was every bit as competitive as the teams' first meeting when Advance won 60-57, came down to the final possession.

Scott City took a 48-43 lead with 33 seconds left when Enderle made the first of two free throws.

Advance (9-1) worked the ball around the perimeter, then with about 11 seconds on the clock, Adam Rainey freed himself with a nifty ball fake and one-dribble for a wide open 3-point attempt from the right wing. The shot rimmed out, but Advance got off two quick shots on offensive rebounds.

"We put ourselves in position," said Advance coach Jim Hall. "We got an open shot for a good shooter. It just did everything but go in. (Rainey) thought it was good, the bench thought it was good, but it just didn't go."

"This is unbelievable," said Watson. "Everyone said we couldn't do it without Beck and Amick. Of all the things we've done before this has to be one of the best."

Advance nearly took a knockout blow early in the third quarter, finding itself down 33-22 with 3:15 left. But the Hornets went on a 9-4 run to end the quarter and trailed 37-31 going into the final eight minutes.

Advance pulled to within 37-35 with 5:57 when Jon French who led the Hornets with 17 points scored.

Then, for the second time of the game the first coming in the second quarter Scott City held the ball much to the dismay of the majority of fans in attendance.

"We had the lead and we wanted to get them in a man-to-man," McCord said. It surprised me how long they went with the zone."

Scott City trimmed about 2 1/2 minutes before the Hornets fouled Johnston, who made both free throws and gave his team a 35-39 lead.

Advance's Garrett Broshuis responded by swishing a three with 3:17 to go. Broshuis ended up with 15 points.

"I think Broshuis got a lot of good looks," Hall said. "He just didn't hit the shots he normally makes. But we've been playing four games and I think his legs may have been a bit tired. And everyone knows your legs are important when shooting the ball."

"We felt if we held him to 15 points, we could win the game," McCord said. "We stuck with our man-to-man but we doubled him. We gambled and gave up some back doors, but we took a lot of his penetration away. There were two Rams on him every time he got the ball."

Two possessions after Broshuis' three, Advance tied the game when French put back an offensive rebound with 2:51 left.

Not to be outdone, Ronald Watson nailed a three and gave the Rams the lead for good.

Weatherspoon ended up with a game-high 18 points, followed by Johnston and Watson with 11 apiece.

One difference between the two teams' first matchup was Weatherspoon's ability to get the ball in position to score.

Weatherspoon scored 12 in the first half and was largely responsible for Scott City taking a 27-17 lead at halftime.

"McCord wanted us to get it to Spoon early," said Watson. "They've got good post players, but they're not that tall and they couldn't really guard him."

"We had no answer for Weatherspoon in the second quarter," said Hall. "It was a very poor second quarter on our part and a very good second quarter on their part."

Said Weatherspoon: "The guards did a great job finding the open man and just did a good job tonight. After the last time, we knew we had to step up to beat them. It was a hard-fought battle.

"After last year when we lost the district championship game, we wanted to come out and prove we could play without the seniors we lost last year. Jon (Beck) gave me a call last night and said to win it for him because he couldn't do it."

The following players were named to the all-tournament team: Scott County Central's Jreece Johnson, Advance's Broshuis and Rainey, Charleston's Howard Biles and Terrance Gillespie, Jackson's Tory Meyr, Kelly's Jamie Essner, Cape Central's Ross Conner, Scott City's Weatherspoon and Watson and Notre Dame's Chris Dirnberger.

U-High results

Championship

Scott City 48Advance 45

Third place

Charleston 69, Jackson 61

Fifth place

Notre Dame 65, Cape Central 44

Consolation

Kelly 64, Leopold 62 2OT