CHARLESTON CLAIMS SIKESTON INVITATIONAL; TIGERS WIN

SIKESTON -- Charleston, Sikeston and Cape Girardeau Central were the winners Friday night as the 26th annual Sikeston Invitational boys basketball tournament came to a close.

Charleston, seeded second, won the championship for the seventh time in nine years with a come-from-behind 64-55 victory over fifth-seeded Blytheville, Ark.

Third-seeded Sikeston hits its seeding right on the nose by beating top-seeded New Madrid County Central 51-36.

Cape Central, the fourth seed, captured the consolation title signifying fifth place with a 61-48 triumph over No. 6 Poplar Bluff.

Aron Meystedt scored 21 points and Chris Bergerson added 17 as Cape Central evened its record at 2-2. Mike Kilgore had 17 for Poplar Bluff (3-3).

"We handled the end-of-the-game situation much better tonight than Monday (a first-round loss to Blytheville)," said Cape Central coach Brett Reutzel. "We took care of the basketball and we made our free throws down the stretch."

The Tigers led just 32-31 at halftime and only 43-41 after three quarters. Central pulled away with an 18-7 edge in the final period.

Meanwhile, Charleston got 39 points from its standout backcourt of Larico Coleman and Howard Biles to rally past Blytheville. Coleman led all scorers with 26 points.

The Blue Jays (5-1) trailed 33-24 at halftime and were still behind 45-41 after three quarters. But they outscored the Chicks 23-10 down the stretch.

Sikeston kept New Madrid winless on the season as Brian Ellitt scored 14 points.