The history lists: Christmas Tournament winners

The Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament began in 1945 as the College High Christmas Tournament. That year, the Flat River Bears beat the host Preps in the championship game.

Sixteen teams competed in that first tournament. Several of those schools no longer exist, including the tournament sponsor, College High.

The games were played at Houck Field House. Admission was 50 cents for adults and 35 cents for students. An estimated 1,089 fans attended the opening day's games. That day's winners were Cape Central High and College High. A total of 2,862 fans attended the four-day event.

With the college becoming a university in 1972, the name of the tournament was changed as well, to University High Christmas Tournament. University High closed in 1986, but the tournament continued. In 2002 it got a new sponsor and a new name: seMissourian Christmas Basketball Tournament, sponsored by the Southeast Missourian newspaper and seMissourian.com

The following year, news stories referred to it as the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament

Since 1987, the tournament has been held at the Show Me Center.

Attendance figures for the past few years are:

2010 - 20,494

2009 - 21,400

2008 - 22,585

2007 - 23,636

2006 - 23,681

2005 - 27,241 (record)

CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENT FINALS

1945: Flat River over College High, 33-26

1946: Flat River over Leadwood, 43-41

1947: Leadwood over Illmo-Fornfelt, 38-30

1948: University High over Central, 28-24

1949: Sikeston over Oran, 42-37

1950: Puxico over Morehouse, 71-54

1951: Puxico over Central, 70-48

1952: Morehouse over Puxico, 58-54

1953: Morehouse over Bell City, 75-43

1954: Morehouse over Fisk-Rombauer, 60-52

1955: Fisk over Dexter, 51-36

1956: Advance over Bernie, 78-51

1957: Puxico over Dexter, 42-41

1958: Advance over Central, 46-44

1959: Fredericktown over Delta, 41-39

1960: Woodland over Advance, 76-73

1961: Central over Notre Dame, 53-40

1962: Central over Woodland, 48-47

1963: Ilmo-Scott City over Anniston, 79-61

1964: Oran over Jackson, 63-59

1965: Oran over Notre Dame, 57-44

1966: Oran over Notre Dame, 55-52

1967: Scott County Central over Notre Dame, 82-53

1968: Delta over Lilbourn, 53-52

1969: Portageville over Scott County Central, 49-41

1970: Notre Dame over Charleston, 77-76

1971: Central over Charleston, 60-57

1972: Central over Kelly, 58-56

1973: Kelly over Central, 79-73

1974: Notre Dame over Charleston, 51-49

1975: Charleston over Scott County Central, 72-71

1976: Charleston over Woodland, 65-56

1977: Central over Illmo-Scott City, 65-47

1978: Central over Notre Dame, 52-45

1979: Scott County Central over Central, 66-62

1980: Central over Charleston, 60-42

1981: Central over Kelly, 67-62

1982: Charleston over Delta, 45-36

1983: Charleston over Egyptian, Ill., 51-33

1984: Charleston over Scott County Central, 49-45

1985: Charleston over Notre Dame, 47-45

1986: Notre Dame over Scott County Central, 63-50

1987: Scott County Central over Jackson, 69-57

1988: Jackson over Scott County Central, 58-57

1989: Charleston over Scott County Central, 60-58

1990: Scott County Central over Charleston, 68-45

1991: Charleston over Jackson, 61-35

1992: Charleston over Jackson, 55-48

1993: Charleston over Jackson, 65-36

1994: Central over Charleston, 68-62

1995: Charleston over Central, 59-54

1996: Central over Scott City, 62-56

1997: Charleston over Kelly, 70-55

1998: Charleston over Jackson, 61-56

1999: Scott City over Advance, 48-45

2000: Advance over Jackson, 61-58

2001: Charleston over Jackson, 54-44

2002: Charleston over Notre Dame, 66-52

2003: Jackson over Central, 63-60

2004: Jackson over Kelly, 63-61

2005: Notre Dame over Jackson, 74-65

2006: Bell City over Jackson, 84-76

2007: Jackson over Notre Dame, 61-53

2008: Scott County Central over Notre Dame, 80-62

2009: Scott County Central over Cape Central, 75-47

2010: Scott County Central over Jackson, 75-34

2011: Charleston over Notre Dame, 58-50