BRIEFLY: THIELE, OLIVER HONORED AS LEAGUE PLAYERS OF YEAR

Cape Girardeau Central's Nichole Thiele and Charleston's Rashad Oliver were honored as SEMO Conference basketball players of the year during Tuesday night's Poplar Bluff Letter Club Banquet.

Thiele, a 5-foot-5 senior guard who was a four-year starter, averaged 15 points per game and led the conference girls in free-throw shooting at 72 percent this year.

Oliver, a 6-2 senior forward, averaged 20 points and 19 rebounds per game this season. He helped lead the Blue Jays to the Class 3A state title as a junior.

Jackson's Ron Cook and Charleston's Bobby Spencer were named coaches of the year for the girls and boys, respectively.

In addition to Oliver, the all-conference boys team featured Cape Central's Nathan Owen, Jackson's Justin Keen, Sikeston's John Sanders, Charleston's Larico Coleman and New Madrid's Ed Farr.

Joining Thiele on the girls squad were Cape Central's Laura Lukens, Jackson's Michele Millham, Shannon Perry and Christa Millham, Poplar Bluff's Shuntae Johnson and New Madrid's Tamekia Tipler.

Included on the seconds teams were Cape Central's LaVelle Lewis and Elizabeth Kunz and Charleston's Talisha Haynes.