Cape Central boys basketball team falters in sectional

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- The CBC boys basketball team made five shots, scored 13 points and forced five turnovers before Central scored a point in their Class 5 sectional Wednesday night.

Central never would come within less than six points of erasing that deficit on its way to a 68-52 loss at the Farmington Civic Center.

"It's tough to take," Central coach Drew Church said. "I don't know what they shot, but they shot it extremely well. They're a good basketball team. They're hard to guard. They shoot it well. They're hard to keep in front."

The Cadets shot 55 percent (29 of 53) from the floor overall and made eight of their 15 3-point attempts.

Three of those 3-pointers came in the first two minutes of the game.

Central's Tim Booker takes a shot between CBC's Jared Barnes, left, and Jordan Barnett during the third quarter Wednesday.

"We came out a little bit on our heels, and they punched us in the nose," Church said. "That disappoints me a little bit, but you know, I couldn't be more proud of these kids. This is a group that nobody expected anything from, and they bought into what we want to do and they became successful."

Central finished the season 21-7 after winning a district championship for the second year in a row.

"This year's just been great," said Central senior T.J. Tisdell, who finished with a game-high 19 points. "It's a great group of guys. We just try to fight hard every night."

Central wasn't able to feed the ball to Tisdell and sophomore Jamal Cox as often as it would've liked during the game.

"They put pressure on our guards, and we just couldn't get the ball inside," Tisdell said.

Central coach Drew Church talks to his seniors, T.J. Tisdell, right, Vance Toole, center, and Ross McClanahan during the final moments of Wednesday's game.

Central turned over the ball seven times in each of the first two quarters and 21 times in the game.

"When we scrimmage in practice, coach definitely tells us to get up and pressure the ball," CBC senior Jared Barnes said. "That way we're used to it when we get pressured and we know how to pressure the ball."

CBC advanced to face Marquette in the state quarterfinals Saturday.

"They're a good team," Tisdell said about CBC. "They beat Webster Groves. Webster Groves was one of the best teams in the state. Give congratulations to them. They're a good team, and they played harder. We just made turnovers if we wouldn't have made we would have come out with a win or it would have been closer."

CBC also used an early run to take command of its district title game against top-seed Webster Groves.

The Jungle cheers for the Tigers during Wednesday's Class 5 sectional game in Farmington, Mo. CBC defeated Central 68-52. (Fred Lynch)

"We came out last game with, I think, it was a 10-0 run, and that really got our energy up," Barnes said. "That's what we really need. We need energy. That really carried us."

It also caused Central to amend its game plan well before halftime.

"It definitely changes," Church said. "You've got to press the issue a little bit. We had to press a little bit. We had to get up and guard a little closer than we wanted to, and that allowed them to get past us some and make other plays. When you get down by 10, 15 points, you can't really just sit back and continue to let them force the issue. You've got to change something."

CBC held Central to just four points in the second quarter and led 35-17 at halftime before cruising to the victory.

Barnes led the Cadets with 17 points. Sophomore Beau Bommarito added 14, and junior Aarion Maxey-Penton had 11.

The game was the final Central contest for Tisdell, Ross McClanahan and Vance Toole.

"I couldn't be more proud," Church said. "The three seniors -- I told them after the game I would let them baby-sit or take care of my daughter any day of the week. They're three kids that are awesome. They represent us well in school in the classroom and on the court."

Central 13 4 12 23 -- 52

CBC 20 15 19 14 -- 68

CENTRAL (52) -- Ross McClanahan 10, Vance Toole 3, Tim Booker 10, T.J. Tisdell 19, Jamal Cox 10. FG 18, FT 11-13, F 11. (3-pointers: McClanahan 3, Toole 1, Booker 1. Fouled out: none)

CBC (68) -- Jared Barnes 17, Aarion Maxey-Penton 11, Darrian Bass 10, Zach Fischer 5, Jalen Wadlington 2, Patrick McCaw 9, Beau Bommarito 14. FG 29, FT 2-6, F 10. (3-pointers: Barnes 1, Maxey-Penton 1, Fischer 1, McCaw 3, Bommarito 2. Fouled out: none)