Central takes runner-up spot behind Charleston

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Charleston's boys basketball team lived up to its No. 1 state ranking in Class 3 Friday night by routing Cape Girardeau Central 75-57 in the championship game of the Sikeston Invitational Tournament.

The Bluejays improved to 5-0 and dropped the Tigers to 4-2. It was Central's second consecutive second-place showing, coming on the heels of last weekend's performance in the Farmington Tournament.

In other tournament games Friday, Blytheville (Ark.) beat Sikeston 67-35 for third place and Poplar Bluff defeated New Madrid County Central 65-44 for fifth place.

Marcus Biles scored 12 first-quarter points for Charleston and finished with a game-high 21. Four other players scored in double figures for the Bluejays, including Joshua Strayhorn with 19, including nine in the opening period. Ashton Farmer had 15 points, Trentez Lane 10 and Jamarcus Williams 10.

For Central, Will Johnson led with 18 points. Ryan Delph had 16 and Scott Chestnutt added 11.

Chestnutt dunked to give the Tigers an early 2-0 lead and the squads were tied 7-7 before the Bluejays took control with a 9-0 run to go up 16-7. Charleston was never seriously threatened the rest of the way.

The Bluejays led 26-14 after one quarter and 40-29 at halftime, then broke things wide open with an 18-11 third-period edge to go up 58-40.