Charleston boys basketball team squeezes Cape Central in semifinals

Charleston's trademark defense was at its suffocating best Thursday night, especially during a first half that saw Central score just 12 points.

The fourth-seeded Tigers felt the sting, losing 50-39 to top-seeded Charleston in the semifinals of the Southeast Missourian Christmas tournament at the Show Me Center.

"We played a great defensive game in the first half," Charleston coach Danny Farmer said. "To beat Cape it's got to be a great defensive game."

The Bluejays, who have won a tournament-record 15 championships, will play in their first title contest since they captured their most recent crown in 2002.

Charleston will face second-seeded Notre Dame at 8 p.m. today, while Central meets three-time defending champion Scott County Central for third place at 6:30 p.m.

Central coach Drew Church reacts during the fourth quarter of his team's Southeast Missourian Christmas tournament semifinal Thursday. (Kristin Eberts)

"It's a great feeling," Farmer said. "It's been a while."

Charleston (10-1), which led all the way, swarmed Central (7-3) from the start. The Bluejays forced 15 turnovers in the first half and led 25-12 at the intermission.

"We couldn't get going the first half," Central coach Drew Church said. "We kind of played on our heels. Credit to Charleston's defense."

The Bluejays especially made things tough on T.J. Tisdell, a 6-foot-6 senior forward averaging more than 20 points per game.

Tisdell, who had scored a tournament high 55 points in the first two contests, was double-teamed all night and managed just 10 points although he did grab 10 rebounds. He had only four points after halftime.

Central's Tim Booker passes away from Charleston's Ryan Parham during the first quarter Thursday.

"It was my fault. I should have posted up harder," Tisdell said. "Charleston is a good team. They had more intensity than we did the first half."

Farmer said the Bluejays wanted to make life miserable on Central's star.

"We wanted to make every basket hard for Tisdell, to make him work," Farmer said.

Church knows that Tisdell will draw plenty of attention, and the Tigers need to adjust.

"It's something we'll have to deal with the whole year," Church said. "We'll have to have guys step up. Jamal [Cox] did a little."

Cox, a sophomore forward, scored 10 of his team-high 13 points in the second half.

Junior guard Garan Evans added 10 points for the Tigers, who did not make a 3-pointer.

Charleston got a big performance from junior point guard Ryan Parham, who normally is content to set up his teammates, including top scorers Greg Tucker and Aaron Cassell.

With Tucker struggling to find his shot, Parham pumped in a game-high 16 points, including nine on three 3-pointers.

"I knew I would have to step up and play big. They were going to key on Greg and Aaron," said Parham, who totaled seven points in the first two tournament games.

Parham scored eight points in the second quarter. He put in seven points in the third, including five during a late 7-0 run after Central had cut the deficit to 29-25.

"He's the type of player, when you need him, he can come through," Farmer said. "He hit some big shots."

Tucker, a senior guard headed to Division I Northern Colorado, made just three field goals but still scored 15 points, including nine in the fourth quarter.

Central, which led Charleston by eight points in the fourth quarter of a 59-50 SEMO Conference tournament loss Dec. 8, tried to turn the tables this time.

The Tigers, down 36-27 after three, cut the deficit to five points early in the final period and later to six points three times.

"I knew they would make a surge," Farmer said. "They turned it up a notch and we didn't respond."

Charleston responded well enough to score seven of the game's final nine points as the Bluejays cruised into the tournament final for the first time in nearly a decade.

"The thing about Charleston, they always keep their composure," Church said. "They have a lot of experience."

Charleston will have another rematch today. It posted a 70-59 victory at Notre Dame on Dec. 20.

Central 6 6 15 12 -- 39

Charleston 11 14 11 14 -- 50

CENTRAL (39) -- Vance Toole 2, Tim Booker 4, Garan Evans 10, T.J. Tisdell 10, Jamal Cox 13. FG 15, FT 9-15, F 19. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: Devon Johnson)

CHARLESTON (50) -- Aaron Cassell 4, Ryan Parham 16, Michael Hull 6, Trey Watkins 4, Greg Tucker 15, Jamaul Gray 3, Krushon Scott 2. FG 18, FT 10-16, F 16. (3-pointers: Parham 3, Gray 1. Fouled out: none)