Christmas tournament: Chaffee enjoys overdue success

The Chaffee Red Devils emerged as the darlings of this season's Southeast Missourian Christmas tournament.

Alex Crowe and Co. survived a couple of nail-biters, including one against archrival Scott City, to win on the fourth day of the tournament for the first time since 2000.

The Red Devils entered the tournament with a 3-1 record but only the 10 seed, likely based on the team's recent history of basketball struggles.

Chaffee lost the opening-round game to Leopold but bounced back with three consecutive wins. The Chaffee faithful offered a rousing ovation as the final seconds counted down in the team's 55-49 win against Oak Ridge in Thursday's consolation title game.

"It's exciting," Chaffee coach Josh Govreau said to Southeast Missourian reporter Marty Mishow. "The main thing, this is a good signature win for us. We felt like we should have beaten the other five teams we've beaten. Oak Ridge has a great team.

"Hopefully this will show us that we can come out and win some games, that we can play with anybody."

It will be interesting to see how Chaffee builds off its tournament success. Its next three games should offer a great look at the Red Devils' potential. They face Saxony Lutheran then Scott City and Advance in the coming days. Saxony Lutheran and Advance will provide excellent tests, but the Red Devils will enter with plenty of confidence after their three wins at the Show Me Center.

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Thursday's championship game likely was Scott County Central standout Otto Porter's final high school game at the Show Me Center, and he provided a wonderful show in his final contest.

The senior scored 30 points to go with 15 rebounds, eight steals and four assists. He's a special player and it's been a treat to watch him over the last four years. He makes everything look so effortless.

"It's all fun and games out here," he said. "We just play hard and have fun out there. That's what we try to do."

Porter, a rather quiet kid with a quick smile, wasn't done after the championship game ended. He spent another half hour doing postgame interviews with radio and newspaper reporters. He even was asked to sign a few autographs, something he did sheepishly.

"It's an honor to come out and play," he said about all the attention. "I just come out and just play my best."

Porter will get the opportunity to play basketball next year at almost any college he chooses. It will be interesting to see which college suitor he picks.

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Central emerged from the tournament with a pair of wins and a pair of losses, but things are looking up for the Tigers.

Central played its games without two important pieces -- guards Blake Ozbun and Curtis Branch.

Ozbun is battling an injury and Branch had to sit out until the second semester after transferring from Arkansas. Branch is drawing interest from some Division I programs, so he's going to be a welcomed addition to the Tigers.

Central possesses some big men, and the addition of a couple of quality guards will help diminish the load on David Watts and Andrew Williams.

The Tigers could develop into a serious force if they can keep feeding James Lane and T.J. Tisdale in the post while rotating guards into the game to keep them fresh while dealing with pressing defenses.

It will make Central's Feb. 8 rematch with Jackson all the more intriguing.

Coach Drew Church has to be happy about those prospects.

Kevin Winters Morriss is sports editor of the Southeast Missourian.