DEFENDING STATE CHAMPS PUT ON A CLINIC FOR TIGERS

Cape Girardeau Central High's boys basketball team entered play Friday with a two-game winning streak, and the Tigers had generally improved considerably in recent weeks after a slow start.

But it didn't take a genius to surmise that the Tigers would be hard pressed to continue their upward climb Friday night.

Awaiting Central was powerful DeSmet, the defending Class 4A champion and ranked second in the most recent state poll.

And, not surprisingly, the visiting Spartans from St. Louis had an easy time of things as they rolled to a 62-33 victory.

DeSmet, which returned three starters from last year's stellar squad, improved to 14-4 and shook off the effects of losing two of three games last weekend during a big tournament in Springfield.

Central fell to 6-10, but coach Brett Reutzel could find little fault in the Tigers' effort. DeSmet is simply that talented, and the Spartans appeared to be clicking on all cylinders Friday.

"They're awesome," said Reutzel. "They do things very well. They execute well and they're very fundamental.

"There's a reason they won state last year and they're ranked so high this year. I don't fault our effort. We were up to play. It would have taken a flawless game on our part, no question."

Spartans' coach Bob Steiner liked the way his team came out focused and ready to play.

"We came out with so much intensity and so much enthusiasm," he said.

Joe Ries, a 6-foot-8 senior who has signed to play at Wyoming, led the Spartans with 16 points. Joe Duchek, a 6-7 senior, scored 14 points, 6-5 junior Eric Blancett added 10 and 6-6 senior Bob Keppel contributed nine.

Ross Conner, a 6-5 senior, paced the Tigers with 16 points. No other Central player scored more than five.

Often times Friday, it looked like the Spartans were running a layup drill as they ran their fast break to near perfection.

"Our kids have traditionally been really unselfish," Steiner said.

Said an admiring Reutzel, "You could say they're like a well-oiled machine."

DeSmet hit its first four shots three of them layups and grabbed early leads of 6-0 and 8-2. Central did manage to pull within 15-11 after one quarter, but that was the last time the game was even remotely close.

The Spartans scored the first 14 points of the second period Duchek had five points and Ries four, including an emphatic fast-break jam to go up 29-11 and effectively put the contest away.

DeSmet led 38-17 at halftime and 48-28 after three quarters before pulling away even further in the final period.

While DeSmet isn't favored to repeat as state champion, Steiner said the Spartans could be primed for another strong postseason run.

"We lost four of our top seven players from last year, but we've got three starters back and we seem to be building depth," Steiner said. "I said at the beginning of the year that these kids one through 10 would be better than last year and I stand by that."

Central did manage to win Friday's JV game, 45-43 in overtime, as two free throws by Matt Cardin late in the extra session broke a 43-43 tie. Cardin scored 18 points while Trevor Blattner and Leon Carson each added 11.

The Tigers return to action tonight with a game at Riverview Gardens in St. Louis.