FINAL: HAWKS VS. 'JAYS; CHARLESTON WEATHERS SCOTT CITY, WINS 63-60

Larico Coleman, Charleston's talented 5-foot-9 senior guard, has the physical part down. So he knows what allowed Scott City to nearly take Monday's University High School Christmas Tournament semifinal game from the top-seeded Blue Jays.

"We did some stupid stuff," said Coleman. "I had some stupid fouls myself, and I'm going to try to correct that for tomorrow so we can be champions."

Charleston floundered at the end, committing a bad foul and turning the ball over, which allowed fourth-seeded Scott City a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but the Blue Jays won 63-60 and will try for its fifth tournament title in seven years against second-seeded Kelly at 8:30 tonight at the Show Me Center.

With the score tied at 37-37 late in the third quarter, Coleman, who scored 14 points despite spending much of the game on the bench in foul trouble, hit two big 3-pointers in the last minute of the period, giving the Blue Jays a 43-37 lead entering the fourth quarter.

An offensive rebound and putback by Moses Rowe, a 6-5 senior who had 13 points and 13 rebounds, put Charleston's lead at 54-45 with 1 minute 52 seconds remaining.

Scott City came back, and a drive by Tim Lowery, who finished with 23 points, with seven seconds left made the score 61-58. After Charleston's Tyshun Williams missed two free throws with six seconds left, the Rams' Adam Spinks was fouled on Williams' second miss and stepped to the line with five ticks remaining.

Spinks missed the first shot, and attempted to fire the ball off the rim to gain possession on the second attempt, but he stepped over the free-throw line. Charleston's Howard Biles, a superb 5-10 sophomore guard who scored 11 of his team-high 23 points in the fourth quarter and grabbed six rebounds, then hit two free throws with three seconds left, giving the Blue Jays a 63-58 lead.

Scott City then inbounded the ball, and Coleman inexplicably fouled Jon Beck, the Rams' junior guard who scored 12 of his game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter. Beck made both, making the score 63-60 with two seconds left.

Charleston then threw the inbounds pass away, which Lowery gathered and heaved with his left hand toward the goal from behind the 3-point arc. Charleston's Rowe lunged and slapped the ball, which was ruled a block although Scott City fans and coach Derek McCord pleaded for a foul call.

"I don't think the officials wanted to decide the outcome of the game, but it could have easily been a foul," said Charleston coach Danny Farmer. "I had just called a timeout to tell them to call a timeout in a tough situation. We played very stupid at the end. That's kids, I guess."

Said McCord: "We thought he got fouled, but who knows. But we're not going to blame the loss on one call. It was a great game by both teams."

The game featured a battle of the teams' outstanding guard tandems. While the Rams' Beck and Lowery combined for 50 points to 37 points for Biles and Coleman, Farmer thought his two might have had the edge.

"Scoring-wise (Scott City) probably did, but as far as overall play I think we did," he said. "But I think all four guards just did a tremendous job. Coleman is a three-year starter and he's our go-to guy, he and Biles. Biles is a very talented sophomore."

Coleman is also in awe at times of Biles, his best friend.

"He's going to be one heck of a guard," Coleman said.

McCord likes his duo as well.

"Everybody talks about (Charleston's) two guards and how good they are; I think our two guards are pretty good," he said. "They both stepped up tonight and played some solid basketball."