High school roundup: Central wins season opener in Pepsi Showcase

Central posted a victory and Notre Dame suffered a loss as those high school boys basketball teams opened their seasons Saturday in the Pepsi Showcase at the Show Me Center.

The Tigers beat Nettleton, Ark., 33-22, while Notre Dame fell to Lafayette from suburban St. Louis 60-54.

Central won a defensive-minded game as the Tigers held Nettleton to just nine first-half points.

The Tigers were ahead 20-9 at the intermission and the teams both scored 13 second-half points.

James Lane, a 6-foot-5 junior, got the season off to a strong start with a double-double. Lane led the Tigers with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Notre Dame was looking good through three quarters as the Bulldogs led 50-42. But Lafayette outscored Notre Dame 18-4 in the final period.

Matt Helle paced Notre Dame with 18 points. Luciano Starling had 16 and Jacob Tolbert 11.

Michael Messmer poured in 33 points for Lafayette. He hit five 3-pointers.

Nettleton 3 6 6 7 -- 22

Central 8 12 4 9 -- 33

NETTLETON (22) -- Fred McCraney 9, Jacob Eliason 7, Ryan Vericber 6. FG 9, FT 2-4, F 12. (3-pointers: Eliason 2. Fouled out: none)

CENTRAL (33) -- Andrew Williams 4, James Lane 16, Kevin Casasola 7, Zach Boerboom 6. FG 14, FT 4-11, F 10. (3-pointers: Williams 1. Fouled out: none)

Lafayette 60, Notre Dame 54

Notre Dame 17 14 19 4 -- 54

Lafayette 10 19 13 18 -- 60

NOTRE DAME (54) -- Liam Maher 9, Luciano Starling 16, Jacob Tolbert 11, Matt Helle 18. FG 20, FT 12-17, F 14. (3-pointers: Maher 1, Starling 1. Fouled out: Maher)

LAFAYETTE (60) -- Smith 7, Swerczek 3, Fercho 7, Messmer 33, Kreienkamp 10. FG 25, FT 3-6, F 16. (3-pointers: Swerczek 1 Fercho 1, Messmer 5. Fouled out: none)

Scott County Central 72, West Memphis 58

Junior center Otto Porter scored a game-high 30 points and senior guard Bobby Hatchett added 23 points as defending Class 1 state champion Scott County Central posted a 72-58 victory over West Memphis in the Riverbend Classic in New Madrid, Mo.

West Memphis led 30-29 at halftime, but the Braves held a 25-15 scoring edge in the third quarter for a 54-45 lead entering the fourth quarter. Scott County Central outscored West Memphis 16-13 over the final eight minutes.

Scott County opened its season Friday with a 67-45 loss to national power Dallas Lincoln.

West Memphis 12 18 15 13 -- 58

SCC 15 14 25 16 -- 72

West Memphis -- Arthur Jackson 10, Jalen Jackson 16, Jonathan Fitzgerald 19, BJ Rossell 5, Demarcus McVay 8. FG 27, FT 4-14, F 13. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none)

SCC -- Stewart Johnson 6, Bobby Hatchett 23, Trey Johnson 5, Otto Porter 30, Calvin Porter 4, John Rhoden 4. FG 31, FT 8-16, F 13. (3-pointers: Hatchett 1, T. Johnson 1. Fouled out: Rhoden)

Zalma 67, Winona 61

Zalma improved to 2-0 with a win at the Current River Challenge in Van Buren.

Justin Stotts scored 24 points and Steven Simmers had 23 for the Bulldogs.

That pair combined for 68 points during Friday's 89-39 rout of Bunker at the same event. Simmers had 35 points and Stotts 33.

Winona 13 17 14 17 -- 61

Zalma 13 12 23 19 -- 67

WINONA (61) -- Tyler Pruitt 5, Chelsey Neal 3, Jacob Hilton 26, Austin Fisher 14, Tanner Doyles 2, Chaipe Hollis 8, Joe West 4. FG 20, FT 19-24, F x. (3-pointers: Fisher 2. Fouled out: Pruitt, West)

ZALMA (67) -- Austin Sitzes 2, Steven Simmers 23, Thad McGregor 2, Andrew Tucker 2, Jake Reed 5, Gage Lemons 7, Justin Stotts 24. FG 24, FT 15-23, F 21. (3-pointers: Simmers 2, Stotts 1. Fouled out: none)

-- From staff reports