JACKSON GRADS AGAIN GUIDE COLUMBIA COLL. BACK TO NAIA TOURNEY

Columbia (Mo.) College basketball coach Bob Burchurd figures the Jackson High School connection is as good a reason as any why his team is back in the NAIA national tournament.

"Last season was the first year we didn't have a Jackson player in eight years and it's the first time in four years we didn't make the national tournament," said Burchurd with a laugh. "I'm not stupid. I figured we better get a Jackson player. And I say that only half-kiddingly."

The 22-10 Cougars, who open the 32-team NAIA national tourney in Tulsa, Okla., today by playing Birmingham Southern, actually have two Jackson products on their roster.

Ben Ressel, a 6-foot-8 senior, and 6-foot-5 freshman Jeff Walter have both been off-and-on starters for the Cougars and each is averaging about eight points per game.

"They've both been very important players for us," said Burchurd. "Jeff really did a nice job early and Ben really came on during our run to our conference tournament championship."

Ressel will actually be competing in his second straight national tournament. He was a reserve on the Kentucky Wesleyan team that finished second in NCAA Division II last season. Ressel previously played two years at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, then went to Kentucky Wesleyan before transferring to Columbia.

Walter was a star for last season's Jackson team that won a district title and advanced to the Class 4A playoffs.

Ressel and Walter are just the latest in a line of Jackson products who have played for the Cougars -- and most of them wound up being standouts at the NAIA school.

Mike Kiehne, currently a Jackson assistant coach, is Columbia College's all-time scoring leader while Kyle Thoma, the first ex-Jackson standout to play for Burchurd, ranks high on many of the Cougars' career charts. Kory Thoma, Kyle's brother, also starred for the Cougars while Eric Schweain is another Jackson product who played in the program.

"We've just had a lot of success with Jackson players," said Burchurd. "Coach (Steve) Burk runs a great program and his players are always really prepared when they come here."