JHS DUELS W. PLAINS

COLUMBIA -- Bring on the Zizzers.

The West Plains Zizzers, ranked eighth in the state, are the only team that stands in the of the third-ranked Jackson Lady Indians first-ever Class 4A basketball title.

Tip-off at the Hearnes Center is scheduled for 12:20 p.m.

"We're very similar to Jackson," said West Plains coach Scott Womack. "They like to penetrate and their post players are very physical."

West Plains, now 28-3 and making its first-ever appearance in the MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown, advanced to the championship game with a 49-27 dismantling of unranked Truman (24-6) in a semifinal Friday.

Jackson, 26-2 after Friday morning's 41-33 victory over No. 1 Gateway Tech, will be making its third straight appearance in the 4A championship game. The Lady Indians have never won, taking second the last two seasons.

"I'm tired of second, but its better than third," said Jackson coach Ron Cook with a chuckle. "We're going to go out and try to win that first-place trophy. It's great to beat a team like Gateway Tech, now all we have to do is finish it up (today)."

To do that the Lady Indians will have to beat a team that rides a 20-game win streak into today's contest. West Plains hasn't lost since falling to Nixa in overtime 61-56 Dec. 30.

Since that loss, the Zizzers have played only three relatively close contests and have recently rolled to comfortable wins. The most convincing victory was a 78-42 bombing of second-ranked Columbia Hickman in the quarterfinals Saturday.

"Our team has a lot of confidence right now," said Womack. "We force about 24 turnovers a game and only allow about 41 points a game."

Senior Regan Hughston, a 6-1 center headed to Southeast Missouri State University upon graduation, leads the Zizzers' attack. After Friday's 26-point performance, Hughston averages over 17 points and six rebounds a game. Kerensa Barr, a 5-10 junior, scored 15 points Friday and averages just under that total.

Coming off a sluggish victory Friday, the Lady Indians will have to improve its play in the title game. All-state senior Christa Millham, hampered by a knee injury sustained earlier in the week, will be counted on for more offense than the eight points she provided Friday. Jackson also uncharacteristically committed 17 turnovers in its victory over Gateway Tech.

Womack didn't see much of Jackson's game Friday, but considering Jackson's Show-Me Showdown experience, he was quick to put the Lady Indians in the roll of favorites for the title.

"We're definitely the underdog," Womack said "They've been (to Columbia) four straight years, but we don't mind being the underdog."

Jackson is certainly glad to be back in the title game, but the Lady Indians realize just one more victory is all they need to realize their ultimate goal.

"We're excited but we still haven't won it yet," said Jackson junior Jamie Heitz, who scored 10 points off the bench in Friday's win."We have one more to go and we're just taking it one game at a time. (The win over Gateway) is in the past and we're looking forward to (today)."