Missouri recruits face off in high school showdown

ST. LOUIS -- The 22nd annual Shootout, long known for its mixture of high profile national high school talent and top St. Louis area teams, this year also features a sneak peek at two Missouri recruits.

Guard Spencer Laurie of Springfield Kickapoo, Mo., and forward Thomas Gardner of Portland (Ore.) Jefferson, will play against each other at 6:15 p.m. in the nine-game all-day event today at the Savvis Center. Kickapoo coach Roy Green recalls Missouri coach Quin Snyder, who signed both during the early period, visiting an open gym at Kickapoo on Sept. 9 and flying out to Oregon the next morning to secure Gardner.

Laurie is a Missouri Class 4 all-stater and averaged 18 points and five assists last season. Gardner, a 6-foot-5 wing player, averaged 35 points in a summer league in Oregon.

The Shootout field features the No. 1 large and small schools from Illinois as well as the No. 1-ranked teams in Misouri, Oregon, Washington and Oklahoma.