Mules come up short vs. Wildcats

INDIANAPOLIS -- Greg Oden scored 16 points Thursday night to lead Lawrence North, the No. 1 high school team in Indiana, past Poplar Bluff, Mo., 56-40 in a televised matchup of two of the nation's most highly touted prep players.

Oden, a 7-foot junior who led the Wildcats to Indiana's Class 4A championship last spring, already is being projected as a possible No. 1 NBA draft pick in 2006 should he forgo college. Poplar Bluff's Tyler Hansbrough, a 6-9 senior, has signed with North Carolina.

The Mules (3-2), defending Class 5 champions in Missouri, stayed close for three quarters before Lawrence North (5-0) pulled away. The Wildcats held Poplar Bluff to four points in the final period, and consecutive 3-point plays by Oden and Mike Conley during a 14-0 Lawrence North run put the game out of reach.

Hansbrough led the Mules with 16 points, His brother, Ben Hansbrough, added 14 points.

Cloutier, a Western Michigan recruit, finished with 15 points, and McPherson, who will play at Valparaiso, added 10.

The game at Butler University's Hinkle Fieldhouse was televised by ESPN2.

Shootout in St. Louis

Homewood-Flossmoor of Illinois, led by Kansas recruit Julian Wright posted a 55-41 victory over the Webster Groves (Mo.) Statesmen (2-1). Wright scored 16 points and added seven rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots.

Webster features Eric Jones, who has committed to Southeast Missouri State but hasn't signed.

In other boys games, Carbondale, Ill., outlasted Lynwood, Calif., 78-73 in overtime; Howell Central of O'Fallon, Mo., held off South Oak Cliff of Dallas 66-58; Bethalto, Ill., Civic Memorial topped Van-Far of Vandalia, Mo., 47-39; Glenbrook North of Northbrook, Ill., whipped Jennings (Mo.) 53-35; and Madison (Wis.) Memorial defeated Wildwood (Mo.) Lafayette 45-40.