ND GETS TWO CRACKS AT 2A SECTIONALS; BULLDOGS TO FACE CARUTHERSVILLE

Tonight's Class 2A boys sectional game at Cape Central's Tiger Fieldhouse will feature some new faces.

For the first time in six years, the game will include neither Scott City nor Portageville.

Notre Dame and Caruthersville will square off at 6:30 for the right to advance to the quarterfinals.

Most expect Caruthersville, ranked eighth in the latest state poll, to win, but that suits Notre Dame just fine.

The Bulldogs thrived in the underdog role Friday night when they knocked off top-seeded Charleston in the District 2 Championship game.

Caruthersville (21-6) won District 1 over Twin Rivers and features one of the best players in the state, Norman Prather. Prather (6-foot-4), who is averaging 19 points per game, is being recruited by some Division I schools based on his athletic ability, but will probably have to take the junior-college route for academic reasons.

But as highly touted as Prather is, he's not even the Tigers' leading scorer. That distinction goes to Erick Hubbard, a 6-3 forward who gets 21 points per contest.

Both Hubbard and Prather are phenomenal leapers.

"Both can go above the square," said Caruthersville coach Kevin Williams, referring to the white box on the backboard. "They can really go up and get it. Prather is, I think, hands down the best player in Southeast Missouri. He's been the best player on the floor of every game we've played. And he's so unselfish.

"Erick is deceptive. He finishes well. Sometimes you think there's no way he can make that shot but he does. He also has an awkward jump shot but he makes that too. Both guys are shooting close to 50 percent from the field."

Prather and Hubbard are two of four players who average at least 15 points per game for Caruthersville, which averages 81 points per game as a team. Junior Bryant Rodgers averages 17 points and sophomore Chris Springer averages 15.

But if there is a weakness on Caruthersville's team, it plays right into Notre Dame's strength.

Williams admitted that Caruthersville doesn't defend the post well and the Bulldogs play their best when they get the ball inside.

"We're going to play how we've played the last three or four games," said Notre Dame coach Darrin Scott. "We're going to try to not let them penetrate the middle. Offensively, we need to get the ball inside just like every game. If we get it inside, we play a lot better.

"For us to be a good team, we've got to rebound. We'll give up a contested shot and if we only give them one shot, we'll have a chance to win the game."

While Caruthersville puts five perimeter players on the court most of the time, Notre Dame -- which starts four players at least 6-3 -- has five players who can post up.

"We don't match up real well man-to-man because they have five perimeter players," Scott said.

Said Williams, "They're really big and well coached. They're disciplined, they don't take a lot of bad shots and they'll get after you on defense. And their size concerns me."

While both teams feature clearly clashing personnel types, they play different styles as well.

Notre Dame flourishes in the halfcourt game, while Caruthersville likes scores to be closer to 100 than 50.

"But they're not a fastbreak team per se," Scott said. "If they get a steal or a quick rebound they'll push it, but at times they're patient. What they do is look to take a person one-on-one off the dribble."

NOTRE DAME

Bulldogs

Record: 20-8

Key Players

Jonathan Ressel (14.1 ppg)

Mark Rubel (13.2 ppg)

Doug Schaefer (10 ppg)

Cory Beussink (9 rpg)

Notes: Coach Darrin Scott led the Bulldogs to their first district championship since 1995 in his first year at Notre Dame. The Bulldogs have four starters at least 6-foot-3. Notre Dame had an eight-game winning streak earlier this year.

CARUTHERSVILLE

Tigers

Record: 21-6

Key Players

Erick Hubbard (21 ppg)

Norman Prather (19 ppg)

Bryant Rodgers (17 ppg)

Chris Springer (15 ppg)

Notes: Defeated Dexter and Cairo (Ill.) but lost to South Pemiscot and Doniphan. Last Friday's district championship was the first in school history. Caruthersville coach Kevin Williams is a former assistant under Gary Garner at Southeast Missouri State University. Caruthersville played only six home games this year.