Oran, Advance recover from quarterfinal losses in Christmas Tournament

By MARTY MISHOW ~ Southeast Missourian

Oran and Advance hoped to be playing in the championship semifinals but couldn't pull off upsets against larger schools.

Both squads shook off that disappointment by bouncing back with wins Saturday in the fifth-place semifinals of the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament at the Show Me Center.

Eighth-seeded Oran posted a surprisingly lopsided 77-47 victory over fourth-seeded Scott County Central and seventh-seeded Advance rallied past sixth-seeded Leopold 64-50 in a battle of state-ranked teams.

Oran and Advance will square off in today's 3:30 p.m. fifth-place game.

Advance’s Tyler Middleton drives around Leopold’s Cameron Davis during their fifth-place semifinal game Saturday at the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament at the Show Me Center. Advance won 64-50. The Hornets willl face Oran in today’s fifth-place game. (ADAM VOGLER)

Oran 77, Scott County 47

That Oran (10-2) beat SCC (6-7) was no big surprise because the Eagles are a strong Class 2 team.

But to rout the four-time defending Class 1 state champion Braves by 30 points? That classifies as a stunner.

"You never expect to get that," said Oran coach Joe Shoemaker, whose squad pulled away from a 33-27 halftime lead by outscoring SCC 44-20 in the second half.

Oran senior guard Kody Moore didn't expect it, but he did have a good feeling about pulling off the victory.

Oran’s Kody Moore looks to pass after winning a scramble for a loose ball with Scott County Central’s Jeffery Porter during the second quarter of their fifth-place semifinal game Saturday at the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament at the Show Me Center. (Fred Lynch)

"We knew they weren't near as good as in years past. We liked the way we matched up with them. We thought we could pull it out," Moore said. "They're still a great team. They're not to be overlooked or they can beat you. It definitely feels good to beat them like that."

Senior forward Alex Heuring led Oran with 21 points. Junior guard Chance Tenkhoff added 15 points, followed by sophomore guard Jacob Priggel with 13 and Moore with 10.

Senior guard Jaylen Porter paced the Braves with 15 points. Junior guard Larandis Banks added 12.

SCC actually started strong, leading 15-9 in the first quarter before settling for a 17-15 advantage at the end of the period.

The teams were tied 25-25 before Oran ended the second quarter on an 8-2 run to go ahead 33-27 at the break.

Oran scored the final nine points of the third quarter to open up a 55-36 bulge. The Eagles continued to romp in the final period.

"I think they came out a little more fired up than we did. We came out a little flat," Shoemaker said. "We had a real good second half. I thought our kids played hard."

Shoemaker is excited that the Eagles will get to play the maximum four games in the tournament.

"Any time you get to play four days it's special," he said.

Oran 15 18 22 22 -- 77

Scott County 17 10 9 11 -- 47

ORAN (77) -- Kody Moore 10, Seth Ressel 9, Jacob Priggel 13, Chance Tenkhoff 15, Hunter Schlosser 9, Alex Heuring 21. FG 32, FT 8-10, F 12. (3-pointers: Moore 2, Ressel 1, Priggel 1, Tenkhoff 1. Fouled out: None.)

SCOTT COUNTY CENTRAL (47) -- Larandis Banks 12, Chris Brown 2, Jaylen Porter 15, Tyler Masters 8, Cameron Blissett 2, Kendall Blissett 1, Jeffery Porter 7. FG 20, FT 3-6, F 12. (3-pointers: Banks 2, Ja. Porter 1, Je. Porter 1. Fouled out: None.)

Advance 64, Leopold 50

Advance gained a measure of revenge for an 11-point loss to Leopold in last year's fifth-place semifinals.

The Hornets (8-2), ranked ninth in Class 2, handed the Class 1 eighth-ranked Wildcats (10-2) their second straight setback.

"A little bit of payback," Advance senior forward Ethan Barr said. "We've had trouble beating them ever since we were little."

Leopold, coming off Friday's emotional 63-58 quarterfinal loss to Notre Dame, never trailed during a first half that saw the Wildcats lead 28-19 late in the second quarter.

Advance cut the deficit to 29-25 at the break and took control in the second half.

"They were making everything [in the final half]. They came out and played well. You have to give them credit," Leopold coach Andy Beck said. "It's not an excuse, but I think mentally as well as physically we were a little tired [from Friday's game]."

Junior guard Lane Below's 3-pointer early in the third quarter pulled Advance into a 31-31 deadlock -- the game's first tie since 2-2.

Below followed with a basket that gave Advance its first lead at 33-31.

Leopold briefly went back ahead 37-36 late in the period but Advance regained a 41-37 lead after three and outscored Leopold 23-13 in the final period to pull away.

"Our defense definitely," said Barr of what sparked Advance's big second half. "We picked up the defensive intensity."

Below and Barr provided the bulk of Advance's offense with 22 and 21 points, respectively. Below hit four 3-pointers.

Junior guard Cameron Davis paced Leopold with 15 points. Senior forward Joe Elfrink added 13 points.

"Leopold is a very good team. That second half was huge for us," Advance coach Andrew Halford said. "I say it all the time, it's defense and rebounding. That was the difference in the second half."

Today's fifth-place final is a rematch from a Nov. 29 Oran Invitational semifinal that saw Advance beat the Eagles 71-56.

"We played well against them earlier but they're a very good team," Halford said.

Advance 10 15 16 23 -- 64

Leopold 16 13 8 13 -- 50

ADVANCE (64) -- Tyler Middleton 5, Austin Miller 3, Lane Below 22, Trey Wallace 7, Curtis Gilliland 6, Ethan Barr 21. FG 23, FT 12-19, F 17. (3-pointers: Middleton 1, Miller 1, Below 4. Fouled out: None.)

LEOPOLD (50) -- D.J. Keim 5, Kyle Stroder 8, Joe Elfrink 13, Cameron Davis 15, Brandon Jansen 9. FG 20, FT 7-18, F 18. (3-pointers: Keim 1, Stroder 1, Elfrink 1. Fouled out: Keim.)