Oran just slips past Meadow Heights for win

Oran was happy to advance but not happy about its play during Saturday's opening round of the 65th annual Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament.

The eighth-seeded Eagles saw a 16-point third-quarter lead evaporate before finally slipping past ninth-seeded Meadow Heights 74-68.

"Sloppy. We were lucky to escape with a win after a sloppy game," Oran coach Joe Shoemaker said. "Meadow Heights battled. They don't give up."

Oran's two stars Saturday, junior wing Nathan Michelsen and junior center Jon Morrow, echoed their coach's thoughts about a sloppy performance.

"It was really sloppy. Bad defense, especially on my part," said Michelsen, who scored a game-high 29 points. "We got lucky to come out with a win."

Oran's Gabe Kielhofner, right, races to a loose ball during Saturday's game against Meadow Heights. (LAURA SIMON)

Added Morrow, who scored 22 points: "It was very sloppy. We should have stayed down and played better defense."

Sloppy or not, the Eagles (7-2) were able to prevail in the only first-round game that was remotely competitive. The other seven opening-round contests were decided by at least 28 points.

The Panthers (4-3) looked like they also might be on the wrong end of a rout when they fell behind 43-27 early in the third quarter.

But Meadow Heights rallied and pulled into a 54-54 deadlock on a basket by junior wing Calen Buerck with 4 minutes, 45 seconds left in the final period.

It was the first tie of the game since the opening tip as Meadow Heights fell behind at the outset and spent the rest of the night playing catch-up.

Meadow Heights senior Dustin Hubler drives past Oran's Jon Morrow during their opening-round game of the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament at the Show Me Center on Saturday. Check out a photo gallery from the game at semoball.com. (LAURA SIMON)

"We were down 10 [at halftime] and I thought we could come back," Meadow Heights coach Tom Brown said. "We had to put pressure on the ball. ... Our kids had a great effort."

Michelsen, who criticized himself for being out of control at times, saw his aggressiveness pay off down the stretch.

Michelsen was fouled on a hard drive to the basket and hit both free throws with 4:33 left as Oran regained a 56-54 lead. The Eagles never lost that advantage.

After Meadow Heights missed a shot, Michelsen again was fouled on a drive to the bucket. He made one of two with 4:16 remaining for a 57-54 lead.

Michelsen went to the line six more times after that, sinking five, as he went 8 of 9 in the quarter to help hold off the Panthers.

"That was nice," Michelsen said of his success at the charity stripe.

Junior guard Preston Scherer scored seven of his nine points in the final 3:40 to aid Oran's cause.

Scherer's 3-pointer with 3:40 left completed a 6-0 run that put Oran ahead 60-54. His two free throws with 11 seconds left made it 74-66 and iced the victory.

"After we tied it, we missed a few shots and they hit some free throws," Brown said.

Buerck led four Meadow Heights players in double figures as he scored 19 points.

Senior forward Nick Webb had 14 points, followed by senior forward Dustin Hubler with 11.

Oran now faces a monumental challenge in Monday's quarterfinals as it takes on defending tournament champion Scott County Central, the No. 1 seed.

"I'm kind of excited about it," Morrow said.

Meadow Heights 14 11 16 27 -- 68

Oran 20 15 14 25 -- 74

MEADOW HEIGHTS (68) -- Adam Walker 9, Dustin Hubler 11, Daylan Davis 10, Trent Kiefer 5, Calen Buerck 19, Nick Webb 14. FG 26, FT 11-17, F 20. (3-pointers: Walker 1, Davis 1, Kiefer 1, Webb 2. Fouled: Hubler)

ORAN (74) -- Preston Scherer 9, Gabe Kielhofner 2, Nathan Michelsen 29, Zac Chasteen 5, Cody Moore 2, Reece Mangels 5, Jon Morrow 22. FG 26, FT 17-28, F 17. (3-pointers: Scherer 1, Michelsen 3, Mangels 1. Fouled out: none)