Redhawks basketball squad to visit SLU, Memphis

The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball schedule has not been finalized, but two of the Redhawks' three "money" games to generate revenue for the athletic department will be against especially challenging opponents.

Southeast will open the season Nov. 9 at Saint Louis University and play at Memphis Dec. 21 -- which just happens to be when highly touted Auburn transfer Josh Langford becomes eligible.

Saint Louis and Memphis both are coming off impressive campaigns that led to NCAA tournament berths and they are again expected to field strong squads this year.

The Redhawks' third "money" game is in the process of being lined up.

Financial details for the Saint Louis and Memphis contests are being worked out, but the Redhawks generally are paid in the neighborhood of $250,000 total for their three annual games to help out the athletic department.

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I had a blast covering Sunday's Plaza Tire Capahas reunion game that served as a benefit for St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis.

About 30 former Capahas players attended the fun-filled event that featured a meet-and-greet type session followed by a modified game.

I know manager Jess Bolen, in his 47th season directing one of the nation's oldest amateur baseball teams, got a kick out of seeing so many of his former players.

The same goes for yours truly, who has covered the Capahas for all of my nearly 29 years working for the Southeast Missourian.

It was great to see so many ex-Capahas -- they spanned a variety of decades -- and it was also great to see that so many of them have stayed in impressively good physical condition.

I'm not saying they were still able to dazzle on the diamond, but most still look pretty darn good.

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I wrote last week about the Ohio Valley Conference having an impressive 12 players selected in the annual Major League Baseball amateur draft, giving the league 70 players drafted over the past seven years, including 46 over the past four years.

As a quick followup to that topic, this year's draft figures to impact the Austin Peay baseball program and the Jacksonville State football program the most.

Among Austin Peay's school-record five draft picks were standout juniors Jordan Hankins, Lee Ridenhour and Craig Massoni.

They all rank among the OVC's top performers -- Massoni was the 2013 OVC player of the year, while Ridenhour was the Govs' starting pitching ace -- and all are eligible to return for their seniors seasons next year.

But, according to the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, Austin Peay coach Gary McClure doesn't expect any of the three to be back, which would put a serious crimp on the Govs' hopes of winning their fourth straight OVC tournament championship.

By the same token, considering how dominant the Govs have been the past three years -- which also includes two OVC regular-season titles and this year's runner-up finish -- I certainly wouldn't count them out.

As for Jacksonville State football, Coty Blanchard almost certainly would have been the Gamecocks' starting quarterback next season if he were still in school.

But Blanchard, also a baseball standout for the Gamecocks, was drafted in the 15th round after his junior season and signed over the weekend -- meaning the Gamecocks will be starting a totally inexperienced signal caller in 2013.

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I was surprised by the recent announcement that the Tennessee Titans waived veteran center Eugene Amano, a former Southeast All-American who had spent nine seasons and played 124 games for the franchise.

Amano, a seventh-round draft pick in 2004, wound up starting 68 games for the Titans at left guard and center. He signed a five-year, $26.2 million deal with Tennessee in February of 2010, but he tore his triceps last August and spent the 2012 season on injured reserve.

While no longer a youngster by pro football standards, Amano -- known since his Southeast days for his impressive work ethic and competitiveness -- still figures to have several more good years in him, and I'll be stunned if he doesn't hook up with another NFL team.

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The Jackson Senior American Legion baseball team, coming off last year's tremendous season, is looking strong again this year.

Post 158, after going 37-17 last summer and winning its first District 14 tournament title since 2005, looks like the favorite to repeat as District 14 champion.

But you can't count out perennially strong Dunklin County or Sikeston, and Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons Post 63 -- which has improved considerably since the start of the summer -- could also be a factor.

Jackson, even if it doesn't win the District 14 tournament, is assured of a berth in the Zone 4 tournament because Post 158 is hosting the event that sends its champion to the state tournament.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.