SCC gets Christmas tourney's top seed

The Scott County Central boys basketball team received the top seed in the 2008 Southeast Missourian Christmas tournament as it pursues its fifth title in the annual classic.

The Braves will open the five-day tournament at 9 a.m. Dec. 26 at the Show Me Center against 16th-seed Delta.

Second-round games will be played Dec. 27, and after an open day resume with semifinals on Dec. 29. The tournament will conclude Dec. 30 with a 7:30 p.m. championship game.

The Scott County Central program, which has won a record 12 state titles, again appears to be in prime form. The Class 1 power, which reached the state championship game last season and finished 28-3, returns three starters and is off to a 6-1 start. It already owns the title of this year's Oran tournament, rolling to three victories in impressive fashion.

The Braves last won the Christmas tournament in 1990, when it defeated Charleston in the championship game.

FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.comScott County Central's Otto Porter prepares to shoot against Advance in the second quarter of the championship game Friday at the Oran Invitational Tournament.

Notre Dame, the defending Class 4 state champion, is this year's No. 2 seed. The Bulldogs, who were the Christmas tournament runner-up last season, are 3-3.

Defending tournament champion Jackson is the third seed. The Indians have only played three games -- all in the SEMO Conference tournament -- and are 2-1.

Charleston, which has won more tournament titles than any team in the field with 15, is off to an unusually slow start and is the fourth seed. The Bluejays lost to both Notre Dame and Cape Girardeau Central in the SEMO Conference tourney and are 1-4.

Cape Girardeau Central (2-3) is seeded fifth, with unbeaten Leopold at No. 6. The Wildcats already have won the Woodland Invitational and are 5-0 record.

The remainder of the field consists of No. 7 Advance, No. 8 Kelly, No. 9 Meadow Heights, No. 10 Bell City, No. 11 Oran, No. 12 Oak Ridge, No. 13 Scott City, No. 14. Chaffee and No. 15 Woodland.