SCOTT CITY COURTS AREA'S BEST TONIGHT; NORTH FACES SOUTH IN PREP BASKETBALL GAME

Scott City fans have been treated to some outstanding basketball teams over the past several years.

But it's doubtful that this much talent has ever been assembled on Scott City's floor.

Scott City will hold the second annual "Area's Best" All-Star game tonight, which pits the best senior prep hoop stars from the north part of Southeast Missouri against those from south of Highway 60.

The game is slated to tip off at about 7:30 p.m. after the completion of the coaches' game. At halftime of the coaches' game, a slam dunk and 3-point contest will be held. Original plans had a girls all-star game to be held, but organizers couldn't get enough commitments.

"It's going to be fun to coach such a talented team," said North coach Derek McCord, who led the Scott City Rams to their first state quarterfinal appearance this past season. "We're going to have fun and everybody is going to play, but we're going to play to win. This is going to give people a chance to see players they've only heard about. It was a very exciting game last year that came down to the wire and it could be the same this year."

Each squad has 12 players on its roster. The North team includes Eric Wessel and Ross Conner from Cape Central. Some players, such as Jackson's Tory Meyr and Advance's Garrett Broshuis, were asked to play but had prior commitments.

Most of the participants will be playing at the college level with most of them having already signed with junior colleges. Scott Central's Jreece Johnson, Sikeston's Bryan Ellitt and South Iron's Jared Lane are first-team all-staters competing for the North.

Lane, a 6-foot-4 guard averaged 21 points and eight rebounds per game last year and is the only NCAA Division I player to be competing tonight. Lane signed with Lamar University.

The North squad will have more overall size with 10 players over 6-foot-1, but South coach Delane Beckwith of Naylor likes his chances.

"I feel like we have an advantage," said Beckwith. "We've got athletic ability, strength inside, and some good shooting guards. I just hope there are enough basketballs to go around.

"These kind of kids are competitive in whatever they do. They've got that nature and it makes them good athletes. I know coach McCord always wants to win, and I'm pretty much the same way, but I still want everybody to have a good time."

Last year's game was well attended and came down to a final shot at the buzzer with the South winning by one point.

"I think it will be bigger and better than last year," said event organizer Micoe Cotton. "We're holding it at Scott City so I think it's going to be a bigger turnout. I think we have better all-around athletes in this year's contest. I wouldn't say we have one standout player, but we have better athletes. Plus we've got more kids with the potential to play on the next level. I talked to both coaches and they want the kids to have fun. It's going to be competitive because the kids want to win. They want to show everyone who's the best in the area."

The Sikeston Standard-Democrat contributed to this story.

AREA'S BEST

Coaches' game 6 p.m.

Dunk contest, 3-point contest at halftime of coaches' game

All-Star game, 7:30 p.m.

North Squad

Ryan Weatherspoon, Scott City **; Howard Biles, Charleston; Terrance Gillespie, Charleston; Bryan Ellitt, Sikeston*; Andre Morgan, Sikeston; Jreece Johnson, Scott County Central*; Ross Conner, Cape Central; Eric Wessel, Cape Central; John Oehl, Jackson; Jared Lane, South Iron*; Travis Friga, Oran

Coach: Derek McCord, Scott City

South Squad

Dustin Caras, Doniphan; Ricky Smith, New Madrid County Central*; Lee Marvin Hamilton, Hayti; William Durden, Portageville*; Anton McKinney, Kennett; Scott Mattingly, Dexter; Shawn Guethle, Dexter; Jeremy Kellum, Clarkton**; Michael Kilgore, Poplar Bluff; Steven Thrasher, Naylor**; Jason Karnes, Bernie; JoDan Russom, Twin Rivers

Coach: Delane Beckwith, Naylor

* First-team all-state selection

* Second-team all-state selection