SCOTT CITY REBOUNDS FROM SEMIFINAL LOSS, BEATS CAPE CENTRAL

To say that Scott City High is a guard-oriented team would be an understatement. So opposing coaches know what they'll see from the Rams.

Nevertheless, no coach as yet has devised a defense to stop Tim Lowery and Jon Beck.

Lowery, a senior point guard, and Beck, a junior shooting guard, combined for 51 points in Scott City's 63-48 win over Cape Girardeau Central in the third-place game in the 53rd annual University High School Christmas Tournament at the Show Me Center Tuesday night.

Beck hit four 3-pointers and finished with 34 points on 11 of 20 shooting. Lowery made three 3-pointers and scored 17 points on excellent 7 of 10 shooting. Each made the all-tournament team.

"Beck is a heck of a player. Both of them," said Central coach Brett Reutzel. "I don't know that there was a whole lot more that we could have done."

Said Scott City coach Derek McCord: "Jon Beck just had a tremendous week, and Tim Lowery; that's one heck of a backcourt. Jon ... is so quick off the dribble that he is hard to contain. And Tim Lowery came up with some big shots. We feel like we have the shooters to play with anybody."

The game was a rematch of last year's tournament championship contest, in which a much different Cape Central team beat an inside-oriented Rams squad 62-56.

Scott City (10-1) took a 4-2 lead on a jumper by Adam Spinks with 4 minutes 11 seconds left in the first quarter. The Rams, which opened an 18-8 first-quarter lead, led the rest of the game. Beck scored 12 points in the opening period.

The Rams led 30-24 at halftime, and their lead stayed between four and 18 points in the second half.

Scott City entered Tuesday's game on the heels of a tough 63-60 loss to eventual tournament champion Charleston that ended in controversy as it appeared that Lowery was fouled on a 3-point attempt at the buzzer.

"I think (Monday's loss) charged them up, more than a letdown," McCord said. "When the game was over and they went off the floor, they didn't walk with their heads down; they ran off with their heads up. Right then I knew that we were OK."

Scott City limited Central (5-4) to 38 percent shooting (22 of 58) from the floor.