Scott County will host alumni games Saturday

Some of the most decorated high school basketball programs in the state reside in Southeast Missouri, and for one night some of the players who made those programs great will be on display.

Scott County Central High School will host a charity basketball event Saturday to aid hurricane victims. The event will feature two games featuring area conference coaches and two games featuring alumni teams from Sikeston, Charleston, New Madrid County Central and Scott County Central.

"It's going to be like a who's who really of the last 25 years of basketball in Southeast Missouri," Scott County Central coach David Heeb said. "If you like basketball and you're from this area and follow it, this is for you."

Games will kick off at 3 p.m. with coaches from the SEMO Conference facing coaches from the Tri-County Conference. The SEMO Conference will be represented mostly by assistant coaches, including Central's Will Johnson and Notre Dame assistant and former Southeast Missouri State guard Kevin Roberts.

Coaches from the Scott-Mississippi Conference will play against Stoddard County Conference coaches in the second game. The Scott-Mississippi team will feature Heeb, Scott City coach Lance Amick, Delta coach Shawn Kinder, and former Southeast player and Kelly coach Cory Johnson, among others.

"It's going to be competitive," Heeb said of the coaches games. "We're all former players and still have a few of those competitive juices flowing."

An alumni NMCC team will face Sikeston at 5 p.m., and Charleston will face Scott County at 6:30 p.m. in the final game of the night.

Live music also is part of the program.

A few of the players expected to participate include Marshon West, Jermaine Harrington and Lontez McClinton of Sikeston; Ed Farr of NMCC; Rashad Oliver, Jeramy Biles, Cory Frazier, Larico Coleman and Nick Pratt of Charleston; and Otto Porter, Terry Bell and Jerry Porter of Scott County.

An admission fee will be collected at the gate, and Lowe's of Sikeston will make a donation twice the amount raised at the gate.

"This is just about the love of basketball," Heeb said. "We can all come together for a good cause and have fun doing it."

For more information about the event, contact Heeb at (573) 471-2001.