SEEDS PLANTED FOR ANNUAL U-HIGH CHRISTMAS TOURNEY

Scott City's boys basketball team has won the University High Christmas Tournament only once in 53 years -- and that was in 1963 when the school was known as Illmo-Scott City.

But the coaches in this year's event believe the Rams will break that long drought when the 54nd annual tournament is held Dec. 26-28-29-30 at the Show Me Center.

The unbeaten Rams have drawn the No. 1 seed for the 16-team tourney.

"I really didn't think we'd get the No. 1 seed," said Scott City coach Derek McCord. "I felt we could be anywhere in the top four, but I think there's a lot of parity in this year's tournament."

McCord, though, is happy that the Rams have earned the respect of their area peers.

"It shows our program is starting to get a lot of respect, and that's good for the program," he said. "But I think the tournament is wide open. I think there are going to be some real good second-round games. I feel like as many as six, seven, even eight teams could win it."

Scott City has been close the past two years, suffering narrow losses to Cape Central in the 1996 finals and to Charleston in the 1997 semifinals. The Rams went on to finish third last season.

"We've finished second and third. Now we'd like to win it," McCord said.

Jackson is seeded second and Kelly third after the Indians' narrow win over the Hawks Saturday. The Hawks finished second last year.

Defending champion Charleston -- which has won five of the last seven titles -- is seeded fourth, followed by Woodland, Cape Central, Scott County Central and Notre Dame.

Advance heads up the bottom eight at No. 9, followed by Oran, Leopold, Bell City, Delta, Oak Ridge, Chaffee and Meadow Heights.

Action gets under way Dec. 26 with eight first-round games: Scott City vs. Meadow Heights (9 a.m.), Jackson vs. Chaffee (10:30 a.m.), Kelly vs. Oak Ridge (noon), Charleston vs. Delta (1:30 p.m.), Woodland vs. Bell City (4:30 p.m.), Cape Central vs. Leopold (6 p.m.), Scott Central vs. Oran (7 p.m.) and Notre Dame vs. Advance (9 p.m.).

There will be eight more games Dec. 28 and six more Dec. 29, including the semifinals at 6 and 7:30 p.m. The finals are set for Dec. 30 at 7:30 p.m.

Last year, Charleston beat Kelly 70-55 in the finals.

University High Christmas Tournament

Dates: Dec. 26-30

Seeding

1. Scott City

2. Jackson

3. Kelly

4. Charleston

5. Woodland

6. Cape Central

7. Scott Central

8. Notre Dame

9. Advance

10. Oran

11. Leopold

12. Bell City

13. Delta

14. Oak Ridge

15. Chaffee

16. Meadow Heights