SIKESTON UPENDS TOP-SEEDED CENTRAL

POPLAR BLUFF -- What a difference two weeks makes.

After losing a close game at home to top-seeded Cape Central 14 days earlier, No. 3 seed Sikeston looked like a completely different team in a 64-48 whipping of the Tigers in the Class 4A, District 1 championship Friday night.

The Bulldogs, who led 30-17 at halftime, distanced themselves in the second quarter and kept Central (15-12) at a double-digit deficit for most of the game.

"You have to give Sikeston a lot of credit," Central coach Brett Reutzel said. "But I felt like on our part we've been getting away from some of the things that were successful for us late in the season. But then again, it was good defense."

Sikeston's Ryan Ellitt and Brandon Barnes both dominated. Ellitt put up 23 points, while Barnes added 15.

Two of Central's top guns, juniors Donnie McClinton and Ross Conner, were stifled. Conner, who averages about 14 points per game, was held to just three and McClinton scored six.

The Tigers had troubles throughout the game getting the ball inside to Conner. Sikeston (15-12) packed its defense around the lane, denied Conner the ball and came up with several steals from behind when Central's guards tried to get him the ball.

And Central couldn't hit from outside either. The Tigers made just seven of 26 (27 percent) 3-pointers.

"Defensively, I think we did a good job," said Sikeston coach David Pattillo. "We did good on the help side (on Conner) and we got good pressure on the ball. We set the tempo in the game and we took them out of some things that they wanted to do."

After leading 10-9 at the conclusion of the first quarter, Sikeston was unstoppable in the second.

The Bulldogs scored on their first nine possessions and made 10 of their 12 shots from the field. One of those misses was a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Central, meanwhile, made just six of its 20 shots in the first half.

The Tigers fell behind by 26-17 with 3:38 to go in the second quarter. They trailed by at least 10 points for the rest of the game.

Central's Kelly Illers and Rob Winschel, both playing their last high school basketball game, were the only players in double figures for the Tigers. Illers put in 15 and Winschel came off the bench to add 13.

Central trailed 41-26 going into the fourth quarter, when the Tigers began hoisting up threes. Even Conner attempted three 3-pointers.