Southeast Missourian Player of the Week: Gina Cureton

Meadow Heights basketball player Gina Cureton is the Southeast Missourian Player of the Week.

Cureton was one of three Panthers' players named to the Show Me Center Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team after their impressive run to the championship game.

Meadow Heights entered the tournament as the No. 5 seed, but knocked off No. 4 Central and No. 1 Farmington before falling to Notre Dame in the final minute of the title game.

Cureton scored a game-high 17 points in her team's convincing defeat of Farmington.

"It's really exciting," Cureton told the Missourian after the 64-40 victory. "Words can't even explain it.

"It feels good to beat a No. 1 seed because we came in as a No. 5," Cureton said. "We're a Class 2 school playing these Class 5 schools. ... it's nerve-wracking."

Cureton helped close out the upset victory by making four of her six free throw attempts after Farmington cut the Panthers' lead to a single digit in the closing minutes.

The senior again led the Panthers in scoring the championship game, scoring 15 points before fouling out.