THE LATEST LINE: TIGERS EARN KUDOS AFTER U-HIGH TITLE

I generally tend to brag when I'm right.

So now it's time to eat a little crow when I'm wrong.

Cape Girardeau Central High basketball fans who gave me plenty of good-natured grief last week -- along with their team, which put together such a tremendous performance -- deserve as much.

So, after wiping all the egg off my face, here goes.

Boy, was I way off the mark on this prediction.

Two weeks ago, I all but said that Charleston would barely work up a sweat in winning a second straight University High Christmas Tournament championship.

I all but said that I just couldn't imagine anybody in the tournament even coming close to giving the Blue Jays a run for their money.

And I never mentioned Cape Central as a prime championship contender.

I was wrong on all counts. The Blue Jays didn't even make it to the championship game -- thanks to a determined bunch of Tigers who played one of the finest games by a Cape Central team that I can remember in a long time.

The Tigers stunned Charleston 64-54 in the semifinals, then held off Scott City 62-56 to win their second U-High title in the past three years.

You had to feel good for Brett Reutzel, the Tigers' first-year head coach who no doubt was frustrated -- like all the Tigers -- by his team's slow start this year that saw them struggle in several early games.

But the Tigers certainly came through in a big way during the tournament and stamped themselves as a team with all kids of potential -- and one that certainly will have to be reckoned with not only in this area but maybe even around the state.

Now the egg from my face is all gone.

* Scott City's Rams also deserve a big-time pat on their back after reaching the U-High finals for the first time since 1977.

The Rams very nearly pulled off the upset as they took a four-point lead in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers came up with the big plays down the stretch.

* And final U-High kudos to tourney director Joey Haines, assistant director Tom Allen and everybody else who helped make the event another huge success.

The U-High tourney continues to be one of the most organized and well-run tournaments you'll find anywhere, thanks in large part to Haines, Allen and others.

* More top-notch prep basketball will take place Jan. 18 at the second annual Cape Central Tiger Shootout.

A girls game will tip off the action as Cape Central plays Carbondale at 1 p.m.

Then it's three straight boys games: Notre Dame vs. Carbondale at 2:30, Jackson vs. DeSmet at 4 and Cape Central vs. St. Louis University High at 5:30.

Among the out-of-town teams coming in, DeSmet is considered a prime contender for the Missouri Class 4A state title, Carbondale is highly regarded in Southern Illinois and SLUH features Cape native and former Notre Dame coach Don Maurer.

For ticket information, call Cape Central athletic director Terry Kitchen at 335-8467.

~Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian