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SportsFebruary 6, 1991

JACKSON -- Mark Thompson had the best shooting game of his high school basketball career on a night when Cape Central's Tigers desperately needed it. Thompson, a 6-foot senior guard, hit eight of nine shots from the field, including four-for-four on 3-point attempts, and scored 21 points to help Central rally past host Jackson 69-66 before a large and vocal crowd Tuesday night...

JACKSON -- Mark Thompson had the best shooting game of his high school basketball career on a night when Cape Central's Tigers desperately needed it.

Thompson, a 6-foot senior guard, hit eight of nine shots from the field, including four-for-four on 3-point attempts, and scored 21 points to help Central rally past host Jackson 69-66 before a large and vocal crowd Tuesday night.

"Mark played extremely well," said Central coach Dick Wadlington. "Not only offensively, but also defensively and with his ballhandling."

The 21 points Thompson scored weren't as impressive as the timeliness of most of his shots. It seemed like every time Central needed a big basket the Tigers trailed most of the game Thompson came up with one.

"Mark just took over," said Wadlington. "I don't think there's any doubt this was his best game."

Ironically, Thompson said he wasn't very effective in pre-game warmups, so his hot shooting night took him somewhat by surprise.

"I didn't shoot so good in warmups, but once the game started I just felt it," he said with a grin. "I couldn't believe it myself."

Thompson, in his first season as a varsity starter, has played extremely well over the past several weeks.

"I think I've improved a lot," he said. "I've done what coach said and it's been paying off."

Said Wadlington, "Mark is a good shooter. He's learning to take the shot out of the offense and the last few weeks he's really been playing well."

Senior forward Matt Wittmer, who has had as consistent a season as just about any player in the area, paced the Tigers with 22 points. Fred Ruddy added 10 as Central raised its record to 16-4, including a first-place 4-0 in the SEMO Conference.

"The key thing tonight was when we went man-to-man we couldn't stop Wittmer and when we went zone we couldn't stop Thompson," said Jackson coach Steve Burk. "I think Wittmer is one of the best players in this area. He can do so many things."

Jackson, which fell to 11-10, got 18 points from Craig Clippard, 11 from both Kory Thoma and Paul Laurentius and 10 from Kevin Hope.

"Clippard played well," said Burk. "I thought he did a great job on Wittmer, even though Matt still got 22 points. Craig really made Wittmer work for his points."

It was a tough loss to take, because Jackson held the lead most of the way, but Burk had to be pleased with the Indians. They came in as a struggling team but certainly didn't look like one Tuesday night.

"We played really hard. I'm proud of that," Burk said. "I think we played as well as we've played in any one game. We made a couple of mistakes in the fourth quarter that really hurt."

Jackson got off to a blazing start, scoring the first five points. Central managed one lead in the first quarter but the Indians grabbed a 19-16 edge by the end of the period.

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The Indians led by as many as seven points in the second quarter, but reserve Andre Newbern nailed a 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer to put Central up 34-33 at the intermission.

Wittmer got inside for a basket at the beginning of the third quarter, giving Central its biggest lead (36-33) of the night to that point.

But Jackson answered with a 10-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer by Clippard and a basket by Mark Kiehne, to go ahead 43-36.

The Indians held their biggest lead of the night at 52-44 with less than two minutes to go in the third quarter before Thompson countered with one of his numerous big buckets, a 3-pointer. Ruddy then hit two free throws to cut the deficit to 52-49 entering the final period.

Thompson drained two 3-pointers to start the fourth quarter, the second pulling Central into a 55-55 tie. The lead exchanged hands twice before the Tigers went ahead for good on a short jumper by Travis Clark with three minutes left. That made it 60-58.

Wittmer scored inside to make it 62-58. Wittmer and Matt Boren then each hit two free throws to put the Tigers ahead 66-59 with just over one minute to go.

Jackson managed to get within three points, 67-64, on a conventional three-point play by Thoma with 43 seconds left. After a missed Central free throw, the Indians had possession with a chance to draw even closer or tie the contest. But they couldn't convert an inside shot.

Wittmer made two foul shots with 22 seconds left for a 69-64 Central lead. Laurentius drained a 3-pointer with seven seconds left to make it 69-66 and, after a missed Cape free throw, the Indians had one final chance in the closing seconds. But Laurentius' late shot was off the mark.

"Jackson deserves a lot of credit tonight," Wadlington said. "They jumped on us early and made us play catchup. I thought they really played well and I wasn't at all disappointed with the way we played."

Central won the JV game 64-51 as Jason McKee scored 20 points and Jason Haertling added 17. Chad Clippard paced Jackson's JV with 19 points.

Both squads will be back in action on the road Friday night, Central at Sikeston and Jackson at New Madrid County Central.

CAPE CENTRAL 69, JACKSON 66TS10R,12R,14R,16R,18R,20R

CAPE CENTRAL 16 18 15 20 - 69

JACKSON 19 14 19 14 - 66

CAPE CENTRAL (69)

Thompson 21, Newbern 3, McHaney 2, Boren 7, Wittmer 22, Clark 4, Ruddy 10. FG 23 FT 18-25 F 20 (3-pointers: Thompson 4, Newbern 1. Fouled out: Clark)

JACKSON (66)

Gentry 3, Thoma 11, Laurentius 11, Clippard 18, Hope 10, Kiehne 9, Strong 4. FG 21 FT 22-31 F 21. (3-pointers: Clippard 2. Fouled out: Clippard)

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