TIGER SHOOTOUT ADDS MORE GUNS

In its first year, the Cape Central Tiger Shootout featured only three games.

Last year in its second season, the shootout added a girls contest and grew to four games.

Now in its third year, the Tiger Shootout continues to expand.

Ten teams and eight schools will provide five basketball games today at the Tiger Fieldhouse in the 3rd Annual Tiger Shootout.

"We've had good crowds in the past and a lot of people have asked to get into the shootout," said Central boys coach Brett Ruetzel of the shootout's gradual growth. "We have a nice facility for such an event and we try to get some interesting matchups."

The shootout certainly isn't saving the best matchup for last. Action begins at noon with a girls game between two state-ranked teams -- Jackson and Rosary of St. Louis.

The shootout ends with a boys game at 6 p.m. between Cape Central and Parkway Central. Three other games will be played in between.

Notre Dame's boys play East Carter County at 1:30 p.m. and a girls game follows at 3 with Cape Central facing Carbondale, Ill. At 4:30, the Jackson boys play St. Louis University High in a return to Cape for former Notre Dame coach, and now SLUH head man, Don Maurer.

"Our goal has been to provide good high school basketball competition for fans in the Cape Girardeau area," Ruetzel said. "We attempt to get some teams from out of the area that we anticipate will match up well with the local teams."

The Lady Indians' game against Rosary certainly looks like the marquee matchup of the day. Rosary comes in undefeated and ranked No. 1 in Class 3A, after finishing second last year. Jackson, the 4A runner-up the past two seasons, is currently ranked eighth in the 4A poll with a 10-1 record.

The Notre Dame-East Carter boys game didn't look like it would be much of a contest until the Bulldogs knocked off state-ranked Kelly last Friday at home. The Bulldogs bring a 5-6 record into its game against the 10-2 Redbirds, ranked third in the local SEMO basketball rankings. Last year, East Carter was the 2A runner-up.

The Central girls, off to a surprising 8-4 start considering graduation losses from last year, look like the favorite against Carbondale. The Lady Tigers have won three of their last four contests convincingly. Carbondale enters with a 7-7 mark.

Jackson's boys, despite an 11-3 record, may have their hands full against SLUH. The Junior Bills lost to Cape Central last year in the shootout, but have shown improvement this season.

"They're better than they were last year," said Reutzel of the Junior Bills. "I was talking with coach Maurer and he thinks they're better."

The Central boys complete the day's action against Parkway Central. The Colts field several players off the Class 5A runner-up football team that ended Jackson's undefeated grid season. Parkway Central comes in with a sub-.500 mark. The Tigers, entering Friday night's contest at New Madrid, were 6-6.

Third Annual Tiger Shootout

Jackson girls vs. Rosary, noon

Notre Dame vs. East Carter Co., 1:30 p.m.

Cape Central girls vs. Carbondale, 3 p.m.

Jackson vs. SLUH, 4:30 p.m.

Cape Central vs. Parkway Central, 6 p.m.