TIGERS EVOLVE INTO DISTRICT'S TOP SEED

One would be hard pressed to find a basketball team in Southeast Missouri that has improved more throughout the year than Cape Girardeau Central.

The Tigers started the year 1-5. They were seeded sixth in two early-season tournaments in an area that bears no local prominent Class 3A or 4A teams.

During the middle part of the season, Central showed impressive spurts on some nights, but looked uninspired on others.

But through the last eight games, Central has shown consistency that escaped them just a few weeks ago. Suddenly, they're one of the best teams in Southeast Missouri.

The Tigers enter the Class 4A, District 1 tournament at Poplar Bluff High School as the No. 1 seed and carry a five-game winning streak into the postseason.

Central (14-11) will play No. 5 seed Farmington (20-5)??????? at 6 tonight. Second-seeded Jackson (16-8) and No. 3 Sikeston (13-11) will follow with at 7:30. In Monday night's opening-round game, Farmington defeated No. 4 Poplar Bluff ?????.

The Tigers have come a long way after a loss at Portageville on Jan. 26. At that point, Central found itself three games below .500 at 7-10.

The next game, Cape Central coach Brett Reutzel shook up his lineup and the Tigers have won seven of their eight games.

"From the very beginning no one gave us a chance," said senior forward Jason Roddy, who is usually the first or second man to come off the bench for the Tigers. "We were seeded low in every tournament. I think we've got a good chance to go somewhere this year."

"We've been playing well," Reutzel said. "As far as the slow start goes, we were young and using several juniors. Several of our seniors hadn't had the same varsity experience that other seniors in the district had.

"Maybe because of our (tough) schedule and because of the character of the kids on this team, we're starting to come together a little bit. It's been fun watching them get better, but at the same time we have to get better on Monday at practice and (tonight) has got to be our best game of the year."

One of the reasons for Central's sudden optimism is the elevation, figuratively and literally, of Ross Conner's play.

The 6-foot-4 junior post player has come out strong his past few games and has emerged as a dominant, sometimes unstoppable presence in the paint on both ends of the floor.

Conner is averaging about 14 points a game, but has scored 17, 17, 23 and nine points in his last four games for a 16.5 points-per-game average.

In the game that he scored nine points, he used his quick and high vertical leap to block seven shots and grab five rebounds.

Conner's success is a direct result of the overall improvement of the team, though.

Senior point guard Nick Swoboda, whose confidence seemed to be shattered after the first few games of the season, has done a nice job in recent games of running the offense and feeding the ball into the post.

Then there's senior forward Kelly Illers (12 ppg) and junior guard Donnie McClinton (11 ppg), who have both have the ability to create their own shots.

With a 6-3 frame like a fullback, Illers has the size and strength to post up and has the ability shoot 3-pointers. He has also seemed to blend better with Conner in the front court as the season progressed.

Junior Eric Wessel also provides a dangerous 3-point threat.

"(To win the tournament), we're going to have to play together," Roddy said. "Ross will have to have big games down low and Donnie and Kelly will have to play well too."

Central enters district action coming off a 48-46 win over St. Louis University High, the 10th-ranked team in the St. Louis area. McClinton hit a game-winning five-footer at the buzzer to win the game.

SLUH had beaten Vianney twice, while Vianney beat Central by eight earlier this season.

"We've got a lot of confidence going into districts," McClinton said. "We're ready to go out there and play. It doesn't matter who. We're just ready to play."

* The girls' semifinals of the Class 4A, District 1 tournament in Poplar Bluff will be played Thursday night. An incorrect date appeared in Sunday's Southeast Missourian.

On Monday, No. 4 Farmington defeated No. 5 Sikeston ??-?? in the opening round. Thursday's semifinals will pair No. 1 Jackson against Farmington at 6 p.m. Cape Central, seeded third, and No. 2 Poplar Bluff will follow at 7:30.