U-HIGH: YEAR OF THE SMALL SCHOOL?; ANNUAL TOURNAMENT MAY DOWNSIZE ITS CHAMPION

Most of the small schools that play in the University High Christmas Tournament represent towns whose entire population can't even fill the Show-Me Center.

But that doesn't mean that small schools can't fill the bucket.

The consensus among the coaches for the 54th annual event, is that any number of teams could win the four-day, 16-team, 26-game basketball marathon, including several of the small schools.

"You look at the Christmas Tournament this year and you can honestly say a 1A or 2A team can win it," said Oran coach Mitch Wood. "In the past you haven't been able to say that a 1A or 2A team is likely to win it."

Of Oran's two losses, one came by 29 points to Scott City, one of three 2A schools among the tournament's top five seeds. Kelly and Woodland are the other two.

The championship game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 30.

Should a 1A or a 2A school win the tournament, it would the first time since Scott Central (1A) took first place in 1990.

Scott City earned the top seed in the tournament, boasting a 7-0 record. The Rams open tournament action at 9 a.m. Saturday against No. 16 Meadow Heights (0-8) in the Show-Me Center.

"I think Scott City is justified in being the favorite. No question," said Jackson coach Steve Burk. "But there may be as many as seven or eight teams that I feel can win it. I know we say that every year, but I do think it's pretty open. But I do think Scott City has the best chance."

Burk likes the 1-2 punch of Scott City's Jon Beck, who averages 25 points per game, on the outside and 6-foot-6 Ryan Weatherspoon (15 ppg., 14 rebounds per game) on the inside. Nobody else in the field can match their inside-outside combination, he said.

The Rams won their only tournament title in 1963. They were the runners-up in 1996 and they took third place last year.

Kelly (6-1) is No. 3 and Woodland (7-0), the fifth seed, is the only team other than Scott City that is still undefeated.

"I think that a 1A or a 2A school has as good of a chance to win it as any year that I've been a head coach," said Woodland coach Jennings Wilkinson. "Scott City and Kelly have made it to the finals in the past couple of years, but I think there is a legitimate chance this year for a 1A or a 2A school to win it. But in the same breath, you can't count out the big schools."

Jackson (5-1) is No. 2 after edging Kelly 62-58 on Dec. 12.

The tournament's usual powers, No. 4 Charleston (2-5) and No. 6 Cape Girardeau Central (2-5), are no longer in the pole position of the University High-way.

Those two schools have taken the tournament title seven years in a row. Central and Charleston have won it 18 times in the past 23 years and the two tournament bullies have 22 championships between them. Together, they have appeared in 30 finals.

Charleston, the winner of a record 12 U-High crowns, defeated Kelly 70-55 in last year's championship game.

And even though Central, Charleston and Jackson are the only 3A and 4A schools in the tournament, the last time that two small schools fought for the title was in 1986 when Notre Dame beat Scott Central.

Rounding out this year's first-round favorites is Notre Dame, another 2A school as the No. 8 seed. The Bulldogs (2-4), who beat Cape Central at home this year, will take on No. 9 Advance in the first round.

Oran, Leopold, Bell City, Delta, Oak Ridge and Chaffee are the Nos. 10-15, respectively.

In terms of seeds, No. 11 Leopold (4-2) has made the biggest improvement over last year, when the Wildcats were No. 16.

After losing all five starters from last year's 22-7 team, Delta (3-4) dropped the most spots of any team, from No. 8 to 13.

U-High championships

(Current tournament field)

School Class Titles Most Recent

Charleston 3A 12 1997

Cape Central 4A 10 1996

Scott Co. Central 1A 4 1990

Notre Dame 2A 3 1986

Oran 1A 3 1966

Jackson 4A 1 1988

Kelly 2A 1 1973

Scott City 2A 1 1963

Woodland 2A 1 1960

Advance 1A 1 1958

Bell City 1A 0 --

Chaffee 1A 0 --

Delta 1A 0 --

Leopold 1A 0 --

Meadow Heights 1A 0 --

Oak Ridge 1A 0 --