Showdown notes

No updates from today's final. Instead, the stories will run on semoball later tonight.

Poplar Bluff's Steven Johnson showed off his shooting skills at the 22nd annual Poplar Bluff Showdown without playing a game.

The senior, who has one point this season in two games, won the 3-point shooting contest Tuesday morning at Peters Gym.

"That was almost Taylor-made for him, that type of situation," Mules coach Lamont Frazier said of the contest. "He is a great, great kid. I admire him.

"He comes out every day and he puts forth his best effort and, to be quite honest, he got his reward today for his efforts."

Johnson got a loud cheer from his fellow students when the results were announced during Poplar Bluff's game Tuesday night against New Madrid County Central.

Riley Raulston gave Poplar Bluff a competition sweep by winning the slam dunk contest.

The 6-4 senior got an assist from Maurice Webb, who set the school's record for assists in a game with 14 in 1993. Raulston caught Webb's pass from behind the backboard in mid air and threw it down to receive a score of 29 out of 30.

"That was a pretty neat dunk," Frazier said.

LEADERS Sikeston's Michael Porter is running away with the scoring title at this year's Showdown. Even if the Sikeston senior goes scoreless in today's fifth place game, his average will still be higher than anybody else.

Porter has scored 63 points in the first two games while Raytown South's Rian Pearson is next with 37 and New Madrid's Josh Minner has 36 through the first two days.

Porter, a 6-6 senior, also is second in rebounding at 11.5 per game. New Madrid's Kony Ealy leads with 12.0, per game, but only one more than Porter, who also leads the tournament with four blocks along with Poplar Bluff's Chris Kilgore.

Liberty's Kendall Anthony leads with 14 assists and seven steals.

CAPUTO HONORED: Prior to the start of Poplar Bluff's game Tuesday night, former athletic director Bill Caputo was honored for his years of putting the Showdown together.

Caputo, who retired in March, was given a plaque by current AD Jim Brown.

CHEERLEADER INJURED: Poplar Bluff cheerleader Marietta Henry was injured during the halftime performance Tuesday night and taken to the hospital.

Henry, who is also a member of the competition squad that finished third at state in November, was later said to be doing fine with X-rays showing no broken bones. Henry fell during a tumbling pass and laid motionless on the court for a few seconds while her teammates continued their routine.

SCORING CHANGE: Poplar Bluff's boxscore from Monday, which ran in the Tuesday edition, had a change with Greg Coble scoring nine points and Riley Raulston scoring eight. Coble was listed as hitting a 3-pointer but it was actually a 2 while one of Raulston's field goals was not counted as a 3.

EDITOR'S NOTE: With no paper Thursday for New Year's Day, the stories from today's final round will be posted online at semoball.com.

POPLAR BLUFF SHOWDOWN

Monday's Scores

Liberty Tech (Tenn.) 67, Forrest City (Ark.) 51

Warren Central (Ky.) 66, Sikeston 62

Greene County Tech (Ark.) 44, Poplar Bluff 36

Raytown South 57, New Madrid County Central 55

Tuesday's Scores

Sikeston 81, Forrest City 54

Liberty Tech 67, Warren Central 50

New Madrid 57, Poplar Bluff 44

Greene County Tech 77, Raytown South 72

Wednesday's Games

Seventh Place: Forrest City (5-7) vs. Poplar Bluff (5-4), 1 p.m.

Fifth Place: Sikeston (7-2) vs. New Madrid (6-3), 2:30 p.m.

Third Place: Warren Central (7-3) vs. Raytown South (6-3), 4 p.m.

Championship: Liberty Tech (13-1) vs. Greene County Tech (11-2), 5:30 p.m.