PB-Central final preview

As both Poplar Bluff basketball teams headed home following their semifinal wins, the players were all on their cell phones getting text updates from the later semifinal.

On both trips the players learned that Cape Central upset second-seeded Jackson.

Poplar Bluff and Cape Central return Friday to Northwest High School for the MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 championship game. The girls tipoff at 5:30 p.m. followed by the boys at 7:15.

Here's a quick look at the matchups:

MULES vs. TIGERS

STORYLINE: The Mules (16-9) are looking to win a district title after suffering a 30-point loss in last year's final against Jackson. The Tigers (10-16) haven't won since 1997, last reaching the final in 2006 when they lost to Ben Hansbrough's Mules.

The Mules came into the district losing two of their last three games while the Tigers won four of their last seven, including a win against Jackson to reach the final.

Both coaches, Poplar Bluff's Lamont Frazier and Central's Drew Church, are in their third years with the Mules holding a slight 3-2 edge in the series over that span.

PREVIOUS MEETING: Feb. 4 at Central, Mules won 38-27. Riley Raulston hit 4-of-5 shots from 3-point range and finished with 18 points while brother Jay didn't score for the first time in his career. Central's leading scorer Josh Harris didn't get a field goal and finished with two points. The Mules led 25-19 at halftime and used a 4-minute possession in the fourth quarter after holding Central to 2 third-quarter points. The Tigers shot 28.2 percent from the field.

WHO TO WATCH: Josh Harris (CC) is averaging 9.0 points per game but has scored 20 or more three times in the last six games including 24 on Wednesday. ... Rick Russell (CC) is averaging 8.0 points per game but has scored 40 over the last three games. ... Andrew Williams (CC) is the top free-throw and 3-point shooter for the Tigers, scoring 12 Wednesday night and averaging 7.0 per game. ... Riley Raulston (PB), he's averaging 17.3 points per game but has scored 20 in the last two games.... Jay Raulston (PB) scored a season-high 28 on Wednesday and has averaged 17.8 points in the last six games. ... Chris Kilgore (PB) has turned into a free-throw shooting machine, hitting 73.8 percent of his shots in the last 11 games since change his pre-shot routine. He's shooting 61.4 percent from the field this season, averaging 9.9 points per game.

KEYS: Who will play better defense? Central is holding opponents to just over 53 points per game but averaging 48 on the other end. The Mules haven't held an opponent to under 56 in the last six games after holding Central to 27, one of four teams Poplar Bluff has held under 40 this season. ... Can Bluff stop Harris and can Central stop Jay Raulston again? Raulston was 0-for-4 from the field in the previous meeting and Harris didn't get a field goal (don't have his shooting from that game, but the Tigers were 11-for-39 from the field as a team including 0-for-7 from 3-point range). ... Can Riley get hot? Riley Raulston's 3-point shooting in that first meeting carried the Mules, but the senior has struggled from long range as of late. He's shooting 27 percent from 3 in the last four games (as the Mules went 2-2) after hitting 13-of-26 shots in his previous three games (all wins). In the win Tuesday night, Jake White started in his place hit 4-of-7 shots from 3-point range. ... Who will miss more free throws? Both teams are shooting 58 percent from the free-throw line this season, making each trip Friday an adventure.

LADY MULES vs. LADY TIGERS

STORYLINE: If this one is anything like the previous meeting it will be worth the trip. The Lady Mules (15-11) are the defending champs but this is a different team with the loss of both seniors this season. The Lady Tigers (11-12) have won four straight coming into the final.

WHO TO WATCH: Central's Big 3 of Wendi Zickfield, Sadie Pittman and Chelsea Pannier. Zickfield has scored 20 or more eight times this season and had 19 against Bluff while Pannier burned the Lady Mules for 17. ... Ruthie Johnson set a new PB record for 3s in a season and is averaging a team-high 11.6 points per game. Miranda Burroughs is averaging 8.7 points per game and 12.3 over the last four games while Tori Williams is coming off an 11-point, 11-rebound night Tuesday.

KEYS: The Lady Mules need to stop Central's dribble and keep the ball out of Zickfield's hands in the paint. Central will need to defend the 3 but still rebound and keep post players Williams, freshman Marissa Webb and sophomore Courtney Knuckles from taking over. These two teams match up pretty evenly on paper and may make the boys wait while they slug it out.