The Ryan Willen show

He scored his team's first nine points of the game. He scored Notre Dame's first 15 points of the third quarter.

He scored from inside. He scored from outside - two three-pointers - and he scored from the free throw line: 12 out of 13 from the charity stripe. He scored 40 of his team's 70 points.

Welcome to the Ryan Willen show.

The 6' 8" Bulldogs center put on a star performance Friday night at the Show Me Center in the Christmas Tournament semi-finals against Charleston. Injured early in the season, he's making up for lost time.

Just as his absence proved key in Notre Dame's 30-point loss to Charleston earlier this month, his disappearance from the offense on Friday night showed just how valuable he is.

Willen scored two points -- both on three throws -- in the second quarter. Charleston outscored the Bulldogs 12-6 in the frame. Pouring in 38 points the rest of the game, Notre Dame outscored Charleston the other three quarters by nine points in a contest that was deceptively close. Notre Dame led 70-60 before Charleston scored the last seven points of the game -- the last bucket coming just seconds before the final buzzer.

As for Charleston, the Bluejays looked a little out of synch Friday night. Like a race car driver who leaves pit row before his crew is finished, there's more fine tuning that can be done here.

It's not a question of talent. With players like Donald Dixon, Brian Parham, Antonio Riggens and Jerquawn Sherrell, Charleston may have the most talented players in this tournament. But they're not the best basketball team. At least not now.

But we've seen this before from Charleston, a program that always seems to hit its stride in March. Time will tell if this Bluejays bunch can do the same.

In the later game, the bigger Jackson team started wearing down Cape Central in the second quarter. Trailing 10-9 to start the second frame, the Indians led by 10 points at half and never looked back.

Jackson has nice size and great balance. Jake Leet, Hunter Grantham and Spencer Goodman have combined to score 147 points in the tournament, thus far.

They'll face a Notre Dame squad led by Willen and Austin Greer, also injured earlier in the year, who've combined for 132 points over the past three games.

Last year, Jackson faced a Bell City team in the final led by big man Will Bogan. Thanks to Bogan's 42-point performance, Jackson finished second.

If Willen has a similar performance tonight, I expect the same result. But if the Indians can cut that point total in half, Jackson should be hoisting a championship trophy.

The Indians and the Bulldogs. Should be an entertaining game in front of a packed house tonight.