Michael Porter leads Sikeston into the SEMO Conference tournament. [Click to enlarge]

Now, throw in No. 3 seed Poplar Bluff's fast start and you've got the ingredients for some very interesting basketball early in the season.

New Madrid County, a Class 3 district champion last year, has the No. 2 seed, relegating defending Class 4 state champion Notre Dame to a No. 4 spot, perennial power Charleston to No. 5, and Class 5 district champion Jackson to No. 6.

Who's going to win? Voters in the Semoball.com poll are leaning toward Sikeston.

SCHEDULE

MONDAY, DEC. 8

5:30 p.m. -- (1) Sikeston vs. (8) Cape Central

7 -- (4) Notre Dame vs. (5) Charleston

8:30 -- (2) NMCC vs. (7) Dexter

TUESDAY, DEC. 9

6 p.m. -- (3) Poplar Bluff vs. (6) Jackson

7:30 -- Sikeston-Central loser vs. Notre Dame-Charleston loser

THURSDAY, DEC. 11

5:30 p.m. -- NMCC-Dexter loser vs. Poplar Bluff-Jackson loser

7 -- Sikeston-Central winner vs. Notre Dame-Charleston winner

8:30 -- NMCC-Dexter winner vs. Poplar Bluff-Jackson winner

FRIDAY, DEC. 12

5:30 p.m. -- Fifth-place game

7 -- Third-place game

8:30 -- Championship