GAME 17: Scott City 59, Meadow Heights 50

By RACHEL CRADER ~ Special to Semoball.com

For a second consecutive game at the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament, Meadow Heights attempted a furious fourth quarter comeback.

The Panthers' press, which allowed them to erase a 17-point deficit Saturday against Delta could not pull off the same feat Monday against Scott City at the Show Me Center.

The Rams advanced to the consolation championship game with a 59-50 victory.

"I believe the message was 'slow down,'" said Scott City coach Lance Amick said of his team's fourth-quarter play. "Sometimes, I feel like we get in too big of a hurry and some of that comes from being uncomfortable with the ball in that type of situation."

Scott City did not make a field goal in the final quarter of play, but the Rams made 14 of their 18 free throws in the period.

"Any time you make those, it puts pressure on their mental toughness because if we keep making those free throws, you hope the air goes out of their sails a little bit each time those free throws go in," Amick said.

Shae Simmons, who led Scott City with 20 points, said he was "very surprised" his team made 23 of its 31 free throws in the game after making just three of 15 in their previous game.

With the victory, Scott City avenged a 20-point loss to Meadow Heights earlier this year at the Woodland Tournament.

"Any time you can beat a team that you lost to earlier in the year, you feel like you've improved a little bit. That's a plus," said Amick.

This time the Panthers were without an injured Dustin Hubler, who scored 22 points in the teams' first meeting.

Derrick Wilfong scored a team-high 14 points for Meadow Heights, and Tyler Welker added 10.

The Rams will play Bell City for the consolation championship Tuesday at 3 p.m. at the Show-Me Center.

"Not many teams are going to come out 3-1, so that's our goal right now," said Amick. "It may not have been when we started the tournament, but everything happens for a reason and you've got to adjust to what happens and make the best of situations."

SCOTT CITY (59) --Skylar Cobb 10, Cody Page 16, Shae Simmons 20, Tyler Glueck 2, Brennan Uelsmann 2, Caleb Anderson 4, Jake Campbell 5. FG 17, FT 23-31, F 8. (3-pointers: Simmons 2. Fouled out: none.)

MEADOW HEIGHTS (50) -- Derrick Wilfong 14, Adam Welker 2, Tyler Brune 2, Luke Nitsch 5, Ethan Mayfield 8, Zac Hotop 4, Nick Webb 4, Josh Keller 1, Tyler Welker 10. FG 22, FT 2-10, F 20. (3-pointers: Wilfong 1, Nitsch 1, T. Welker 2. Fouled out: none.)