The third-seeded Sullivan High School boys’ basketball team repeated as champion of the 65th annual St. James Tournament by knocking off top-seeded Blair Oaks 57-42 Saturday in a rematch of last year’s final.
With Blair Oaks all-state guard Brandon Moore getting into early foul trouble the Sullivan Eagles took full advantage and built a big lead.
Sullivan, now 12-5 and champions of three tournaments this season, jumped out to a 16-9 lead in the first period. The Eagles built their advantage to as much as 15 points in the second period and took a 31-21 edge into halftime.
The Blair Oaks Falcons, now 10-2 and ranked No. 5 in the Missouri Class 3 state poll, never could get their offense on track. The Falcons managed just 10 points in the third period and trailed 46-31 entering the fourth quarter.
And in the fourth period the score was stuck at 50-39 for nearly four minutes, dashing any hopes of a Blair Oaks comeback.
Tyler Garner, a 6-5 senior, burned the Falcons both inside and from the perimeter, finishing with a game-high 23 points to power the Eagles. Senior Kyle Roehrs had 12 points and senior Adam Lindemann added 10 for Sullivan.
Senior guard Josh Linnenbrink led Blair Oaks with 10 points.
In the third-place game fifth-seeded Rolla defeated second-seeded St. James 60-47. And in the fifth-place game the fifth-place game fourth-seeded Fatima held off sixth-seeded Newburg 56-49.
Friday
Semifinals
Blair Oaks 60, Rolla 42
Sullivan 61, St. James 46
Seventh-Place
Salem 77, E.H. Lyle 39
St. James’ First-Round
St. James 67, Salem 59
St. James, Mo. —
