Area teams set for Capital City Shootout

Nine schools will be featured in seven games for the eighth annual Capital City Shootout, which will be held Dec. 16 at Fleming Fieldhouse in Jefferson City.

Here is a look at the matchups featured in this year's Shootout:

New Bloomfield vs. Jamestown (girls)

The Shootout begins with the longest-tenured matchup, as the New Bloomfield Lady Wildcats and Jamestown Lady Eagles are set to play each other for a fifth straight season at 10 a.m.

New Bloomfield has won three of the four previous matchups, including a 63-24 victory last season.

"We're very familiar with Jamestown," New Bloomfield coach Brett Craighead said Wednesday during a media conference for the Shootout. "I know they're young right now, but his kids always play hard and they play smart. We just hope we can come out and play well."

New Bloomfield is off to a 4-1 start, which includes a championship in the Tipton Tournament last week.

Jamestown is 1-4, but is looking forward to the challenge of playing the Lady Wildcats, who reached the Class 2 quarterfinals last season.

"To have these kind of matchups early on in the season, that's only going to help you down the road," Jamestown coach E.H. Hirschvogel said. "That's why we do this, and we're really appreciative of the opportunity. We really, really look forward to this every year."

New Bloomfield vs. Jamestown (boys)

Less than a month into the basketball season, the Shootout will feature a rematch from earlier this season.

The Jamestown Eagles, ranked No. 8 in Class 1, defeated the New Bloomfield Wildcats 45-39 last Saturday in the championship game of the Tipton Tournament.

"I think the 6-0 start is just a nice reward for how they've worked hard the past three years," Jamestown coach Seth Thomas said. "They understand this is the last chance for this group if they want to do something special."

New Bloomfield, which has scored 109 points in a single game earlier this season, is eager to get back on the floor for a rematch against the Eagles.

"These kids want to compete and they want to get after it," New Bloomfield coach Tim Gilmore said. "It's going to be a fun matchup. Jamestown has a ton of athleticism and they're crazy long, so it'll be a matchup for all of us."

In last year's Shootout, Jamestown used a third-quarter rally to beat New Bloomfield 49-45.

This year's contest is slated for 11:30 a.m.

South Callaway vs. Eldon (girls)

The South Callaway Lady Bulldogs will take on the Eldon Lady Mustangs in the third game of the day at 1 p.m.

"It's just a great event," South Callaway coach Darren Humphrey said. "Our girls are really pumped up about coming back and trying to make a mark."

The Lady Bulldogs are off to a fast start with a 4-0 record.

"Everything seems to be going well," Humphrey said. "We've got some great senior leadership. We start three seniors and two freshmen. So they've welcomed them with open arms."

Eldon coach Ashley Agee said she's looking forward to the Shootout.

"It's exciting to be here for the first time," she said. "I think my girls are excited as well."

Eldon enters the game with an inexperienced group.

"We're not making very many free throws at the charity stripe right now and I think that has a lot to do with experience, and lack there of," Agee said.

California vs. Eldon (boys)

The matchup between California and Eldon at 2:30 p.m. will feature teams working to finish games better.

The Pintos are 0-3 with two of the losses being by four points or fewer.

"We're off to a little bit of a rough start," California first-year coach Ron Lebel said. " I'm very proud of my guys. I feel like we're a lot better than we were about six weeks ago. It's a crew of good guys."

The Mustangs are 0-5 and are coming off a 66-65 loss at Buffalo.

But Eldon coach Brandon Kliethermes said the Shootout is an opportunity to play in a different setting.

"We're really excited about it," he said. "Something we haven't gotten to do before. I love my group of guys and to be able to play in an environment that's new to us and play in a situation that's new to us is really exciting. We always talk about any time, anywhere, any place to play a game. This is something new to us and we're pretty pumped about us."

California vs. Hermann (girls)

The California Lady Pintos are familiar with the Capital City Shootout.

Very familiar as the 4 p.m. game against the Hermann Lady Bearcats will be their seventh in Shootout history.

"As long as they keep inviting us, we're going to keep coming back," California coach Bobby Sangster said Wednesday. "This is such a great event, it's always a good test for us."

They've been successful trips for the Lady Pintos, who have won five of their previous six games. Included in those victories are three against Hermann, including a 50-48 win last year.

"Hermann is always a good opponent for us," Sangster said. "They play the game so well, they're fundamentally sound.

"We know we're always going to get a good test when we play them."

Hermann is currently 5-0 on the season, while California is 4-0.