Helias will host the 6th annual Central Bank Shootout on Saturday, an event that never disappoints. You can enjoy a day that will showcase a whopping 16 games ---eight varsity affairs at Rackers Fieldhouse, eight JV games in the Helias Gym --- and will feature eight local schools, both boys and girls teams.

All of this for 5 bucks for adults, $4 for kids (6-up), and $3 for seniors (65-up).

You just can't beat it.

"It's a great event; it always a fun day of basketball for a great price," Crusaders coach and one of the Shootout hosts Joe Rothweiler said. "You have so many games and the crowds are always good, because we get all the locals teams involved.

"It's an event we look forward to every year ... there are always some great basketball games."

All thanks to Central Bank.

“Central Bank is excited to continue its support of the Shootout," said Clay Broughton, Director of Marketing for Central Bank. "We love giving back to a community event which includes teams from area high schools.

“The Shootout features not just great basketball, but outstanding student athletes who represent their teams and their schools in the utmost fashion.”

The Crusaders enter the Shootout at 12-4, with two of those losses coming to Father Tolton (16-2, No. 2 Class 3). Yes, Helias is a Class 4 school, but if you know basketball, you know how richly talented Tolton is. Class doesn't matter.

If you're good, you're good.

Yet, despite going 12-2 in its other games, Helias isn't getting any votes in the state poll, and that's just silly. Where's the love?

"I don't know,," Rothweiler said, "but I don't mind flying under the radar. Of course, my guys ask me every week why we're not ranked. I feel like we're deserving, but it is what it is."

The Crusaders have mostly prospered through a rough schedule.

"We've won some close games and we won a couple we probably should have lost," Rothweiler said. "Our chemistry is very good and we have a resilient bunch of kids --- they never feel like they're out of the game.

"But we've gotten into a bad habit of getting off the slow starts and having to fight back."

Well, it is how you finish and not how you start, after all. Just ask the Chiefs.

"Marcus Anthony, he's our guy --- and a lot of people think he looks like Patrick Mahomes," Rothweiler said with a laugh. "So maybe there's something to that."

The dynamic Anthony is averaging 20 points a game, and he posted a career-high 38 points against Springfield Catholic --- last year's Class 3 state runner-up --- on Jan. 11. Six days later, he backed that up with 31 points, all of this after missing last season with a knee injury.

"I felt really bad for the kid, because he loves the game of basketball," Rothweiler said. "He's just happy to be playing and he's locked in right now. I think he's one of the best players in the state."

The action in both gyms starts at 9:30 a.m. The varsity event gets underway with a girls game, Owensville vs. Lift for Life Academy, and will conclude when the Crusaders face Kirkwood at 8 p.m.

In between, you'll have the Jefferson City Jays and third-ranked Lady Jays, and the top-ranked Blair Oaks Falcons and Lady Falcons, among others.

"What I love about the Central Bank Shootout is there's always a great atmosphere, it's on our home floor, and fans show up," Rothweiler said. "It's just a great day of basketball."

CENTRAL BANK SHOOTOUT
VARSITY SCHEDULE

9:30 a.m. --- Owensville vs, Lift for Life Academy (girls)

11 a.m. --- Blair Oaks vs. St. Michaels (boys)

12;30 p.m. --- Blair Oaks vs. Cape Notre Dame (girls)

2 p.m. --- Jefferson City vs. Hogan Prep (boys)

3:30 p.m. --- Jefferson City vs. Republic

5 p.m. --- Rock Bridge vs. Soldan (boys)

6:30 p.m. --- Helias vs. St. Michaels (girls)

8 p.m. --- Helias vs. Kirkwood (boys)

JV SCHEDULE

9:30 a.m. --- Blair Oaks vs. St. Michaels (boys)

11 a.m. --- Owensville vs. Lift for Life Academy (girls)