This Sunday, Jan. 27, 12 of Missouri’s top high school basketball teams will come together at Mizzou Arena for the annual MFA Oil-Break Time Shootout. This event is a fundraiser for the Show-Me State Games and celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, making it the longest-standing fundraiser for the Games. This event was originally held at the Hearnes Center starting in 1994 and moved to Mizzou Arena in 2005.
Marketing and media coordinator for the Games, Emily Lorenz, said that the event would not be possible without the contributions from MFA Oil-Break Time. As well as funding, they also provide the event with a working staff.
“MFA Oil – Break Time contribute financially as a sponsor of the event. In addition, many employees help volunteer on the day of the event to ensure its success,” Lorenz said in an email interview. “One of the most important factors is choosing teams and schools in communities that support an MFA Oil-Break Time presence in their community. We also look to bring in some of the tops teams in the state to make for an exciting event.”
One of these top teams participating is the RBHS boys basketball team. They are scheduled to play the Washington High School Blue Jays at 5:40 p.m. This will be the first time the varsity boys play since their loss to Hickman High School on Tuesday, Jan. 22. Head coach Jim Scanlon said this game will be a good experience for his players as well as be a way of getting redemption from their upsetting loss on Tuesday.
“Other than getting to the Final Four, this is the only time you’re going to get to play at Mizzou Arena. It’s a great atmosphere, sometimes it’s the only time kids will get the chance to get over there and play, so it’s a great opportunity for us,” Scanlon said. “Washington is a good team, I think they’re 14-6; everybody we play is pretty good, but I would think our team, coaches and everybody would like to take a little energy and frustration out on Washington at Mizzou Arena.”
Not only is the coach looking forward to this game, but his players are excited as well. Varsity starter Alex Henderson says this game is less about redemption and more of a chance for the team to showcase their talent in a new atmosphere.
“I wouldn’t say it’s redemption ’cause we would have to play Hickman again to get true redemption,” Henderson said. “But this is definitely a game for us to show everyone that we’ll learn from the mistakes we made in that game and improve on them in this game.”
For additional information about the MFA Oil-Break Time Shootout, click here.
By Brittany Cornelison
Additional reporting by Tyler Dunlap
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