High school basketball season is upon us and I’m expecting a very exciting year in the St. Louis metro area.
Here are some of the area’s top boys’ teams to watch this season. I’ll have the girls roundup next week.
McCluer North: The Stars, who won last week’s St. Francis Borgia Tournament are led by explosive national recruit B.J. Young and 6’8” junior Jordon Granger.
Chaminade: All-American guard Bradley Beal returns to lead a senior-dominated team that also includes Brendan Kelly and Luke Baumgarner.
O’Fallon: All-State guard Roosevelt Jones and teammate Charles Joy lead a veteran crew that won 30 games and earned an Illinois Class 4A Final Four berth a year ago.
Hazelwood Central: The Hawks have a well-balanced group with perimeter players Curtis Churchman, Jordan Wilson, Trae Anderson and inside players B.J. McLaughlin and Jordan Martin.
East St. Louis: The Flyers are already 5-0 with football standout Keante Minor and sophomore stud DeShawn Munson leading the way.
McCluer: The guard-oriented Comets are led by All-State senior Shaquille Boga and junior Demetrious Floyd.
Soldan: The Tigers return a strong cast from their Class 4 Final Four run, including juniors Paul McRoberts and Pete Sanders.
Webster Groves: The Statesmen will contend again behind seniors Kendall Shell, Jason Meehan, James Kenner and junior Rayshawn Simmons.
Maplewood: The Blue Devils will be a force in Class 3 this season with the return of several young veterans from last year’s rebuilding team.
Belleville East: The Lancers won the Alton Tip-Off Classic last week with stellar play from sophomores Malcolm Hill and Kaleahl Ferguson.
Wentzville Holt: The Indians return 6’6” senior Dantiel Daniels from a Class 5 state quarterfinal team.
Cardinal Ritter: The defending Class 3 state champions return 6’7” junior Cameron Biedscheid, who’s already committed to Notre Dame.
University City: The Lions surprised many by advancing to the Borgia Tournament finals. Guards Trevon Williams and Prince Cody form a dynamic pair.
DeSmet: The Spartans should return to the area’s mainstream with frontcourt players such as 6’5” Ted Corwin and 6’8” sophomore Nolan Berry leading the way.
Other teams to watch: Class 5 – CBC, Parkway West, Troy, Fort Zumwalt South, Marquette, Kirkwood, Lafayette, Parkway North
Class 4: Career Academy, Imagine Prep, De Soto, Duchense, MICDS
Class 3: Lutheran North, Whitfield, Bayless, John Burroughs
Class 2: Crossroads
Metro East: Edwardsville, Belleville West, Cahokia, Alton, Mater Dei, Breese Central, Belleville West, Madison, Collinsville
*This week’s action is full of pre-season tournaments at Pattonville, Vianney, Whitfield and the South Side Classic at Lutheran South (boys) and Mehlville (girls). Girls tournaments are also being held at Marquette and Troy.
(You can follow Earl Austin Jr. daily basketball reports on his website, www.earlaustinjr.com. You can also purchase his new book, “You Might Need a Jacket II: More Hilarious Stories of Wacky Sports Parents,” on Amazon).
