The Northwest Academy Hornets celebrated the school’s first state championship in basketball last season with a dramatic come-from-behind victory over Whitfield.
The road to a possible repeat state-championship hasn’t been an easy one for the Hornets, but they are back in the Final Four for a chance to win another Class 3 state title this weekend in Springfield, Mo.
Northwest (22-7) will take on Hogan Prep (24-4) in the Class 3 state semifinals at 8:10 p.m. at the John Q. Hammons Center on the campus of Missouri State University. The winner of that game will face either Charleston (24-8) or Mountain Grove (30-1) for the state championship on Saturday at 8:10 p.m. The third-place game will be held on Saturday at 12:50 p.m.
Northwest head coach Gerald Jones has an experienced group that is battle-tested in big games for the past two years. The Hornets had to survive the District 5 tournament, which had one of the most loaded fields in the state. They defeated Duchesne in double-overtime in the semifinals, then rallied from a 15-point deficit to defeat No. 1 seed Trinity in the championship game.
The leader of the pack is 6’7” senior forward Jamarr Williams, who is averaging 20 points a game while rebounding at a very high level. He is a load in the paint with his scoring and rebounding. The Hornets have a talented group of guards, led by 6’3” senior Wilshon Warren, who is averaging 18.4 points a game. Senior guard Rayonte Childs is averaging 11.9 points a game while 6’2” senior guard Damien Carver is averaging 10.3 points.
Northwest will be facing a Hogan Prep team that is making its third consecutive appearance in the Final Four. The Rams are led by dynamic 5’8” senior guard Damien Daniels, who is averaging 21 points a game. He has signed with Abilene Christian. The Rams also feature 6’6” senior forward Marty Jackson, who is averaging 13 points and seven rebounds a game.
Charleston is a perennial state power in Class 3 while Mountain Grove is in the Final Four for the third consecutive year. Charleston is led by its dynamic duo of 6’2” senior guard Demarcus Sharp and 6’4” senior forward Mardareyon Clark. Mountain Grove is led by its senior trio of Conner McNew, Cade Coffman and Carter Otwell.
The Whitfield girls are also making a return trip to the Class 3 Final Four after their defeat of Saxony Lutheran in the state quarterfinals last weekend. The Warriors’ reward is a date with defending state champion Strafford in the state semifinals on Friday at 2:40 p.m. The two teams met for the state championship last year with Strafford taking an 80-39 victory.
The winner of the Lutheran North-Strafford game will meet either Clark County or California for the state championship on Saturday at 6:20 p.m. The third-place game will be held on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Whitfield fields a very talented and young team led by 6’0” junior guard Aijha Blackwell, who is averaging 24 points and eight rebounds a game. She is being recruited by several high-level Division I schools around the country.
Blackwell has a strong supporting cast, led by 6’1” junior forward Tajah Foster-Walker, who is averaging 9.2 points and 7.5 rebounds. Junior guard Nia Griffin is averaging 8.3 points while 5’10” senior guard Taylor Lawson-Hicks is averaging 8.1 points. Freshman guard Kelsey Blakemore is also chipping in nearly seven points a game.
