Looking back during the Christmas holidays, Incarnate Word Academy’s girls hardly looked the part of a three-time defending state champion.
The Red Knights had struggled to a 2-2 record in the Visitation Christmas Tournament. One of those losses was a 58-36 loss to Francis Howell that dropped IWA’s record then to 5-4 as well as the jaws of many local basketball fans who were wondering what was happening to this local dynasty.
Those days seemed like a lifetime ago as the Red Knights are now 17-4 with a 12-game winning streak and appear on course to winning a fourth consecutive Class 4 state championship in just over a month. The graduation of generational star Napheesa Collier and some injuries to key players led to some early-season growing pains for the Red Knights. But, now they appear to be hitting their stride as they gear up for another postseason run.
Last week, the Red Knights won the championship of the Webster Winter Classic in dominating fashion. Despite having a field of very accomplished programs, Incarnate Word won all three of its games by at least 20 points. IWA defeated Rock Bridge 56-26 in the first round, host Webster Groves 66-42 in the semifinals and MICDS 63-42 in the championship game.
Sophomore guard Sonya Morris enjoyed a big tournament, which included a 22-point performance in the championship game against MICDS. She also had a game-high 15 points against Rock Bridge in the first round.
The 5’9” Morris is averaging 11 points a game, which is second on the team behind 6’1” senior Abbey Hoff’s 12 points a game. A Miami of Ohio recruit, Hoff has taken over the leadership mantle as the team’s most experienced player.
A pair of talented freshmen have also stepped into big roles in 6’2” Rickie Woltman and 5’11” Kiki Britzmann. Holtman is averaging 9.1 points and 6.0 rebounds a game while Britzmann is averaging 6.7 points. Senior Sam Cooke and sophomore Nakayla Jackson-Morris are also big contributors to the Red Knights’ winning ways.
Webster Groves dominating
It is nothing new for the Webster Groves Statesmen to be rolling towards another 20-victory season. This season, the Statesmen have been really dominant as they entered the week with an 18-1 record. Of those 18 wins, there have only been two games where the margin of victory has been under 10 points. The Statesmen are smaller this year, but they have tremendous team quickness and guard play, which makes them even more dangerous, especially on the defensive end, which is a trademark of head coach Jay Blossom’s teams.
Sophomore guard Courtney Ramey has emerged as one of the top players in the St. Louis area this season. The 6’3” Ramey is averaging 18.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists a game. Ramey has really enjoyed some huge scoring outings in recent games as he continues to be a force at both ends of the court.
Senior forward Chris Gordon has also enjoyed a breakout season. The 6’5” Gordon is averaging 12.1 points and 5.1 rebounds a game. Senior guard Leland Bradford is averaging 10 points a game in his fourth year as a varsity starter. Juniors Cam Potts and Kevin Butler both average six points a game while adding to the Statesmen’s group of talented guards while 6’5” senior Andy Bennett helps Gordon hold things down in the post.
