Kelvin Lee enjoyed a very successful run during his 16 years as the head coach at Chaminade College Prep.
The highlight came in 2009 when Lee guided the Red Devils to the Class 5 state championship. While at Chaminade, Lee also coached McDonald’s All-Americans and current NBA standouts David Lee and Bradley Beal throughout their entire careers.
Lee and Chaminade parted ways after the 2013 season. After leading the program at Miller Career Academy for one season, Lee took over at St. Mary’s. In just two seasons, Lee has the St. Mary’s program on the verge of becoming a major factor in the St. Louis area.
In Lee’s second season, the Dragons are 16-7 and clinched at least a share of the Archdiocesan Athletic Association championship in the Large Schools division. The Dragons hold two victories over perennial Class 4 powerhouse St. Francis Borgia.
The scary apart about St. Mary’s is that they are still a very young team. Their top scorers are sophomores Tony Burkes and Yahuza Rasas. The 6’2″ Burkes is averaging 16.7 points while the 6’6″ Rasas is averaging 13 points and 6.1 rebounds. Freshman point guard Yuri Collins is one of the top first-year players in the area, averaging 8.8 points and 7.6 assists a game. Sophomores Isaiah King and Miles Jones combine to average 10 points a game. Providing senior experience are guard Zach Ortinau and 6’4″ forward Melvin Wilson.
MICDS turnaround
One of the area’s best bounce back seasons has been turned in by MICDS. The Rams were 7-19 a year ago in a rebuilding season, but they are currently 16-7 this year with at least a share of the Metro League championship in their pockets. MICDS can win the league outright on Friday night if they can defeat rival John Burroughs in their home finale.
The Rams are led by 6’5″ junior guard Alec Spence, who is averaging 18.6 points and 5.4 rebounds a game. He is one of the top juniors in the area. Sophomore forward Dominic Mitchell is averaging 14.5 points and five rebounds. He is a versatile player who can score in the post or on the perimeter. Junior guard Matt Roper is averaging 12.1 points a game while leading the team in 3-point shooting. Sophomore point guard Austin Thompson averages 5.4 points while leading the team in steals. Juniors Teddy Schmid and Harry Welliford are strong role players inside while sophomore Preston Buchanan and junior Keiondre Jordan are athletic swing players.
Vashon wins at Tolton
Vashon ventured into Mid-Missouri last Saturday night and came away with another signature win as it defeated Father Tolton 65-62 in Columbia.
Father Tolton is a Class 3 power that is led by five-star recruits Michael Porter, Jr. and Jontay Porter. The Wolverines staged another dramatic fourth-quarter rally to take home the victory. Vashon trailed by 15 points with six minutes left in the game before turning up the full-court pressure to overtake Tolton.
Junior guard Daniel “Peanut” Farris led the charge with 18 points, including 16 in the second half. Freshman guard Mario McKinney added 13 points.
With top-ranked Sikeston losing for the first time this season at Cape Girardeau Central last Friday, look for the Wolverines to retake the No. 1 ranking in the Class 4 state poll heading into the postseason.
Valley Park on the rise
The Valley Park Hawks are enjoying an excellent season with a 16-3 record with more success on the way with a very young team. The top scorer is 6’1″ sophomore Ryan Courtney, who is averaging 18 points a game. Right behind is 6’2″ freshman Jeremy Shaw, who is averaging 15 points a game. Senior guard Sam Rhoads is averaging 9.4 assists a game, which is among the leaders in the St. Louis area.
Edwardsville on top again
The Edwardsville Tigers have regained their spot at the top of the Southwestern Conference. The Tigers are currently 19-4 with a lineup full of underclassmen. The top player is 6’5″ junior A.J. Epenesa, who is averaging 16 points and 13 rebounds a game. He has already committed to play football at Iowa. Juniors Oliver Stephen and Mark Smith are big wing players who can really shoot the ball. Stephen is averaging 14.6 points while Smith is averaging 13 points. Sophomore Caleb Strohmeier is a 6’7″ forward who averages seven points and four rebounds a game.
