It was a very productive week for some of the area’s top girls basketball programs. Incarnate Word Academy, Miller Career Academy and MICDS came home with tournament championships.
Incarnate Word followed up on its Visitation Holiday Tournament title by heading South to win the Naples Holiday Classic in Florida. The Red Knights defeated Blackman High of Murfreesboro (TN) 53-44 in the championship game. Blackman was ranked No. 3 in the country. Senior guard Nakiah Bell led the Red Knights with 20 points while 6’3″ senior McKenna Treece added 17 points. Junior standout Napheesa Collier had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Collier and Treece were selected to the All-Tournament Team while Treece was voted the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament.
Miller Career Academy won the championship of the Pink and White Lady Classic in Springfield, Mo. last week. The Phoenix defeated Nixa 56-40 in the championship game. Senior standouts Braennan Farrar and Zhanesa Dickerson scored 20 points each to lead the Phoenix in the championship game.
Career Academy enters the 2014 portion of the season with an 8-1 record, with their only loss coming to Illinois state power Quincy Notre Dame on the road. Farrar is averaging 18.6 points and 6.8 assists a game while the 5’9″ Dickerson is averaging 15.3 points and 8.6 rebounds. Senior guard Tiani Walls is averaging eight points a game while 6’1″ sophomore Alfreda Roberts leads the team in rebounding.
MICDS won the championship of its own holiday tournament with a 59-42 victory over Metro League rival Westminster Christian. The Rams rode their outstanding backcourt trio of senior Emily Kyman, junior Maya Howard and sophomore Rachel Thompson to the victory. Kyman scored 19 points to lead MICDS while Howard scored 17 and Thompson added 16 points. The Rams are an entertaining team that moves the ball, shoots a lot of 3-pointers and plays a fast tempo game. They are currently 9-1 with their only loss coming to Incarnate Word in a very competitive game.
*Hazelwood Central won the championship of the Meramec Holiday Tournament with back to back victories over Kirkwood and Webster Groves. It was the Hawks’ second tournament championship of the season. Hazelwood Central defeated Ladue to win the Vianney Tournament earlier this season.
The Hawks showed great balance as their was a different leading scorer in the last three victories. In the Hawks’ 73-63 overtime victory over Jennings, sophomores Xavier Sneed and Dominique Dobbs scored 19 and 16 points, respectively. In the semifinals against Kirkwood, seniors Demarco Buchanan (18) and Eddie White (11) led the team. In the championship game, senior Clifton Yancy scored 13 points in Central’s 57-51 victory over Webster Groves.
*The Highland Optimist Shootout will be held on Saturday at Highland High School. The feature game of the event will be a showdown between CBC and Springfield Lanphier. CBC continues its national schedule against a team led by outstanding guards Larry Austin, Jr. and Xavier Bishop. Tip off is at 7 p.m. The other four games are: Highland vs. Glenwood (girls), noon, Wesclin vs. Mater Dei, 1:45 p.m.; Chatham-Glenwood vs. Fort Zumwalt North, 3:30 p.m., Highland vs. Jerseyville, 5:15 p.m. Tickets are on sale for $5 for students and $8 for adults.
*Francis Howell Central won the championship of the Hillsboro Tournament last week. The Spartans defeated Seckman 56-43 in the championship game. Howell Central has been led by senior guard Tre Curry, who is averaging 18.5 points a game. He is one of the top performers in the Gateway Athletic Conference.
*Here is one more reminder for the Coaches vs. Cancer Shootout, which will be held today at the Scottrade Center. The eight game event will begin at 9:30 p.m. and will run all day with teams from five different states. The schedule is: Duchesne vs. Alton Marquette, 9:30 a.m.; Washington vs. Holt, 11 a.m.; Columbia Rock Bridge vs. Columbus North (IN), girls, 12:30 p.m.; Cahokia vs. Columbia Hickman, 2 p.m.; Alton vs. Quincy (Ill), 3:30 p.m.; Incarnate Word vs. Regis Jesuit (CO), 5 p.m.; Fort Zumwalt North vs. Althoff, 6:30 p.m.; CBC vs. Louisville Ballard, 8 p.m.
