Former Wellston High basketball star Ben McLemore is enjoying an excellent senior year at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. The 6’5″ McLemore transferred to Oak Hill after Wellston High closed its doors after the 2010 school year. Oak Hill is a perennial prep school power that has sent several players to major colleges and the National Basketball Association.
McLemore is one of the top players on a team that is loaded with plenty of prime-time talent. McLemore was selected the Most Oustanding Player of the recent Iolani Classic in Hawaii after helping Oak Hill to the championship. He was also the winner of the slam-dunk contest.
McLemore put his name on the national map this summer as a member of the St. Louis Eagles 17U team. During a nationally televised AAU game on ESPNU, McLemore earned the ESPN Sportscenter #1 Highlight of the Day
after a spectacular slam dunk in the championship game of the Nike Super Showcase.
Area basketball fans can watch McLemore on ESPNU again this weekend when his Oak Hill team takes on Milton (GA) at the Spaulding Hoop Hall Classic in Springfield, Mass. The game will be played on Saturday night with an 8:30 p.m. tip off.
McLemore is expected to choose between Big 12 Conference rivals Missouri and Kansas as his final college destination.
Thomas Merriweather update
Last week, I caught you up with the progress of former Hazelwood East standout Thomas Merriweather, who was enjoying a fine senior year at Miami of Ohio. Merriweather closed out his career in high style by leading the Redhawks to a 34-13 victory over Middle Tennessee State in the GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Merriweather rushed for 100 yards and scored two touchdowns to lead the Redhawks. He finished the season with 921 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns.
Thabiti in town
Former St. Louis American columnist Thabiti Lewis has published a new book which deals with race and sports in American culture. The title of the book is Ballers of the New School: Race and Sports in America. Lewis will be in town on February 6 to sign copies of his new book at the Mathews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club Annual Awards Banquet.
Thabiti teaches African-American literature and American Studies at Washington State University in Vancouver. He is also a product of the Mathews-Dickey Club, having played several sports during his youth.
Congratulations to Thabiti and much success to him on his new book. Not only is he an excellent writer, but he is one sharp brother. I look forward to reading his book.
Strait-Jacket Parent II
On the subject of new books, my new book You Might Need a Jacket II: More Hilarious Stories of Wacky Sports Parents has been released. It is the second book in the Strait-Jacket Parent Book Series. It has more than 150 stories of overzealous sports parents. You can purchase your copy on my basketball website, www.earlaustinjr.com; Amazon or Prioritybooks.com
(You can follow Earl Austin Jr. daily on his basketball website, www.earlaustinjr.com, which celebrates the past, present and future of St. Louis basketball.)
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