Here are some of the highlights from last weekend’s Class 4/5 State Basketball Championships in Columbia.
There were many heroes for the Webster Groves Statesmen during their run to the Class 5 state championship. Senior guard Drew Hanlen came up big once again with 44 points in two Final Four games despite playing on a sprained ankle. Fellow senior Zach Redel provided strong inside play for the Statesmen with 16 points and 14 rebounds in the Statesmen’s 71-62 victory over McCluer North in the championship game.
Perhaps the unsung hero for the Statesmen over the weekend was talented sophomore guard Derrick Dilworth, who turned in two money performances in Columbia while staking himself to be the next standout player at Webster Groves for the next two years.
The 6’1” Dilworth averaged 14.5 points in two Final Four contests while making 12 of his 15 field goal attempts. He scored 15 points while shooting six for nine from the field against Truman in the semifinals on Friday night. He came back to score 14 points on six of seven shooting from the field in the championship game against McCluer North on Saturday night.
The young man has a bright future, plus he already has a state championship under his belt.
Standout trio
Saturday’s loss to Webster Groves brought the end of the careers of standout seniors Torres Roundtree, Anthony Booker and Femi John. Together, this terrific trio was a part of the most successful era in McCluer North history. During their four years, the Stars won three district titles, two Suburban North Conference championships, made two appearances in the state-championship game and won a state title in 2007. All three will move on to the collegiate level next season. Roundtree and Booker will continue to be teammates at Southern Illinois University while John will play for Rick Majerus at Saint Louis University.
Word down
Incarnate Word Academy finished second in the Class 5 girls state tournament after defeating Hickman Milles in the semifinals and losing to Columbia Rock Bridge in the finals. IWA has been a frequent visitor to the Final Four this decade. They add this year’s second-place finish to their state championship in 2006, third-place finishes in 2004 and 2005. Senior center Britteni Williams had 13 points and seven rebounds against Hickman Mills, then 10 points and five rebounds against Rock Bridge. Senior guard Kayla Person had 17 points, six assists and three assists in the Red Knights victory over Hickman Mills. IWA finished the season with a 29-4 record.
King is queen
St. Joseph’s senior guard Patrice King finished a stellar senior season by leading the Angels to a third-place finish in the girls Class 5 state tournament. The 5’7” King scored 25 points in the Angels’ 55-42 loss to Columbia Rock Bridge in the semifinals. She came back to have 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the Angels’ 70-67 victory over Hickman Mills in the third-place game. King is headed to Ball State University.
Southern history
McCluer South-Berkeley ended its most successful season in history by taking third place in the girls Class 4 state tournament and finishing the season with a 27-4 record. After losing to eventual state-champion Bolivar in the semfinals on Friday, the Bulldogs rebounded to defeat Notre Dame 63-45 in the third-place game. Senior guard Meghan Lewis finished a tremendous career at Berkeley with 24 points against Bolivan and 14 points against Notre Dame. She ended her four-year varsity career with 1,728 points. Lewis will graduate along with senior center Chiara “KeKe” Robinson, but the Bulldogs will return a strong nucleus for next season, including guards Monai Douglass, Markeita Baker, Lametria Jackson and center Briana Hawthorne, who had 13 points, eight rebounds and four steals against Notre Dame in the third-place game.
Guards are right
A pair of St. Charles area guards concluded spectacular high school careers this weekend. Kramer Soderberg of St. Charles West by leading the Warriors to a runner-up finish in the Class 4 state tournament. The son of former Saint Louis University coach Brad Soderberg, Kramer leaves as the second best guard in the history of the St. Charles West program, behind former McDonald’s All-American Ryan Robertson. Meanwhile, Fort Zumwalt South will say good-bye to four-year standout Josh McCoy. The talented 6’4” guard with the floppy afro put the Bulldogs program on the statewide map by leading South to two consecutive Final Four appearances in the state tournament. McCoy scored 23 points in the South’s 61-58 victory over Truman to give the Bulldogs their second consecutive third-place finish. Both senior guards are currently unsigned. Time to get on the stick and hand out some scholarships college coaches. This young men can play.
