Inside Sports With Earl Austin Jr.
Of The St. Louis American
Let me first take the opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a joyous holiday season. When Christmas time rolls around, so do the glut of holiday basketball tournaments around the metro area. Here a few of the top tournaments to watch out for in the next week.
Normandy (Dec. 26-29): The championship game will be held on Saturday, Dec. 29 at 7:30 p.m. The top teams to watch are the host Vikings, Cardinal Ritter, Vashon, Hazelwood East and an improving Soldan team coached by former Saint Louis University Billiken Justin Tatum.
Meramec (Dec. 22-29): The tournament gets underway with four first-round games on Saturday. It resumes on Dec. 26 and concludes with the championship game on Saturday, Dec. 29 at 7:15 p.m. The featured teams in the field included Webster Groves, Hazelwood Central, Lafayette, St. Charles West, DeSmet, University City and defending champion Troy.
MICDS (Dec. 20-28): The tournament begins with first-round action tonight and Friday with four games on both days. It resumes of Dec. 26 and concludes with the championship game on Friday, Dec. 28 at 4:30 p.m. The field is led by Parkway South, a Class 5 state-quarterfinalist in 2007. Joining the Patriots are a group of talented small schools which include Class 2 state-champion Wellston, Jennings, Lutheran North, Whitfield, Career Academy, Trinity, Westminster and Duchesne.
Collinsville (Dec. 28-30): This annual tournament brings together teams from all over the two-state area. Decatur McArthur drew the No. 1 seed while defending tourney champion East St. Louis is the No. 2 seed. Madison is the No. 4 seed. Also in the field are local teams such as McCluer, Oakville, Belleville East, Belleville Althoff and SLUH.
Several area teams are heading out of town to compete in holiday tournaments. Undefeated O’Fallon is the top seed at the Centralia Tournament. Defending Missouri Class 5 state champion McCluer North will head South to play in the Carbondale Tournament, where they will be joined by Gateway Tech.
On the girls side, the Visitation Christmas Tournament got underway last weekend with eight first-round games. The tournament will resume on Dec. 26 and conclude with the championship game on Saturday, Dec. 29 at 7:30 p.m. The top teams to watch at Viz are Metro Women’s Athletic Association powers Incarnate Word, St. Joseph and Nerinx Hall, along with Parkway South, Hazelwood Central and Lafayette.
Shop at Earl
My new book on the history of basketball in the Public High League, entitled, “The PHL in the STL” will be out on the streets on Friday. You can pick up your copy of the book, beginning on Friday at the St. Louis American (4244 Lindell Blvd.) for $20. They will also be on sale at Johnny Mac’s Sporting Goods (Florissant and Sunset Hills locations). I will also have them on hand and the various holiday tournaments that I visit next week, including Normandy, Meramec, MICDS and Visitation. I hope everyone picks up a copy and enjoys this trip down memory lane. The St. Louis American office is open every Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We will be closed on Christmas day, next Tuesday.
Cape shooters
Several top St. Louis area teams will be heading to Cape Girardeau on Saturday to participate in the 2007 Pepsi Shootout. The seven-game event will be held at the Show-Me Center on the campus on Southeast Missouri State University. The cost of the event is $8. Here is the schedule:
De Soto vs. Farmington, 10 a.m.
Fort Zumwalt South vs. Poplar Bluff, 11:45 a.m.
Vienna (Ill). Vs. Cape Girardeau Central, 1:30 p.m.
Lafayette vs. Pinckneyville, 3:15 p .m.
Gateway Tech vs. Cape Girardeau Notre Dame, 5 p.m.
McCluer North vs. Memphis White Station, 6:45 p.m.
Webster Groves vs. Jackson, 8:30 p.m.
R.I.P.
I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the family of my close friend and St. Louis American colleague Maurice Scott, on the passing of his mother Geraldine Scott late Sunday night in Fairview Heights. She was 69. Mrs. Scott is survived by Maurice and his siblings Steven and Deborah Reed, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Maurice is a frequent contributor to the American with his “From the East Side” column as well as a mentor to many young men on the East Side. You and your family and in all of our prayers, brother.