I am writing this week’s column as a proud graduate of McCluer North High School (Class of ‘82).
Along with many other members of the North Star Nation, we are celebrating a Missouri Class 5 state championship won by the boys basketball team last Saturday in Columbia at the Mizzou Arena.
The Stars won their first state title by defeating Kansas City Rockhurst 68-58. As someone who once wore that uniform, it was a great night to see class act head coach Randy Reed and his talented group of athletes hold that championship trophy.
That win marked the Stars first state title since 1986 when the girls team took the Class 4A state title over Hickman Mills. That was a special event as well because my sister Courtney was a member of that team. But after two decades, it was cool to see my alma mater on the big stage once again.
After spending five days in Atlantic City with the Saint Louis Billikens, my plane landed in St. Louis on Saturday around 4:30 p.m. I immediately got in my car and raced down the highway to Columbia. I was tired, but the trip was well worth it because the kids put on a great show in a scintillating display of execution and unselfish play. It was truly a thing of beauty.
Randy Reed brought this talented collection of athletes together for a tremendous run to the state title. And after the final buzzer sounded, Reed was as cool as ever deflecting the credit to his players during their finest hour.
“I’m very proud of our young players,” Reed said. “For them, it was their time to shine. This has been just phenomenal for the people of McCluer North and the Florissant community.”
“We thought we were the best team in the state, but we had to go out and prove it,” said junior guard Torres Roundtree. “We were relaxed and prepared to do what we had to do.”
On the biggest stage of the season, McCluer North responded with its best performance of the season. The offensive execution was flawless as they shot 58 percent from the field. On defense, they harrassed the Hawklets with their athleticism and kept them off balance, holding them to 36 percent shooting from the field.
Roundtree emerged as the star has he turned in one of the greatest individual performances in the history of the state championship game. The 6’3” Roundtree scored a career-high 38 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and handed out three assists. He seemed to be everywhere as he went over, around and through the Hawklets with remarkable ease.
Roundtree connected on 13 of his 15 field goal attempts while playing the full 32 minutes. He performed with poise and control while scoring on a variety of low post moves, slashing drives to the basket and offensive rebounds. He was a one-man wrecking crew throughout the tournament. In North’s 54-39 victory over Lindbergh in the semifinals, he scored 17 of his game-high 19 points in the second half.
“I’ve seen a lot of great players perform in the championship game, but what Torres did was just phenomenal,” Reed said. “What I liked most about it was that it was a very unselfish 38 points. He did everything in the flow of the offense and he did not force anything.”
Roundtree ended the first quarter with an “Earl the Pearl” Monroe-like spin move and 25-footer at the buzzer to give the Stars a 15-7 lead. From that point on, he was off and running.
“After I hit that shot at the end of the first quarter, I felt it was going to be a long night for them,” Roundtree said. “My teammates did a great job of getting me the ball where I could do some damage.”
Despite Roundtree’s extraordinary performance, he was far from a one-man show. Fellow junior guard Femi John had 10 points, five rebounds, two steals, two assists and two blocks. Junior center Anthony Booker scored eight points and blocked four shots, while effectively shutting down Rockhurst’s inside game.
Seniors Ryan Goldkamp and Brandon Thompson keyed the Stars’ defensive effort as they helped to limit Rockhurst star Conner Teahan to eight of 19 shooting from the field. Sophomore Bobby Peebles also turned his normal high-energy play off the bench as well.
With Roundtree, John, Booker and Peebles returning to lead the way, the Stars will be one of the teams to watch again next year. They will regain the services of point guard Deon Hemphill, who was injured and missed the entire season. The Stars also have plenty of talent in the lower levels, including an undefeated junior varsity team.
Yes, the evening of March 11, 2007 was a great night to be a McCluer North Star.
That’s my school!
