Be sure to mark you calendars to attend one of the area’s top high school basketball events of the year.
The 16th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Basketball Shootout will be held on Monday, Jan. 21 at the Mark Twain Building, on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The annual basketball feast will be presented by the St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation.
The four-game event will feature three boys games and one girls’ game. The four games include Cardinal Ritter vs. Normandy, McCluer North vs. Gateway Tech, a girls game between McCluer South-Berkeley and Metro and the annual “Border War” game featuring Vashon vs. East St. Louis.
As usual, the shootout will feature many of the area’s top high school teams and players. McCluer North and Metro’s girls won state championships in 2007 while Cardinal Ritter, Normandy, Vashon and the Berkeley girls won conference titles last season.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at the participating schools or at the St. Louis Gateway Classic office (314) 621-1994.
Hot Hornets
The Harris-Stowe State College women’s basketball team made history last year by advancing to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time in 2007. That success has continued into the 2008 season as the Hornets have continued to sting much bigger schools while taking names. The Hornets knocked off NCAA Division II power Emporia State on Nov. 11, breaking ESU’s 59-game non-conference home winning streak. Harris-Stowe also defeated Division II UMSL 84-70 last week. The Hornets are led by senior guard Chanel Ross, who leads the nation’s NAIA schools in assists and steals.
*Hazelwood Central track and field standout Gerren Hendricks recently gave a verbal commitment to attend Mississippi State. Hendricks is one of the top sprinters in the state of Missouri. He was the runner-up in the 100-meter dash at the Class 4 state championships in 2007. He also anchored the Hawks’ 4×200-meter relay team to a state record.
Abel to SEMO
McCluer South-Berkeley basketball standout Abel Tillman gave a verbal commitment to Southeast Missouri State last week. The 6’7” Tillman is one of the area’s top shot-blockers. He is currently averaging 7.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game for MSB, which is currently undefeated and ranked No. 1 among the area’s small schools.
Earl needs video
My new book, “The PHL in the STL” on the history of basketball in the Public High League history is now out on the streets. We are also working on a special DVD version of the PHL basketball book with lots and lots of video footage of your favorite PHL basketball stars. I’ve watched a lot of tape in the past few months. The PHL DVD is still a couple of months away. If anyone has any video from any of the PHL basketball greats (including girls), particularly from the golden days of the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s, give me a call at 289-5412, 488-3684 (cell), or email me at eaustin@stlamerican.com. I would really like to have some video footage of former girls stars Angelina Bonner (Southwest ’81), Rolanda Gladden (Roosevelt ’89) and Irenetta Henley (Cleveland ’83). Plus, buy the book. You can catch me at the Normandy Tournament this week. I will also be on KMJM’s (104.9) “Sunday Morning Live” with Kevin Pulley this Sunday.
Tiger beat
The University of Missouri’s historic football season has been chronicled in a catchy hip-hop song entitled “Heart of a Tiger.” The song is performed by the rap group Nx Level. You can catch it on the Demetrious Johnson show, which airs every Sunday on Hot 104.1 from 8-10 a.m.
Baby Bus in the Dome
Former Hazelwood Central football standout Carey Davis, who is a fullback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, had quite a following last week when the Steelers were in town to play the St. Louis Rams. Davis had more than 100 friends and family members on hand to see him return home. When Davis was in high school, I nicknamed him the “Baby Bus” because he had a similar build to former Steelers’ star Jerome Bettis, a.k.a. “The Bus.” It’s quite ironic that Davis is now playing for Bettis’ old team.