The St. Louis area will be well-represented this weekend in Columbia, the site of the Class 5 Missouri High School Activities Association Boys Basketball State Championships.
Of the four teams vying for a state championship at the Mizzou Arena, three are from the St. Louis metropolitan area. In the first semifinal, Webster Groves (27-3) will take on Independence Truman (20-8) at 7:50 p.m. That game will be followed by defending state-champion McCluer North (24-4) taking on Fort Zumwalt South (26-3) at 9:45 p.m. Both of these teams were Final Four participants a year ago. McCluer North won the Class 5 state title while Fort Zumwalt South finished in third place.
The winners will meet on Saturday night for the state championship at 8:05 p.m. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Midwest.
McCluer North punched its second consecutive trip to Columbia with an impressive 68-48 victory over Parkway South in the state quarterfinals last Saturday. The Stars have been led by the impressive senior trio of Torres Roundtree, Anthony Booker, Femi John and a talented young supporting cast.
The 6’8” Booker dominated the quarterfinal game against Parkway South with 16 points and 17 rebounds. For the season, Booker is averaging 13.4 points and 9.2 rebounds a game. The 6’4” Roundtree is currently averaging 15.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and three assists per game. Both are headed to Southern Illinois. The 6’4” John is rounding into form after missing eight games with a broken wrist. He is averaging 17.4 points a game. The supporting cast is led by 6’2” junior Bobby Peebles (10 points a game), 5’11” junior Leandre Johnson, beefy 6’3” sophomore Ryun Davis and sophomores Ollie Roundtree and Denzel Reed, who is the son of McCluer North head coach Randy Reed.
The next obstacle in North’s quest for a repeat state title is Fort Zumwault South, which knocked off highly regarded Columbia Rock Bridge and Waynesville to get back to the Final Four. The Bulldogs are led by excellent 6’4” senior guard Josh McCoy, who had enjoyed a stellar campaign in 2008.
McCoy is averaging 19.5 points, six rebounds and three assists a game. He scored 34 points against Troy in the district championship game and 15 fourth-quarter points in the Bulldogs’ sectional victory over Columbia Rock Bridge. When McCoy fouled out of South’s victory over Waynesville in the quarterfinals, fellow senior guard Danny Ortiz took over. The 5’11” Ortiz scored a game-high 21 points while keeping the team together in McCoy’s absence down the stretch. Ortiz is averaging 14 points a game while 5’10” junior guard Jim Thomas averages close to 10 points a game.
Webster Groves is making its first appearance in the Final Four since 1996 when the Statesmen won the Class 4A state championship behind star players Tate Decker and Johnnie Parker. Ironically, Webster defeated Truman in the semifinals in ’96 and will have to do it again if they want to get to Saturday night’s championship game.
The Statesmen have been led all season by 5’11” senior guard Drew Hanlen, who put on a show in Webster’s 85-65 victory over Gateway Tech in the state quarterfinals. Hanlen finished the game with 34 points, nine rebounds in eight assists in a virtuoso performance. Hanlen’s 15-point first quarter got the Statesmen on their way to its solid victory. For the season, Hanlen is averaging 19.3 points, five assists and two steals a game while shooting 46 percent from 3-point territory.
Webster Groves’ coach Jay Blossom can also rely on an excellent supporting cast, led by 6’7” senior Zach Redel, who is averaging 15 points and nine rebounds a game. Rounding out the Statesmen’s starting five are 6’4” junior Vinnie Raimondo, 6’3” football standout Mike Whittier and 6’1” sophomore Derrick Dilworth. Webster’s super-sub has been senior forward Johnathan Bowie, the younger brother of Johnnie Parker. He had eight points and 13 rebounds in the victory over Gateway Tech.
Webster’s opponent on Friday night will be Truman (20-8), which knocked off previously unbeaten Raytown 52-49 in the quarterfinals. Raytown was ranked No. 1 in the state. Truman is led by 6’9” center Steven Moore, who is headed to the University of Missouri.
In the Class 4 state Final Four, St. Charles West takes a 28-1 record into its semifinal game against Webb City on Friday at 2 p.m. The winner will meet either Cape Girardeau Notre Dame or Lincoln Prep on Saturday for the state title at 2 p.m. St. Charles West is led by standout guard Kramer Soderberg, who is averaging 24.7 points a game. The Warriors won the state title in 1995 and made Final Four appearances in 1994 and 2003.
