The Vashon Wolverines boys’ basketball team has a potential date with history this weekend at the state basketball championships.
Vashon will headline a field of talented teams that will participate in the Missouri State High School Activities Association Class 5 State Basketball Championships at the University of Missouri. The Wolverines (28-0) will carry a 59-game winning streak into Friday night’s state semifinal contest against Springfield Kickapoo (28-1) at the Mizzou Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
Preceding the Vashon-Kickapoo game will be Poplar Bluff and Kansas City Rockhurst, which will meet at 4:30 p.m. 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.
Midway through the first decade of the 21st century, the Vashon basketball program continues to be the gold standard in the state of Missouri. The Wolverines will be making their 21st appearance in the Final Four. They have won 10 state championships, nine coming under the direction of Hall of Fame coach Floyd Irons. They have four state titles in the past five years. Vashon accomplished its first undefeated season in 2004 when it won the Class 4 state title with a 31-0 record. They are now seeking a second consecutive unblemished championship season.
The Wolverines have raised the stakes even higher this season as they look for victories No. 60 and 61 in Columbia while trying to hold on to their USA Today No. 1 ranking in the national prep polls. Vashon is currently four games short of tying the St. Louis record of 63 consecutive victories, set by the Steve Stipanovich-led DeSmet teams in 1978 and ’79.
Providing the first obstacle for the Wolverines will be Kickapoo, who won the state championship in 2003. The Chiefs are led by 6’2″ senior guard Shane Laurie and 6’5″ junior forward Kyle Kirk. Kickapoo won the prestigious Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield and defeated Poplar Bluff in the process.
Looming on the horizon on Saturday is a potential showdown with Poplar Bluff, the Class 5 state champion in 2004. The Mules are led by 6’9″ McDonald’s All-American Tyler Hansbrough, who is headed to North Carolina, and his 6’4″ junior brother Ben Hansbrough.
The Mizzou Arena could be filled to capacity on Saturday night should a Vashon-Poplar Bluff final materialize. Since both teams won state championships in 2004 and did not meet on the court, the speculation has been rampant for the past year about who would have won. The fans around the state may get an answer on Saturday. They split two meetings during the 2003 season.
The challenges will be formidable for Vashon, but the Wolverines will be bringing plenty of firepower to the party as well as the Hall of Famer Irons, who has won more than 800 games during his 31-year career.
Vashon features a balanced line-up that includes 6’4″ senior Johnny Hill, 6’3″ senior Kenny Daniels, 6’6″ junior Bobby Hill, 5’10” junior James Washington and 6’6″ sophomore Leon Powell.
Seniors Hill and Daniels provide Vashon with a pair of athletic swingmen with a lot of experience. Hill is averaging 11 points and five rebounds a game. He was the Most Valuable Player in Vashon’s 69-66 victory over nationally-ranked Niagara Falls in their showdown in New Jersey last month. Daniels, who averages 11 points a game, is an explosive leaper with good 3-point shooting range.
Powell has emerged as the Wolverines leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker as a sophomore. Powell is averaging 13 points, seven rebounds and just under two blocks a game. Bobby Hill is a versatile backcourt player who can play anywhere on the court. He is averaging about 10 points a game. Running the show is Washington, who leads the team in assists and steals while averaging nine points a game. The bench is full of talented young players that can keep the Wolverines’ full-court pressure running at full-throttle.
