Early letters of intent signed by area hoopsters
Inside Sports
With Earl Austin Jr.
Several area high school basketball players made their college plans official during the past week of the National Letter of Intent early signing period.
Vashon High standout Bobby Hill signed with Illinois State. The 6’5” guard-forward will be one of the leaders for the Wolverines, who are nationally ranked in several high school preseason polls. Guard Mo Smith of Hazelwood Central is headed to Western Illinois, who is coached by former CBC head coach and Saint Louis University assistant coach Derek Thomas. Saint Louis University got a signature from 6’5” shooting guard Dustin Maguire from Edwardsville. Maguire’s teammate at Edwardsville, guard Spencer Stewart, signed with the University of Illinois-Chicago and head coach Jimmy Collins. High-scoring point guard Alex Moosman of St. Francis Borgia signed with Miami of Ohio while 6’9” forward Sean Kowal of DeSmet signed with Colorado.
One local player in the junior college ranks to sign last week was former Vashon High center Curtis Muse, who is headed to North Texas State. The 6’10” Muse, who was the starting center of Vashon’s undefeated state-championship team in 2004, is currently a sophomore at Mineral Area College.
There were also four top girls who signed last week, including 6’2” forward Felicia Chester of Incarnate Word. Chester signed with national power DePaul of the Big East Conference. All-State point guard Theresa Lisch of Belleville Althoff signed with Saint Louis University, where she will join older brother Kevin, a freshman on the SLU men’s team. Alex Simpson, a 6’1” forward from Normandy High, signed with Tulsa last week. Sumpson led the Vikings to the quarterfinals of the Class 5 state tournament in 2005. Jaleesa Butler, a versatile 6’1” guard-forward from Alton, signed with Georgetown. Butler becomes the first girls’ basketball player in Alton’s history to sign with a NCAA Division 1 school.
The Demetrious Johnson Charitable Foundation, in conjuction with Foxy 95.5, with hold its 14th annual Thanksgiving Turkey Basketball Give-Away on Saturday. Each year, the DJCF delivers more than 1,000 turkey baskets to needy families in the St. Louis metropolitan area on both sides of the river. Volunteers will meet at the St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation (2012 Martin Luther King) on Saturday at 8 a.m. The event will begin at 9 a.m. I’ve been fortunate to participate in DJ’s Turkey Give-Away on three occasions and it’s always quite an experience to help people who are facing adversity, plus sit back and really give thanks for what we and our own families may have.
The Sixth Annual Midwest Juhnior Football & Cheerleading Classic will be held next week at the Sportport Complex in Maryland Heights. Junior football teams from around the country (ages 7-14) will be on hand to compete. Registration will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at the Sheraton Westport and Doubletree Westport from 3-6 p.m. The games will begin on Thursday, Nov. 24 at the Sportport Complex and continue until Saturday, Nov. 27 with the championships games being held at McCluer High School. There will be teams from St. Louis, Metro East Illinois, Chicago, Kansas City, Cleveland, Detroit, Tulsa, Springfield, Ill., Wichita, and two teams from Canada. A cheerleading competition will also be held on Friday at the Doubletree. There will also be a collection of canned food items and blankets, which the collected items to be sent to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.
The Illinois Jets Basketball Club will be hosting its 8th Annual Hoop Wars Thanksgiving Classic from Nov. 25-27 at the Vadalabene Center on the campus of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. Games will also be played at Liberty and Lincoln Middle Schools. Many of the area’s top grade school teams and players will compete in this holiday tournament.
The Greater Midwest Classic 2005 Winter Basketball Shootout will be held from Dec. 9-11 at Hazelwood Central. The tournament is for boys and girls teams from grades 3-8. The deadline to register is Nov. 28. For more information, call (314) 791-7439.
