The Vashon Wolverines entered the 2021-22 basketball season with a new look after winning the Class 4 state championship last year.
An outstanding senior class, which included Division I talents Nick Kern (VCU) and Keshawn Gilbert (UNLV) moved on This year’s edition has plenty of talent, but not much varsity experience.
Head coach Tony Irons has molded his group into one of Missouri’s top teams once again. The Wolverines entered the week with a 16-2 record and played its usual rugged schedule against teams from around the county. They have battled ranked squads from Illinois, Kansas, and Pennsylvania, and, without any seniors on the roster, the future is indeed bright.
Last Saturday, the Wolverines defeated Chicago St. Rita 49-42 in the featured game of the Vashon Winter Classic. St. Rita is a top team in the state of Illinois. The Wolverines defeated St. Rita earlier in the title game of the Tournament of Champions in Washington, Illinois during Thanksgiving weekend.
Vashon also won the Centralia Holiday Tournament in Southern Illinois in late December, becoming the second team from Missouri to win that prestigious trophy. McCluer North accomplished the feat in 2010. Vashon also finished third at the Bill Hanson Memorial Tournament in Pittsburg, Kansas in mid-January.
The one returning player who made an enormous difference in last year’s state championship run is 6’6” junior forward Kennard Davis Jr. He has been a consistent performer this year as a perimeter shooter, ball handler and rebounder. He leads the Wolverines in scoring at about 15 points a game.
Davis leads a very athletic front line at Vashon which also includes 6’5” junior Jayden Nicholson, a transfer from St. Louis Christian Academy. Nicholson is a talented lefty who can score and slash to the basket. He scored a game-high 21 points in the victory over St. Rita’s last Saturday. Anthony Stanford and Cameron Stovall are a pair of 6’5” junior forwards who also contribute on a nightly basis.
The Wolverines backcourt includes junior point guard Mason Mosely, who made the All-Tournament Team in Washington, IL.
The first-year trio of Trey Williams, Christian Williams and Dierre Hill have all had big moments during the season. Trey Williams is an excellent shooter from 3-point range while Christian Williams is a talented point guard who can also shoot it from deep. Hill is a budding football standout who led the Wolverines to the Class 4 state quarterfinals on the gridiron as a freshman. He is also a tough defensive player on the basketball court. Sophomore Andre Aaron Jr. is another talented youngster in the backcourt.
*Sydney Harris breaks Edwardsville record
Edwardsville High girls’ basketball standout Sydney Harris became the school’s career scoring leader last Saturday in the Tigers’ victory over Vashon.
The 6’0” Harris scored 28 points to surpass former two-sport star athlete Emmonie Henderson as the school’s career leading scorer. Henderson, a 2013 graduate, finished her stellar career with 1806 points, Harris enters this week with 1,807 points.
Harris also surpassed Henderson’s single-season scoring record earlier this season. Henderson scored 539 points during the 2012 season. Harris is currently at 591 points. The Central Michigan recruit is averaging 23.6 points a game in leading the Tigers to a 21-4 record.
*Rameybasketball Heads to Mid Missouri
Terrell Ramey of Rameybasketball is putting on the Mid-Missouri Invitational tournament this weekend in Harrisburg, featuring several teams from St. Louis.
The schedule of Saturday games is as follows:
Cairo vs. Higbee (girls), 10 a.m.; Higbee vs. St. Elizabeth, 11:30 a.m.; Harrisburg vs. Capital City, 1 p.m.; Hickman vs. Soldan, 2:30 p.m.; Harrisburg vs. Bishop DuBourg, 4 p.m.; Pattonville vs. Mexico, 5:50 p.m.; Cardinal Ritter vs. Blair Oaks, 7 p.m.; and Hazelwood Central vs. Father Tolton, 8:30 p.m.
