It has been a tremendous year for the boys’ basketball team for the Goldbugs of McKinley Classical Leadership Academy.
The Goldbugs are currently 17-2 and are coming off a championship-winning performance at the Bruce Thomas Tournament at Herculaneum High in Jefferson County last week. After defeating a good Festus St. Pius team 57-71 in the semifinals, MCL scored a dramatic 66-64 victory over Hancock to win the championship. A last-second tip-in by senior guard Tyler Jones gave the Goldbugs the championship.
The senior duo of Jones and Aaric Norman has been the key figures in McKinley’s stellar season. Jones is averaging 15 points and 5.3 rebounds while the 6’4” Norman is averaging 14.4 points, 9.5 rebounds and 5.1 blocks a game. Jones scored 26 points in the victory over St. Pius in the semifinals while Norman had 18 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in the championship game.
McKinley gets more senior production from the duo of JaDun Byrd, who averages 9.3 points, and Haiden Williams, who is averaging 7.6 points. Sophomore Derryl Howard is averaging 8.1 points while freshman Domon Rice averages four points a game.
Bank of O’Fallon Shootout this Weekend
The big event of the weekend is the Bank of O’Fallon Shootout, a two-day basketball showcase that is held at the Panther Dome at O’Fallon High on the Illinois side. Here is the schedule for the Shootout:
Friday, February 7: Mascoutah vs. Springfield Southeast, 5:30 p.m.; O’Fallon vs. Belleville West, 7 p.m.; Pinckneyville vs. Bloomington Central Catholic, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 8: Mehlville vs. Chicago Curie, 4 p.m.; O’Fallon vs. Chaminade, 5:30 p.m.; Marion (AR) vs. Chicago Whitney Young, 7 p.m.; Collinsville vs. Chicago Simeon, 8:30 p.m.
Whitfield Girls are on a Roll
The Whitfield Warriors are currently 18-3 and ranked No. 1 in the latest Class 3 Missouri Basketball Coaches Association State poll. Whitfield won the Queen of Hearts Tournament at Villa Duchesne last weekend, defeating Metro in the championship game 50-40.
Coach Mike Slater has a talented and well-balanced team that is primed for a deep run in the upcoming Class 3 state playoffs. They are led by 5’8” junior point guard Kelsey Blakemore, who is averaging 14.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals. Senior guard Jade Moore is a 5’6” sharpshooter who is averaging 11.3 points while shooting 45 percent from 3-point range and making 58 from long distance.
A pair of very talented freshmen has stepped right in to make a big impact on the season. The first is 6’0” forward Brooklyn Rhodes, who is averaging 10.5 points and 11.2 rebounds a game. The second is 5’9” guard Tkiyah Nelson, who is averaging 8.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 steals. Senior forward Zaria Daniels is also averaging six points a game.
Whitfield has a big showdown coming next week when it will host perennial power Incarnate Word Academy on Tuesday, February 11. Incarnate Word is currently ranked No. 1 in the Class 4 state polls.
Big Games this Weekend
A pair of big matchups on the docket this weekend will be Chaminade at DeSmet in a big Metro Catholic Conference showdown on Friday night at 6 p.m. The big game on Saturday will be Vashon vs. Trinity, which will be held at Meramec Community College at 4 p.m. The Webster Winter Girls Classic will be held this weekend at Webster Groves. The top two seeds are Incarnate Word Academy and Columbia Rock Bridge. The championship game is set for Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
Collegiate Standouts
– Former MICDS girls’ standout Rachel Thompson is having a big senior year at Colgate University. The 5’10” senior guard is averaging 17.1 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.1 steals while shooting 52 percent from the field and 83 percent from the free throw line. Thompson was an All-Patriot League selection as a junior last season.
– Former Parkway North girls’ standout Alecia “Sug” Sutton recently scored her 1,000th career point during her stellar run at the University of Texas. An All-Big XII selection as a junior, Sutton is currently averaging 11.0 points, four assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals for the 14-7 Longhorns.
– Former East St. Louis standout Deshawn Munson is having a monster season at Harris-Stowe State College. The 6’3” Munson has been a stat-sheet stuffer of the highest degree as he averages 27.6 points, 12.1 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 2.9 steals a game while shooting 65 percent from the field. He has been named the American Midwest Conference Player of the Week several times. Munson is currently the top scorer among National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics schools. He is also second in steals, second in assists and second in rebounds in the NAIA.
– A trio of area players is having excellent success in leading the Saint Louis Billikens to a 17-5 record. Former Althoff star Jordan Goodwin is aveaging 14.8 points and 10.5 rebounds a game. Goodwin scored his 1,000th career point last week in a victory at LaSalle. Former Miller Career Academy standout Javonte Perkins was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Week. Perkins scored a career-high 33 points in a victory over St. Joseph’s last week. Former St. Mary’s standout Yuri Collins recently broke the SLU freshman record for most assists in a season. He is averaging nearly six assists a game.
