Jan 19, 2009                        Check Out previous Blogs

We're five weeks out from the conclusion of the regular season for the basketball team. Some publications have reviewed surprise teams, good teams, disappointing teams for the first half of the year. Prepcasts is going to lead you to watching the 10 St. Louis teams that will finish off their season with flying colors. In many cases, they'll be unblemished during these five weeks.  Wait...I'm dusting off the crystal ball...here we go....take a look..(in no particular order)...oh,yea...ladies next week...

1) MICDS (9-4)-- all four losss under 5 points. The dynamic duo of McPherson Moore and Michael Scott are tough to contain. 6-3 Thomas Mitello brings a Fresh(man) dimension into the mix.

2) Parkway South (11-4) -- Ben Hoerner now owns scoring record In Patriot land meanwhile defense is on upswing. Currently riding a 6 game win streak.

3) St Charles West (15-2)- big test on Tuesday against Haz Central then smooth sailing into districts. Kirk, Bazzell, Champane lead the way.

4) Parkway West (10-4) -- stingy defense; offense has better blend with Chris Willis, Patrick Sodemann and Dan Tobik than earlier in year; own 3 game streak now.

5) Maplewood (14-2)- eyes set on Columbia,MO again. Faces class 5 power-Hazelwood Central as primary obstacle in regualar season. Will Bryant Allen knock down another STATE winner in the final seconds ?

6) Webster Groves (11-3)- won a huge tournament in Joplin recently that went unnoticed by many in the 'Lou; only losses to the very elite teams in area; pressure defense & flexible offense are foundation of success.

7) Cardinal Ritter (11-2)- does anyone prepare teams for the end of the seaon as well as Coach Marvin Neals ?

8) McCluer (11-4) - play Mc North for the 2nd time in 5 days on Tuesday- after that the Comets should orbit easily into district competition. The Boga Brothers and Partlow are tough for many to match up.

9) Ft Zumwalt West (10-5) - Frosh Darian McCleod joins the rotation that wil "jell" in these final five weeks.

10) Vashon (5-4)- a disjointed season takes a shape in the waning weeks of 08-09 season.

What are your picks ? Why ?   bryan@prepcasts.com

In baseball, ONE is a key-- first out of an inning, first inning, first pitch to a batter, etc.  Well, in basketball the ONE has a slightly different "take". Some coaches feel the FIRST quarter is key, the timing of the first three-ball, the first 4 minutes of 2nd half,  first to reach double bonus and many more.  Well, Glendale Girls first quarter brought an abrupt end to the 5 game win streak of the Hickman Kewpies in their game this week. The Lady Falcons (9-5) raced ahead to a 20-5 first quarter lead and coasted to a 57-39 win over the Kewpies(6-7). A swarming defense kept the Kewpies back on their heels in the opening stanza and the Falcons capitalized.  Which FIRST do you feel is important ? bryan@prepcasts.com

Sometimes heroes emerge from  the most unlikely places. Such was the case for the Centralia girls (10-2) this week. Trailing Hallsville(7-4) 35-36, Jordyn Toliver, who had been just 2 of 8 from beyond the arc, knocked a desperation shot from beyond the arc with just 5.7 seconds to send the Panthers home victorious 38-36. " I didn't want to shoot, because I hadn't been shooting very well," Tolliver said. "But I looked at the clock and was like, 'Well, I have to shoot, so hopefully it goes in." Remember the old expression....sometimes it's better to be lucky than good!

Sometimes (most times, it seems), those last second "prayer" shots just don't fall. After battling back from a huge deficit, the Carl Junction Boys team missed a possible winning shot at the buzzer and fell to Seneca 55-53 in a Big 8 conference game on Friday. The Bulldogs trailed by 16 points as the 4th quarter opened up, made five 3-balls in the final quarter but fell short.

No one gave the CBC Cadets much of a chance as play began in the DC Wilcutt Tournament at CBC last week. With 3 of the very elite teams in the tournament (McCluer(#4 Large school), McCluer North(#2 Large school) and St Charles West(#1 small school). Most expected the Cadets to be gracious hosts by staying out of the spotlight and letting the guests gather all the hardware. Not so fast...trampling Ft Zumwalt East in round one didn't startle anyone but avenging an earlier loss to the McCluer Comets, the Cadets(8-8) won the semi's by 4 points- 53-49. Sending a loud message to the pollsters, CBC routed the Warriors of St. Charles West 56-38 to win the title game. Three of the Cadet losses have been by 2 points or less and another loss came in OT after an opposing  player hit a half court shot sending the game into overtime !  By the way...what other tournament has two teams of the quality of McCluer and McCluer North playing for 3rd place ?

Check out another great week of sports on Prepcasts--

boys basketball will see Hazelwood Central (12-1) the #3 large school facing #1 Small School St Charles West on Tuesday. Wednesday will be powerhouses, Chaminade vs Borgia and the Lions of Cardinal Ritter will travel to St. Dominic to see who sits in the drivers seat of the AAA. Friday, Prepcasts skates on the ice with CBC vs Chaminade and will video stream the Kirkwood-Marquette boy basketball game.

Saturday sees the Championship round of the MICDS Tournament on VIDEO. EArlier Saturday, the Webb City Cardinals tussle with the Lindbergh Flyers. JOIN us for a great week of MO sports on the VOICE of MO High School Sports-Prepcasts !

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