Blog

By Jim Wieners

Cardinal Ritter College Prep, a midtown St. Louis Catholic High School, has both Boys and Girls Basketball Teams seeded first in the upcoming Class Three, District Five Tournament at Lutheran North.

Meanwhile the North Technical teams are both seeded third while the Lutheran North Boys and the Metro Girls are each seeded second

On the Boys side Cardinal Ritter, who has won six state titles since 1990 but won their last in 2010, will open Feb. 24, 5:30 p.m. against Metro after fourth seeded Northwest Academy of Law takes on Trinity Catholic at 4 p.m. and the winners clash Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. On the Girls side Ritter, a 2009 State Champion and 2010 runner up opens Feb. 25, 5 p.m. against Sumner after host Lutheran North — seeded fifth — plays fourth-seeded Orchard Farm at 3:30 p.m. and those winners play Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.

North Tech Boys close out the first round Feb. 24 with an 8:30 p.m. game against sixth-seeded Orchard Farm after Lutheran North, coming off their second consecutive third-place finish in state, takes on seventh-seeded Sumner at 7 p.m. and the two winners meet Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. North Tech Girls, coming off their fourth-place finish and their first-ever semifinal appearance, close out the first round Feb. 25 with an 8 p.m. game against sixth-seeded Northwest Academy of Law after Metro faces seventh-seeded Trinity Catholic at 6:30 p.m. and the two winners meet Feb. 27 at 5 p.m.

The District championships will be decided March 1 as the Girls play at 12 noon and the Boys play at 2 p.m. The champions advance to the sectional round against the winners from District Six, March 5 at St. Charles West (Girls at 6 p.m., Boys at 7:45).

Cardinal Ritter Boys (17-6 prior to Feb. 18) and Girls (18-2 prior to Feb. 17) had each already clinched conference championships in the Archdiocesan Athletic Association Small Division. A win by the Ritter boys Feb. 18 over Lutheran-St. Charles County and by the Ritter Girls Feb. 19 over O’Fallon Christian would give the Lions an 8-0 sweep each in the AAA Small and two win sweeps over Lutheran-SC, O’Fallon Christian, Trinity and John. F. Kennedy.

Ritter Boys, District Runner Up to Lutheran North last year, took second place in the St. Francis Borgia Thanksgiving Tournament Blue Division then won the Whitfield Round Robin. The loss in the Borgia Tourney final was to McCluer North and the Stars have defeated the Lions two times including Martin Luther King Day. The Lions final tune up before districts is Feb. 20 a 6 p.m. game at Hazelwood Central.

Ritter Girls, District Runner Up to North Tech last year, won their own Christmas Tournament and was second in the St. Francis Borgia Tournament nearly two weeks ago to Borgia, who won a rematch at Ritter Feb. 15.

North Tech Boys (17-6 prior to Feb. 18) has repeated as tourney champions at the Lutheran-St. Charles County Tournament and at the Orchard Farm Tournament while taking third at the Winfield Tournament. North Tech has defeated Orchard Farm twice, Dec. 19, 2013 at the Lutheran-SC Tournament and Feb. 13 at Tech but did not meet in the Orchard Farm Tournament.

North Tech Girls (17-4 prior to Feb. 18) overcame a 15-point third quarter deficit Dec. 20 in the Fort Zumwalt North Tournament Championship game, even with playing Anjanee Miller the majority of the second half with four fouls, to defeat Lutheran-St. Charles County, 57-55 as Tech avenged last season’s state semifinal loss to the defending State Champions. It was the second tournament win at Fort Zumwalt North in four years for Tech.

CLASS FIVE — Hazelwood West is to host DISTRICT SEVEN no earlier than March 1 and as of Feb. 17 seeds and pairings for Boys and Girls was not available. West is likely to face McCluer in the opening round of both Boys and Girls Tournaments and the winners will then face the top seeded teams in the semifinals. Hazelwood Central Boys, current Suburban North Conference leaders, and McCluer North Girls, currently second to Pattonville in the Suburban North, are likely to be tabbed the top seeds. That means Hazelwood East will likely play McCluer North Boys and Hazelwood Central Girls in the semifinals.

The District Seven Champions will face the winners from District Eight March 12 at St. Charles West.