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Chaminade, SLUH On State Collision Course This Weekend
By Jim Wieners
Two Metro Catholic Conference high schools are heading to Mizzou Arena, on the University of Missouri campus in Columbia, for the Missouri State High School Activties Association Class Five Basketball Semifinals.
Chaminade College Prep and St. Louis University High are playing in separate semifinal games against Kansas City area high schools Friday, March 20. Chaminade plays at 4:15 against Park Hill South after SLUH plays at 2:30 against Blue Springs South. Saturday, March 21, the winners play for the Class Five Championship at 6:40.
It is only the second time Chaminade is playing in a state semifinal game and the Red Devils last played in 2009 and won the state title that year. SLUH is making their 14th state semifinal appearance since 1933 but has not been to the semifinals since 1982 when the Junior Billikens finished second to Jesuit Bretheren and now-MCC rival DeSmet, one of six runner up finishes for SLUH. They have won four state titles but is looking for their first title since 1961.
Chaminade and SLUH are two of the three MCC teams to win distrtict titles but St. John Vianney lost in the Sectional round to Jackson, 59-57 on March 11 in Hillsboro. Vianney, at home in District Two, ousted last year’s state champion CBC 63-58 on March 6. DeSmet, the fifth MCC team, lost at home in the District Six final March 6 to Hazelwood Central, 61-49.
Chaminade is 24-3 but is 21-0 against Missouri high schools and 9-0 against MCC rivals but only eight of them count in the MCC. Chaminade defeated SLUH three times — 77-65 at home Jan. 15, 84-78 at SLUH on Feb. 20 and 51-42 Dec. 5, 2014 in the championship game of the Pattonville Tournament. Chaminade also won their own tournament Dec. 29-30, 2014.
The road to Mizzou Arena began for Chaminade at McCluer North in winning District Seven. The Red Devils defeated Ritenour 73-39 on March 3 and 60-51 March 7 over the host North Stars. Jayson Tatum, son of CBC head coach Justin Tatum, scored 49 points in District Seven including 31 against McCluer North and made 23 out of 28 free throws while having 11 assists.
Chaminade contiuned their road to state in St. Charles at Lindenwood Univesity’s Hyland Arena where the Red Devils won the March 11 Sectional over Lafayette, 72-40, and in the March 14 Quarterfinal over Hazelwood Central, 70-47. Tatum scored 24 points against Lafayette and the Red Devils outscored the Lancers 19-0 in the second quarter. Against Hazelwood Central Mike Lewis scored 25 points and Will Gladson had 15 rebounds, 14 on defense, as the Red Devils outscored the Hawks 40-16 in the first and third quarters.
St. Louis University High, taking a 19-11 record to Mizzou Arena and i coached by former McCluer head coach Erwin Claggett. SLUH was third in the MCC (4-4). The Junior Billikens took second in the Pattonville Tournament, was second in the Mary Institute-Country Day School tournament to Class Four Semifinalist St. Charles.
The road to Mizzou Arena began with District Three at Webster Groves High Roberts Gymnasium. The Jr. Bills won March 3 over Lindbergh, 62-45, and March 6 over the host Statesmen, 53-51. Brandon McKissic scored 28 points and Matt Nester had 13 assists in District Three.
SLUH won the March 11 Sectional at Maryville University over Columbia, Mo.-based Battle, 61-31, Hunter Schmidt had 12 points and 10 assists In the March 14 Quarterfinal at Lindenwood, hours after Chaminade defeated Hazelwood Central, the Jr. Bills defeated Jackson 58-50 as Schmidt scored 15 points.
HAZELWOOD CENTRAL, prior to losing in the Class Five Quarterfinals at Lindenwood to Chamimade won District Six at DeSmet by defeating Hazelwood West, 66-64 March 3, and DeSmet March 6. On March 11 at St. Charles West the Hawks won 67-52 over Fort Zumwalt South in a remach from last year’s Quarterfinals won by Central and a rematch from a Jan 16 win by Zumwalt South, 74-58.
In District Six Dominique Dobbs and Steve Holloway each scored 34 points. Against Zumwalt South Holloway scored 20 points while against Chaminade Xavier Sneed scored 14.
