Incarnate Word visits Central in Girls Basketball

Post author:independentnws
Post published:December 9, 2008
Post category:FloValley Sports
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BY JIM WIENERS

Incarnate Word Academy, Class Five State Girls Basketball runner up last season, visits Hazelwood Central, Thursday 7 p.m., in a battle of teams that opened this season with tournament victories.

IWA, 4-0 prior to Tuesdayâ€™s home opener against Webster Groves, is coming off winning four games in the Quincy, Ill., Tournament Nov. 28-29. IWA defeated Moline (61-53), Peoria Central (59-29), Keokuk, Iowa (61-24) and Springfield (Ill.) Lanphier (63-48). IWA has been playing in the Quincy Tournament during Thanksgiving weekend the last six years and is 21-3 during that period.

Hazelwood Central, 3-0, won the season-opening Suburban North Conference Tournament last week. Central defeated Pattonville (63-32), Riverview Gardens (63-29) and McCluer North (59-43). Since 2000 Hazelwood Central has won the Suburban North Tournament six times, including the last three in a row.

Since November 21, 2000 IWA has played and beaten Hazelwood Central seven times, six of them by 22-29 points. The closest game was played November 24, 2001 when Hazelwood Central was opening their new fieldhouse and IWA won by nine points, 59-48.

McCLUER NORTH is coming off their second consecutive runner up finish in the Suburban North Tournament. North (2-1), prior to losing to Central, defeated McCluer (67-51) and Hazelwood East (72-51).

HAZELWOOD EAST took third place in the Suburban North Tournament last week. Before losing to McCluer North East defeated Ritenour (61-43) and after the loss to McCluer North East defeated Riverview Gardens (57-47). East was 2-1 prior to hosting Ritenour Wednesday in a Suburban North Conference game.

HAZELWOOD WEST won the consolation title in the Suburban North Tournament last week. West (2-1) opened the tournament with a 50-47 loss to Riverview Gardens then defeated Pattonville (53-42) and McCluer (49-27).

McCLUER was 1-2 prior to Tuesdayâ€™s game at McCluer South-Berkeley and McCluer was consolation runner up last week in the Suburban North Tournament. Sandwiched in-between losses to McCluer North and Hazelwood West was a 57-34 win over Ritenour.