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THANKSGIVING BASKETBALL
McCluer North Basketball Regains St. Francis Borgia Turkey Title
By Jim Wieners
After losing last season in the 64th annual Borgia Turkey Basketball Tournament, to Cardinal Ritter, McCluer North, which won the 63rd annual tournament, won the 65th annual tournament last week at St. Francis Borgia Regional High School in Washington, Mo.
McCluer North defeated three Franklin County High Schools including two in Washington. McCluer North defeated Washington High 86-47 on Nov. 22, host Borgia 62-42 on Nov. 24 and Pacific 59-52 on Nov. 25.
It was McCluer North’s fifth Borgia Turkey Basketball title in Eight years. Since winning the Troy Tournament twice (2008, 2009) McCluer North has won seven season-opening tip-off tournament titles in the last 10 years.
Junior A’Tavian Butler is the Borgia Turkey Tournament’s Most Valuable Player, scoring 57 points in the three games played. Butler scored 18 points against Pacific including 10 in the fourth quarter as the Stars outscored Pacific 24-15 to pull off the victory. Butler also pulled down 11 rebounds against Pacific while junior Steve Lee scored 12 points.
In the semifinal win over Borgia the Stars outscored the Knights 16-10 in the second quarter and 19-0 in the third, managing to withstand a 16-10 Borgia rally in the fourth. Butler scored 15 points, making six out of nine shots from inside the three-point arc while junior Patrick Evans scored 11 points and pulled down nine rebounds to go along with six steals and five assists. Lee added 10 points.
In the season-opener against Washington High, the Stars outscored the Blue Jays in every quarter. Butler had a double double as he poured in 24 points, on 12 out of 16 shooting, and pulled down 10 rebounds. Evans added 19 points, making seven out of 11 free throws, junior Mekai Ray had a double double (12 points and 10 assists) and Lee scored 10.
NORTH TECH salvaged a seventh-place finish in the Borgia Turkey Tournament Nov. 25 with a 59-50 win over the St. Louis Blue Knight, a home-schooled team. North Tech lost Nov. 20 to St. Louis Christian 53-49 and Nov. 24 to Normandy, a collaborative high school, 67-48. With only juniors and seniors on the Golden Eagles, two seniors led the way.
Against the Blue Knights, senior Maurice Willis scored 17 points on six out of 10 shooting while senior Cedric Perry added 10, making six out of 10 free throws. Willis had 16 points and seven rebounds against Normandy while against St. Louis Christian Willis scored 16 while Perry added 14.
Girls: O’Fallon, Ill., Tipoff Classic
Hazelwood Central and McCluer North played against four Southwesters Conference teams including two from Belleville Ill., in the O’Fallon Tipoff Classic Nov. 20-22, which included two games each on Nov. 22. Hazelwood Central went 2-2 defeating Belleville West 60-34 on Nov. 20 and Belleville East 57-46 on Nov. 21 while on Nov. 22 the Hawks lost 69-38 to Edwardsville and 55-47 to O’Fallon. McCluer North was 1-3 and only won 39-35 Nov. 21 against Belleville West while losing 46-39 to Belleville East Nov. 20 and lost a pair of Nov. 22 games, 65-26 to O’Fallon and 59-23 to Edwardsville.
HAZELWOOD CENTRAL — In the win over Belleville West Nariyah Simmons led the Hawks with 19 points, Kourtne White had 12 point and seven steals and Nikayla added 10 points. In the win over Belleville East Kelsie Williams 22 points, seven rebound and four steals while White scored 15. In the loss to Edwardsville Simmons scored 19 points while White had 15 points and six rebounds.
McCLUER NORTH — In the win over Belleville West sophomore Michelle Owens scored 15 points while Freshman Samya Johnson added 10. Against Belleville East Owens scored 13 points while senior Ayanna Gibson added 12. Against O’Fallon Johnson and sophomore Feleesia Cunningham each scored six points while against Edwardsville Gibson led the Stars with 13 points.
