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Hazelwood Central, With New Hoop Coach, Wins Back Vianney Tourney

By Jim Wieners

     Last summer there were a list of changes in the Hazelwood Central Athletic Department and it included Boys Basketball. This includes long-time head coach Josh Martin promoted to Athletic Director as Martin succeeds John Pukala. As a result Martin had to give up his coaching position and assistant coach Brandon Gilmore was promoted to head coach.

Gilmore debut his new position when the Hawks made their annual season opener at St. John Vianney High School in the Jerry Boeckman Memorial Invitational. It is an event they won 14 times in 50 years but not last year, going 1-2. Last week the Boeckman Memorial was a five-team tournament and the Hawks won three games to win back the tourney title, their 15th in 51 years.

Hazelwood Central began the Gilmore era Nov. 27 with a 100-47 rout of Gateway STEM. Hazelwood Central only led 20-28 after a quarter but pulled the lead wide open to a point of doubling it, 81-40 after 3 quarters, prompting a quick fourth with the non-stop clock rule in effect. In the end, the Hawks more than doubled the final margin against the Jaguars.

Senior Shaun Williams scored 17 points and dished out nine assists while senior Maurice Hayes scored 14 and pulled down nine rebounds. Among other Hawk scorers senior Xavier Bell scored 15, senior Cameron Williams added 14 and senior Telly Wright added 11.

The next day, Nov. 28, Hazelwood Central defeated Farmington 67-51, as the Hawks outscored the Knights 47-17 in the second and third quarters. Shaun Williams, who had seven assists and five steals, and Wright each scored 18 points. Shaun and Cameron Williams each pulled down eight rebounds.

After two days off Hazelwood Central returned to Vianney and routed Ladue-Horton Watkins 64-37 to win the title for the 11th time in the last 14 years. The Hawks won the game in the middle two quarters by outscoring the Rams 42-12. Wright led the Hawks with 13 points, Cameron Williams added 12 and Shaun Williams added 11.

TRINITY CATHOLIC took third place in the Pattonville Tournament defeating consolation titleist Hazelwood East 77-55, lost to runner up Jennings 75-72 and defeated McCluer 65-34.

Against Hazelwood East Trinity outscored the Spartans 22-14 in the second quarter and 29-5 in the fourth. Junior DaJuan Young had a game-high 19 points, sophomore Ryan Kalkbrenner had 14 points 12 rebounds and four block junior Isaiah Williams had 12 points, five assists and five steals and junior Marcus Washington added 11 points.

Against Jennings, which outscored Trinity 30-17 in the fourth quarter as junior Jaron Thames scored 15 points, sophomore Rashad Weekly added 12 and Washington added 10. In the third-place win over McCluer, at Maryville University, Kalkbrenner Poured in 19 points and pulled down 13 rebounds

HAZELWOOD EAST rebounded from their loss to Trinity by defeating Maplewood-Richmond Heights 68-57 and host Pattonville 76-56 to win consolation honors.

Hazelwood East, which led 34-16 at halftime against MRH, was led by senior Darrian McBride, 16 points, and senior Michael Horton, 12 rebounds. In addition, sophomore Jordan Gilmore scored 14 and freshman Jonathan Brown added 12.

At Maryville University Hazelwood East outscored Pattonville 66-43 in the final three quarters. McBride scored 22 points, Gilmore added 14, Brown added 10 and Horton had 10 rebounds. In the opener against Trinity at Pattonville McBride scored 16 points while Brown and Horton added 11 each.

HAZELWOOD WEST took the consolation title at the 47th Troy-Buchanan Invitational losing to tournament champion Cardinal Ritter 85-63 then defeated Westminster Christian Academy 57-56 and Columbia-Hickman 77-64.

Senior Jihad Thornton scored 19 points against Cardinal Ritter, 18 against Westminster and 32 against Hickman. Sophomore Darius Cooper scored 11 against Westminster and 15 against Hickman. In rebounds sophomore Antonio Dole pulled down 10 against Cardinal Ritter and nine against Westminster.

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