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McCluer North, McCluer South Win St. Louis Shootout Basketball Games
BY JIM WIENERS
Two Ferguson-Florissant School District high schools experienced two things Dec. 7 in Boys Basketball: being at the St. Louis Shootout at Scottrade Center and winning there.
McCluer North, a 37-year old high school, took on a small rural Illinois High School 75 miles Southeast of St. Louis, Pinckneyville, a high school whose first state title (1948) came before the formation of the Ferguson-Florissant and Hazelwood School Districts. McCluer North went to the Shootout without any game plan, because the school was cold after the Nov. 30-Dec. 1 ice storm. But the Stars defeated the top-ranked Illinois Class A high school, 51-47, as Femi John led the Stars with 16 points.
Meanwhile McCluer South-Berkeley also went to the Shootout but the Bulldogs played a familiar foe, Suburban East Conference rival Affton. McCluer South-Berkeley won 57-45 in their first shootout appearance, a late addition to the Shootout. Kevin Jones scored 13 points while Abel Tillman blocked 10 shots.
McCluer North, so far, has played in two tournaments around the Shootout. The Stars won the first two games of the Pattonville Tournament, which started Nov. 27, but the Nov. 30-Dec. 1 ice storm postponed the final game against Belleville East (Ill.) The two teams are trying to find a later date and site for that game. Last week the Stars (6-0 prior to Dec. 12) won the Troy-Peoples Bank Tournament including a title game win over host (previously unbeaten) Troy-Buchanan.
McCluer South-Berkeley (4-1 including 1-0 in the Suburban East as of Dec. 7) played in four tournament games in Lebanon, Ill., including two at McKendree College and two at Lebanon High. Their only loss so far was to Nashville. Ill.
McCLUER, CENTRAL, WEST START 3-1 (PRIOR TO DEC. 12) — McCluer opened the season in the Pattonville Tournament with a win over Pattonville and a loss to Belleville East before the ice storm called off the third place game against Chaminade. McCluer also has wins over Parkway West and Jennings.
Hazelwood Central opened the season with a loss to Troy-Buchanan then won three games (and took first place) in the Vianney Tournament, with the championship game against Vianney played Dec. 2 after the ice storm. Hazelwood West, after defeating Francis Howell Central, lost the St. Charles West Warrior Classic opener to Fort Zumwalt South then rebounded with two straight wins to take consolation honors.
