Blog

By Jim Wieners

“It’s that time” Hazelwood East head boys basketball coach Ron Banks said, last Friday at Fort Zumwalt North, about the first 19 days of February and Suburban North Conference teams have three, four or five conference games to play before district tournaments begin as early as Feb. 20.

The Suburban North is “one of the toughest conferences,” said Banks, because the teams play what Banks calls, “unbelievable basketball.”

Hazelwood Central, who hosted McCluer North on Feb. 1, and McCluer, who defeated McCluer North, 68-60 on Jan. 26, each ended January with identical 16-3 overall records. Both are 2-0 in the Suburban North and both ended January on four-game winning streaks but McCluer also has won 10 out their last 11. Hazelwood Central, who stared 10-0, has won the Vianney and Parkway West Ameritime Classic Tournaments while McCluer won the CBC DC Wilcutt Tournament.

Central will host McCluer Feb. 16, which is right after the seedings and pairings of the upcoming Class Five, District Five Tournament to be held at McCluer North.

Meanwhile McCluer North, which started the season 11-0 and won the Troy Peoples Bank Invitational as well the Normandy Christmas Tournament, went to Hazelwood Central, Feb.1 on a four-game losing streak. North ended January with a 12-6 record, 2-2 in the Suburban North and lost five out of their last six, including an 0-3 mark in a round-robin Tournament at Belleville East (Ill.).

Riverview Gardens, who took fifth at Vianney and won consolation titles at Troy-Buchanan, Mo., and Collinsville, Ill., carries an 11-8 record, 2-1 in the Suburban North and has won six out of their last eight. Riverview defeated McCluer North, 57-49 on Jan. 28, but lost to Hazelwood Central, 74-47 on Jan 22.

Hazelwood East took an 8-9 record to their Feb. 2 game against McCluer with a 2-0 record in the Suburban North with wins over Pattonville and Ritenour. East lost to Troy-Buchanan in the Jan. 29 third place game in the Fort Zumwalt North Tournament. “We got a lot of basketball to play,” said Banks.

Hazelwood West who ended January with a 5-12 record, 0-3 in the Suburban North, carried a six-game losing streak into a Feb. 1 game against Francis Howell Central. West took third place during the Christmas holidays at the Chaminade Tournament and won the consolation title earlier last month at St. Charles West.

BOYS BASKETALL STATISCAL LEADERS (as of Jan. 31) – Shaquille Boga, McCluer, has averaged 21.9 points per game and has 82 steals Other McCluer leaders include Deaires Tate, 180 rebounds and 64 blocked shots and Alex Henry, 22 out of 24 free throws for 91.7 percent. Ollie Roundtree, McCluer North, has 141 assists while Darris Smith, Hazelwood West, has hit 35 shots from three-point range.

North County Technical player Kevin Straughter scored 39 points Jan.30 in a 71-54 loss at O’Fallon-based Christian High School.

GIRLS BASKETBALL – Hazelwood Central High continues to dominate the Suburban North with seven wins, three to win the Suburban North Tournament and four in conference round-robin play. Ending January with a 12-5 record Central was off to a 7-0 start but is 5-5 in the last 10 games prior to Feb. 1.  Central, who was fourth at the Visitation Christmas Tournament and is in the Webster Groves Winter Challenge, which began Feb. 2 and will end Feb. 6.

Hazelwood West entered February with a 10-6 record, 2-2 in the Suburban North and has won seven out of their last 11 including their last three prior to Feb. 2. That includes winning the Duchesne Invitational in St. Charles during the Christmas break.

North County Technical ended January with an outstanding 11-3 record but three games late in January were either postponed or not reported. North Tech opened the season by winning the Trinity Catholic Tournament and was second to Eureka in the Kennedy Christmas Tournament North Tech is 3-0 versus Suburban North teams, winning twice over Riverview and defeated McCluer North Jan. 18 in the North Tech Shootout.

Angie Randall has 76 steals in 14 games.

Lutheran North entered February with a 13-5 record. Lutheran North won the Orchard Farm Tournament consolation title, was fourth at the Kennedy Tournament and was runner up last weekend at the Queen of Hearts Tournament at Villa Duchense.

Jordyn Watts averages 19.5 points per game.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us