Blog

By Jim Wieners

North Technical High School Girls Basketball will host the Martin Luther King Showcase for the third year but this year it will be a three-day event, Jan. 14-16.

At least 19 high schools from six states, several among the top ranked teams nationally or in their state, will be playing in this year’s event.  Seven of those schools including the Showcase host will be playing two games. North Tech Girls Basketball Head Coach George Merritt, in a Dec. 30 interview at the Mary Institute Country Day Basketball Tournament, said there are more teams that want to play there and wants to be more accommodating.

Defending two-time Missouri Class Five State Champion Incarnate Word Academy is one of five St. Louis area high schools that will play in the Showcase for the third straight year and will play Jan. 16, 11:45 a.m. against Westbury Christian (Tex.).  IWA is 1-1 in the previous two events IWA head coach Dan Rolfes, in a Dec. 28 interview after winning their fourth straight Visitation Academy Christmas Tournament title, said the showcase games are good games and get his team prepared for the rest of the season.

IWA won the Visitation Tournament title game Dec. 28 over St. Joseph’s Academy, 46-41, in front of a jam-packed standing room only crowd as the Red Knights defeated St. Joe for the third straight year. One night earlier, Dec. 27, IWA edged Lafayette, 45-43, after starting the fourth quarter behind, 34-32 while the day after Christmas, Dec. 26, the Red Knights won 50-37 over Principia, the second time the won over the Panthers. IWA opened the Visitation Tournament Dec. 17 with a 57-21 rout of Notre Dame-St. Louis prior to going to Phoenix, Ariz., for a NIKE Tournament and was 1-3 there.

“We played four teams (in Phoenix) that are in the top 15 in the country,” said Rolfes. In the four games at the Visitation Tournament Cierra Young scored 53 points while Taylor Manuel added 52.

IWA defeated Blue Springs the last two years in the Class Five State Championship game and Blue Springs, who will play two games at North Tech, has been second in state the last three years.

Speaking of Visitation Academy the Vivettes will be making their first appearance in the Showcase and will play Jan 15, 3:30 against White Haven (Tenn.). IWA, Visitation, first time participant Francis Howell Central and three-time participant Metro were in the Visitation Academy Christmas Tournament. Visitation Athletic Director and Head coach Paul Stoecklin said “We’re excited to be invited (and) look forward to playing there.”

North Tech will open the first day of the Showcase Jan. 14, 3:30 against a team to be named, a day after hosting McCluer. North Tech opened the third day of the Showcase, Jan  16, at 10 a.m. against Butlerville, Ohio, a day before playing at Francis Howell Central, who closes the shootout that night, 5 p.m., against East St. Louis,. Ill. Playing four games in five days is always a challenge, said Merritt.

ELSEWHERE — Hazelwood East won the Fort Zumwalt North Tournament, Dec. 12, 14, 16. East defeated Soldan-International Studies, 54-44 on Dec. 12, defeated Hazelwood West, 43-39 on Dec. 14, and won over host Fort Zumwalt North, 40-36. “We did good,” said East coach Terry Creamer but said the Spartans need to cut down on turnovers and foul trouble. Miracle Martin scored 12 points against Soldan, Tiara Bramlett scored nine against Hazelwood West and Brandi Brooks scored 12 against Fort Zumwalt North.