Blog

By Jim Wieners

Riverview Gardens High School is looking for something positive within the high school and the School District of Riverview Gardens. The Boys Basketball team may have accomplished something over Martin Luther King weekend at Kirkwood High School by winning the Denver Miller Tournament, named for a longtime Kirkwood legendary boys basketball coach.

Snow on Jan. 12 forced the first two rounds to be delayed a day and the final round was delayed to Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 16

“This is a great win for the school (and the) team,” said Riverview head coach Ron Joyner. “(We) use this as a stepping stone.”

Riverview secured the tournament championship Martin Luther King Day, Jan 16, with a 44-35 win over Eureka at the David Holley Assembly Hall. “I knew we had a good chance to win (the tournament),” Joyner said since the Rams were the top seed. With a 15-8 second quarter the Rams took a 25-13 lead at halftime but struggled late in the third quarter after Kalin Tutt went to the bench with four fouls and Eureka cut the Rams lead to 29-24 at the end of the third quarter.

“They had the chance to win the game,” Joyner said. Riverview maintained the lead in the final quarter despite losing Edward Kinsey with five fouls and the Rams scored nine out of 15 points from the free throw line (Riverview made 13 out of 15 free throws).

Excelle Thomas, Tyrin Williams and Darrien Danels each scored nine points to lead Riverview. Thomas, Williams and Tutt were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Riverview opened the Miller Tournament Jan. 13 by winning over former Suburban North Conference rival Normandy, 59-42, in the only game of the tournament that was played at the older Denver Miller Gym. The Rams outscored the Vikings, 22-13 in the second quarter and 16-7 in the fourth. Thomas led the Rams with 21 points while Williams added 16.

One day later, Jan. 14 at Holley Assembly Hall Riverview held off Duchesne 57-54, after leading at halftime 26-21. Williams scored 28 points while Thomas added 13.

CBC  Defeats Lutheran North

In Town and Country Jan. 9-13 CBC won their won D.C. Wilcutt Tournament named for their longtime legendary coach in the D.C. Wilcutt Gym. CBC defeated Clayton 80-52, Ladue, 78-57, and Lutheran North, 80-74 in overtime. Lutheran North got to their third tournament championship game by defeating Fort Zumwalt East, 69-59 and Whitfield, 63-59.

For CBC Jordan Barnett and Aarion Maxey-Penton each scored 14 points against Clayton, Maxey Penton scored 15 against Ladue and Barnett had 24 points and 12 rebounds against Lutheran North. Anthony Virdure led Lutheran North by scoring 45 points against Fort Zumwalt East, 22 against Whitfield and 33 against CBC.