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Home, Finally, For McCluer North Boys Basketball, After Winning Two Tourneys
BY JIM WIENERS
It has been over 10 months since McCluer North had a home boys basketball game, a 66-46 loss Feb. 15 to Hazelwood Central, and the Stars not only closed out last season with six wins to take the Class Five State title but opened this season with six wins and a loss away from home.
The Stars finally had a home game, Dec. 29, and it was victorious, 69-60 over Gateway Tech for the championship of the Carbondale, Ill., Tournament. That took place after the first three rounds were played at the SIU Arena, when Southern Illinois was not playing there.
The Stars, after winning last Friday at Suburban North Conference rival Ritenour (74-43), opened a five-game home stand Jan. 8 against Roosevelt. After University City visits North Jan. 9, the Stars host Hazelwood East Friday in a 5:30 Suburban North game. The Stars had defeated the Spartans Dec. 4 in Troy in the opening-game of the Troy-Buchanan Tournament and the Spartans were one of three teams to beat the Stars last season, one of two in the Suburban North.
Prior to Jan. 8 the only loss for the Stars took place Dec. 22, in Cape Girardeau, at the Show-Me Center, to White Station, Tenn.
Anthony Booker may be the only other McCluer North player to average in double figures in scoring but Booker has been one of the most difficult shooters to stop when he has the ball, especially inside the three-point arc. Booker, who has averaged nearly 10.5 points per game prior to playing Roosevelt, has made over 81 percent of his first 43 shots but has made nearly 83 percent of his first 41 shots inside the three-point arc. Booker has also the rebounding leader for the Stars with 66 overall (35 defensive), which is just over eight per game through Jan. 5.
Future St. Louis University Billiken Femi John leads the Stars in scoring, prior to Jan. 8. John averages nearly 14 points per game, making over 61 percent of his shots, over 65 percent inside the three-point arc, and hitting just under 70 percent from the free-throw line (16 out of 23). John has made nine out of 18 shots from outside the three-point arc.
Torres Roundtree may be third in scoring but is the third of the three “unstoppable force” players, especially inside the three-point arc, prior to Jan. 8. Roundtree is averaging 8.5 points per game and making five-eighths (62.5 percent) of his 48 shots of which two-third of his 45 shots made were from inside the three-point arc.
Roundtree, a future Southern Illinois University Saluki, and Booker each has blocked four shots.
Bobby Peebles is another offensive threat, especially from inside the three-point arc, prior to Jan. 8. Peebles has made over 70.5 percent of 34 shots but inside the three-point arc he has made nearly 81.5 percent of his 27 shots. Peebles is dangerous on defense as he leads the Stars with 18 through eight games.
Peebles and LeAndre Johnson each share the lead in assists with 24 through eight games while Roundtree has 23.
