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March 30, 2009 Check Out previous Blogs
What a year ! Just some passing thoughts prior to landing full speed ahead in the spring sports arena next week.
Under the "Like riding a bike..you never forget".... At Scott County Central the legendary Coach Ronnie Cookson proved it once again. A truely great coach doesn't forget how to coach. The attitudes, language, dress of the players may (and does) change but basic fundamental basketball remains constant. Oh sure, the game is more full court, faster now. Playing defense, treasuring each possession, playing at a speed that optimizes your talent and getting the ball in the hands of your best players to make plays doesn't change. This fantastic Brave team was electrifying to watch as they average over 85ppg. Coach Cookson may now hang up his 13th state Championship Plaque ! I don't know if he'll be back but I hope he does decide to do it again....
This crown wasn't too heavy to wear.... So many times a team performs superbly as underdogs but when they become the "hunted" instead of the "hunter" things change. Expectation levels put pressure never faced previously. Not so with the Blue Devils of Maplewood! STATE Champions last year on a last second basket by Bryant Allen, this year the Blue Devils seemed actually to grow as a team. Allen "stepped up" when the opponents required him to do so. In the Championship game the balanced scoring of four double figure players and the key buckets of Allen provided the difference over a team on the rise- the Whitfield Warriors. Both of these teams are coached by young and upcoming coaching stars-- Corey Frazier (MRH) and Mike Potsou (Whitfield).
Try, try again... After dropping several early season lossses by narrow margins, Coach Mike Slater (Nerinx Hall) was concerned about the feeling of his team. Those days (and memories) are long gone. After barely escaping the district championship game with 62-61 thrilling win over Webster. The Markers knocked off the Angels of St Joe 41-37 in sectional and worked their way to state-- all this without their leading scorer, Mary Beth Mathias. What were the odds ? Not high, so we congratulate the NH program for thier accomplishment that some think was tarnished because they finished 4th in state. WE don't think so. 4th in state is a great accomplishment !!
Who's that new "big dog" ? Welcome into the center ring to watch the newest star of the galaxy-- it's the Cardinal Ritter Lady Lions. An unbelievable last second win over Metro 27-26 in the District Championship seemed to be just want this young team needed to grow. Winning handily, but not pretty, in sectionals and quarters, many observers felt that this team had already reached its zenith. Not so, some heroic battles on the Mizzou Arena showed great defense, intelligent coaching and key shots. This cast of athletic players will return in masse. Now they'll be faced with the challenge of growing exponentially as basketball players with a tougher schedule in the offing.
What conference was that ? Usually, the Archdiocesan Athletic Conference is only thought of as a soccer conference. In the last 3 years, Girls basketball teams have made their mark in post-season basketball. Cardinal Ritter won state this year. Two years ago, Suzie Mennemeier took her St. Dominic team to state and finished 4th. Last year the Crusadors were knocked off in the STATE quarters.
Who's that sitting in the 2nd row ? Well it could be Billy Donovan, Rick Majerus or many others as coaches flock to "be seen" watching Bradley Beal the super soph of the STATE Champion -ChaminadeRed Devils. The presence of these coaches is to let Beal and the community know of their interest in him. They knew about him long ago. His lanky 6-3 frame will fill out as he matures. His long range will extend even further. The elevation of his jump, exquisite touch from the perimeter should only increase. Chaminade's semifinal victory over Rock Bridge was one for the ages (in detail last week) but don't forget that the Red Devils barely escaped the Quarters as a 3 point attempt from a Parkway West player rolled off the rim at the buzzer with the score 53-51--Chaminade. Brandon Lockhart will be missed but a talented Soph class should provide lots of weapons for Coach Kelvin Lee to explore in the off-season.
Mizzou.. I know that we usually confine ourselves to high school...but come on....Mizzou has been the buzz word all week. It reminded me of the super bowl week of the Rams. Mizzou was the most entertaining TEAM to watch. Their constant movement on defense and offense, depth up and down the bench, perimeter shooting and unselfish play made them the talk of the NCAA. Coach Mike Anderson deserves all the accolades that he has earned. He has taken in 3 years a program that was viewed disdainfully for its lack of discipline on and off the court to a program that is approaching the "upper elite' programs of the country! The play in the 2009 tournament practically assured themselves a spot in the 2010 tourney-- they brought too much buzz for the NCAA to ignore.
This week the 2008-09 Prepcasts Basketball Prime Time Players has been released ! This list of great players of the 08-09 season will be chosen from all the players that the Prepcasts announcing corp have actually seen this season. The many wonderful players who we did not see are ineligible. We base our judgments on what we've actually seen with our own eyes.
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