As Missouri’s big schools shift gears and head into boys and girls sectionals, the Show-Me State’s smaller classifications have begun district basketball play. Just like last week, we’ll take a look at how the field should play out throughout the playoffs.
But, before we get into that, let’s take a look at what happened last week during Class 4 and Class 5 boys and girls district play. While plenty of the big guns were able to avoid upsets, there were still plenty of casualties, especially in the Class 5 boys ranks.
Five ranked teams in the latest MaxPreps.com Class 5 top 10 saw their seasons fall short of the Show-Me Showdown at Mizzou Arena in Columbia on March 11-13.
Despite defeating Nixa 66-51 in December, Branson lost twice to the Eagles in a span of nine days. Unfortunately for the Pirates, the latest setback, a 62-47 loss, occurred during district play Saturday, forcing Randy Bishop’s squad to turn in its jerseys. Nixa, meanwhile, moved on to Class 5’s Sweet 16.
Highly ranked Chaminade and Rock Bridge, who boasted plenty of Division I star power (Bradley Beal and Ricky Kreklow, respectively) also fell victim to upsets. The Flyers lost to Christian Brothers (56-46) and the Bruins faltered against Holt (51-50).
Hazelwood Central’s sweep of the Class 6 football and Class 5 basketball titles will come up short following a 55-53 loss to McCluer North, the 2007 Class 5 champion.
Riverview Gardens pulled off one of the biggest surprises by outscoring McCluer 60-57 in a Class 5, District 5 semifinal. McCluer North then halted Riverview Garden’s postseason run 52-48 in the district championship game.
In Class 4, three ranked boys basketball teams fell short of sectionals. Center (Kansas City) knocked off fourth-ranked O'Hara (61-53) and No. 10 Hickman Mills (70-68) during Class 4, District 13 action, while No. 6 Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau) saw its season end at the hands of second-ranked Sikeston, 63-52, in the Class 4, District 1 final.
Glendale (Springfield) surprised the third-ranked Nixa girls 49-48 in a Class 5, District 11 semifinal, while fourth-ranked St. Joseph's Academy fell victim to top-ranked Incarnate Word Academy for the third time this season, 55-47.
Class 4 sixth-ranked Hickman Mills knocked off No. 7 Notre Dame de Sion 65-62 before its season ended at the hands of O'Hara, 52-41. Eighth-ranked Smithville fell short of its goals with a 50-38 loss to second-ranked Benton (St. Joseph).
Defending finalists still in the running
While last season’s Class 5 boys finalists fell short of the sectional round in 2010, St. Francis Borgia and Kearney are still in contention for a rematch of the 2009 Class 4 boys final. The Knights and Bulldogs should get through sectionals with wins over Bishop DuBourg and Platte County, respectively.
Blue Springs will try to pick up where defending Class 5 girls champion Nixa left off. Up next for last season’s Class 4 runner-up is 16-8 Raytown. After falling to Platte County in the 2009 Class 4 final a year ago, Webb City is the favorite to win the 2010 girls title in Missouri’s second-largest classification.
Updated favorites
Despite the upsets during district play, the favorites to win the Show-Me State’s big-school basketball titles have changed very little. With Columbia-Rock Bridge and Chaminade going down early, Webster Groves takes over the favorites role in the Class 5 boys tournament. Otherwise, St. Francis Borgia (Class 4 boys), Incarnate Word Academy (Class 5 girls) and Webb City (Class 4 girls) are considered to be basketball championship favorites.
Last weekend’s leading scorers
Boys
Daylen Robinson of Kansas City-Northeast scored 57 points in an 80-74 loss to Kansas City-Central…Greenfield’s Jordan Bryant poured in 36 points in a 75-64 win over Jasper…Kyle Leslie of Seckman ripped the cords for 34 points in an 81-75 loss to Poplar Bluff…North County’s Derek Emily scored 32 points in a 59-38 win over Festus…Sam Cooper of Harrisonville poured in 30 points in a 65-57 win over Webb City…Ben Ruether of St. Francis Borgia scored 29 points in a 97-37 win over St. Clair…De Soto’s Jared White poured in 28 points in a 74-65 loss to Farmington.
Girls
Kayla Oetterer of New Haven scored 30 points in a 56-32 win over Linn…North Callaway’s Morgan Brown-Emmons poured in 30 points in a 56-49 win over Southern Boone…Sammie Gathercole of Willard ripped the cords for 29 points in a 58-45 win over Springfield-Central…Christian-O’Fallon’s Andrea Glenville scored 29 points in a 68-19 win over Wellston-Eskridge…Cherith Campbell of New Covenant Academy poured in 27 points in a 55-40 win over Greenwood Laboratory…Eminence’s Kelsey Williams ripped the cords for 26 points in a 58-49 win over Lesterville…Amber Percival of Hartville scored 26 points in a 65-51 win over Summersville…MICDS’ Delaney Hobbs poured in 25 points in a 50-38 win over Westminster…Julie Hlinak of Fort Zumwalt South ripped the cords for 25 points in a 59-46 win over Francis Howell Central.
Now let’s take a look at how the 2010 Missouri small school boys and girls basketball tournaments should play out.
Projected Class 3 Boys Sectionals
Arcadia Valley (28-0) over New Madrid County Central (18-9)
Cardinal Ritter (22-4) over West County (17-9)
Whitfield (17-10) over Elsberry (21-7)
Macon (23-2) over Blair Oaks (23-5)
Hermann (20-8) over Ava (20-6)
Strafford (25-2) over Mount Vernon (22-6)
Hogan Prep (20-6) over El Dorado Springs (20-8)
Cameron (23-5) over Lafayette County (21-3)
Quarterfinals
Arcadia Valley (29-0) over Cardinal Ritter (23-4)
Macon (24-2) over Whitfield (18-10)
Strafford (26-2) over Hermann (21-8)
Hogan Prep (21-6) over Cameron (24-5)
Semifinals
Arcadia Valley (30-0) over Macon (25-2)
Strafford (27-2) over Hogan Prep (22-6)
Final
Arcadia Valley (31-0) over Strafford (28-2)
Projected Class 2 Boys Sectionals
Gainesville (27-1) over Portageville (16-7)
Bernie (23-4) over Southern (18-9)
Paris (20-4) over Eskridge (16-10)
Stoutland (24-2) over Sacred Heart (20-5)
Spokane (22-3) over Greenfield (17-8)
Adrian (24-1) over Kansas City-Southeast (14-12)
Sturgeon (28-0) over Knox County (16-8)
Penney (24-0) over Wellington-Napoleon (27-0)
Quarterfinals
Bernie (24-4) over Gainesville (28-1)
Stoutland (25-2) over Paris (21-4)
Spokane (23-3) over Adrian (25-1)
Penney (25-0) over Sturgeon (29-0)
Semifinals
Stoutland (26-2) over Bernie (25-4)
Penney (26-0) over Spokane (24-3)
Final
Penney (27-0) over Stoutland (27-2)
Projected Class 1 Boys Sectionals
Dora (18-9) over Risco (15-10)
Scott County Central (24-2) over St. Elizabeth (18-8)
Dadeville (22-1) over Hurley (12-8)
Thomas Jefferson Independent (24-1) over Montrose (24-3)
Pilot Grove (25-3) over Kingsville (15-10)
Meadville (27-0) over La Plata (21-2)
Braymer (20-5) over King City (22-4)
Jefferson (Conception) (23-4) over Newtown-Harris (20-4)
Quarterfinals
Scott County Central (25-2) over Dora (19-9)
Dadeville (23-1) over Thomas Jefferson Independent (25-1)
Meadville (28-0) over Pilot Grove (26-3)
Jefferson (Conception) (24-4) over Braymer (21-5)
Semifinals
Scott County Central (26-2) over Dadeville (24-1)
Meadville (29-0) over Jefferson (Conception) (25-4)
Final
Scott County Central (27-2) over Meadville (30-0)
Projected Class 3 Girls Sectionals
Kennett (24-4) over Twin Rivers (16-8)
Cardinal Ritter (23-4) over St. Pius X (Festus) (24-2)
Bowling Green (24-3) over Principia (18-6)
California (25-2) over South Shelby (23-3)
Hermann (25-3) over Ava (21-6)
Conway (25-2) over Mount Vernon (26-3)
Stockton (24-4) over Sherwood (15-7)
Maryville (23-3) over St. Pius X (Kansas City) (16-10)
Quarterfinals
Cardinal Ritter (24-4) over Kennett (25-4)
California (26-2) over Bowling Green (25-3)
Hermann (26-3) over Conway (26-2)
Maryville (24-3) over Stockton (25-4)
Semifinals
California (27-2) over Cardinal Ritter (25-4)
Hermann (27-3) over Maryville (25-3)
Final
Hermann (27-3) over California (28-2)
Projected Class 2 Girls Sectionals
Neelyville (26-1) over Thayer (22-3)
Bismarck (23-3) over Meadow Heights (19-8)
Canton (23-5) over Christian (19-6)
Russellville (25-3) over Richland (21-7)
Sparta (27-2) over Miller (22-4)
Osceola (22-4) over Lone Jack (19-9)
Harrisburg (26-0) over Knox County (16-4)
Penney (26-1) over Orrick (26-2)
Quarterfinals
Neelyville (27-1) over Bismarck (24-3)
Russellville (26-3) over Canton (24-5)
Sparta (28-2) over Osceola (23-4)
Penney (27-1) over Harrisburg (27-0)
Semifinals
Neelyville (28-1) over Russellville (27-3)
Penney (28-1) over Sparta (29-2)
Final
Penney (29-1) over Neelyville (29-1)
Projected Class 1 Girls Sectionals
Eminence (22-5) over Naylor (5-3)
Delta (16-6) over Chamois (19-7)
Verona (21-4) over Humansville (20-5)
Montrose (27-0) over Hume (18-2)
Pilot Grove (20-5) over Hardin-Central (19-8)
Marion County (22-3) over Meadville (25-2)
Southwest (Livingston) (20-3) over Mound City (19-7)
Mercer (26-0) over Northeast Nodaway (23-1)
Quarterfinals
Eminence (23-5) over Delta (17-6)
Montrose (28-0) over Verona (22-4)
Marion County (23-3) over Pilot Grove (21-5)
Mercer (27-0) over Southwest (Livingston) (21-3)
Semifinals
Montrose (29-0) over Eminence (24-5)
Marion County (24-3) over Mercer (28-0)
Final
Marion County (25-3) over Montrose (30-0)
