Playing without Arkansas recruit B.J. Young earlier this season, McCluer North (25-4) lost to Hazelwood Central 81-63. But with the 6-foot-2-inch senior back in the lineup, the Stars kept their Class 5 state basketball championship hopes alive with a 60-44 win over the Hawks in the Class 5, District 2 championship Saturday.
Young scored a game-high 21 points against Hazelwood Central this time, guiding the Stars into a sectional battle Wednesday against Cape Girardeau Central (20-5). Junior Jordan Granger, a Division 1 prospect himself, added 20 points in helping the Stars to the crucial win.
For Young it was an opportunity to play against his former teammates from a year ago.
"I hurt my team the first time by having to sit on the bench, and it hurt me very much," Young told the St. Louis Post Dispatch. "My heart was sick after watching my team lose by that amount of points. I'm glad I could help my team today and we could win a district championship."
MaxPreps Missouri boys basketball playoff bracketsMaxPreps Missouri girls basketball playoff bracketsWith the win McCluer North moves up to No. 2 in the Missouri boys big school rankings, while Hazelwood Central drops to third. Undefeated Chaminade remains atop the Class 5 rankings, while DeSmet Jesuit and Nixa sit in the No. 4 and No. 5 spots respectively.
Defending Class 4 champion Webb City remains on top in the girls Class 5 rankings, followed closely by defending Class 5 runner-up Blue Springs. St. Joseph's Academy and Incarnate Word Academy rest in the third and fourth rungs respectively, while Ozark is ranked fifth.
FINALLY! LEAGUE CHAMPS AGAINLast week's 64-42 win over Richland ended 30 years of a Frisco League championship drought for Newburg. The win pushed Newburg's conference record to 7-1 and into a championship tie with Dixon.
Brandon Sutton led the way for the Wolves with 19 points, while
Jonathan Crews and
Ryan Reagan added 17 and 10 points respectively. Crews also added 15 rebounds and had a couple of steals and two more assists.
A night later the Lady Wolves (14-8) ripped the cords for 17 3-pointers in a 92-40 win over Bourbon. Junior
Hannah Yelton made eight of the long-range shots on her way to a game-high 39 points.
Shannon McNamara scored 11 points and dished out 10 assists, while
Reghan Harris scored 13 points.
Below are the final regular season Missouri Basketball rankings. But first, let's take a look at the Show-Me State's big school state basketball brackets and try to make some sense out of them.
CLASSES 5 AND 4 STATE BASKETBALL PICKSCLASS 5 BOYS SECTIONALSNo. 2
McCluer North (Florissant) (25-4) over
Central (Cape Girardeau) (20-5)
No. 1
Chaminade (St. Louis) (26-0) over
Marquette (Chesterfield) (18-10)
No. 9
Lee's Summit North (19-6) over
Ruskin (Kansas City) (19-8)
Liberty (19-8) over
Park Hill South (Kansas City) (19-8)
No. 4
DeSmet Jesuit (St. Louis) (22-5) over
Vianney (Kirkwood) (17-11)
Fort Zumwalt North (O'Fallon) (22-7) over
Troy-Buchanan (17-8)
No. 7
Rock Bridge (Columbia) (22-4) over
Waynesville (12-15)
Branson (20-9) over
Willard (19-7)
QUARTERFINALSNo. 1 Chaminade (27-0) over No. 2 McCluer North (26-4)
No. 9 Lee's Summit North (20-6) over Liberty (20-8)
No. 4 DeSmet Jesuit (23-5) over Fort Zumwalt North (23-7)
No. 7 Columbia-Rock Bridge (23-4) over Branson (21-9)
SEMIFINALSNo. 1 Chaminade (28-0) over No. 9 Lee's Summit North (21-6)
No. 7 Columbia-Rock Bridge (24-4) over No. 4 DeSmet Jesuit (24-5)
FINALSNo. 1 Chaminade (29-0) over No. 7 Columbia-Rock Bridge (25-4)
CONSOLATIONNo. 4 DeSmet Jesuit (24-6) over No. 9 Lee's Summit North (21-7)
DARKHORSEMcCluer North
CLASS 4 BOYS SECTIONALSNo. 1
Sikeston (26-0) over
Farmington (20-6)
Hillsboro (18-10) over
Imagine College Prep (St. Louis) (11-10)
Lincoln College Prep (Kansas City) (18-8) over
Harrisonville (20-7)
Lafayette (St. Joseph) (20-8) over
Oak Grove (19-6)
No. 3
Soldan International Studies (St. Louis) (20-6) over No. 7
Clayton (St. Louis) (22-6)
No. 2
Mexico (25-1) over
Duchesne (St. Charles) (15-11)
No. 6
St. Francis Borgia (Washington) (18-8) over No. 8
Helias (Jefferson City) (19-7)
No. 4
Hillcrest (Springfield) (22-4) over
Cassville (17-9)
QUARTERFINALSNo. 1 Sikeston (27-0) over Hillsboro (19-10)
Lincoln College Prep (19-8) over Lafayette (St. Joseph) (21-8)
No. 3 Soldan International Studies (21-6) over No. 2 Mexico (26-1)
No. 4 Springfield-Hillcrest (23-4) over No. 6 St. Francis Borgia (19-8)
SEMIFINALSNo. 1 Sikeston (28-0) over Lincoln College Prep (20-8)
No. 4 Springfield-Hillcrest (24-4) over No. 3 Soldan International Studies (22-6)
FINALSNo. 1 Sikeston (29-0) over No. 4 Springfield-Hillcrest (25-4)
CONSOLATIONNo. 3 Soldan International Studies (22-7) over Lincoln College Prep (20-9)
DARKHORSEMexico
CLASS 5 GIRLS SECTIONALSNo. 9
Hazelwood Central (Florissant) (22-5) over
Poplar Bluff (21-6)
No. 3
St. Joseph's Academy (St. Louis) (25-3) over
Lafayette (Wildwood) (17-8)
No. 2
Blue Springs (25-2) over
Lee's Summit West (18-9)
Liberty (21-6) over
Staley (Kansas City North) (19-7)
No. 4
Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis) (22-4) over
Kirkwood (20-8)
No. 7
Fort Zumwalt West (O'Fallon) (23-5) over
Fort Zumwalt South (St. Peters) (21-5)
West Plains (21-7) over
Jefferson City (17-9)
No. 1
Webb City (25-2) over No. 5
Ozark (22-5)
QUARTERFINALSNo. 3 St. Joseph's Academy (26-3) over No. 9 Hazelwood Central (23-5)
No. 2 Blue Springs (26-2) over Liberty (22-6)
No. 4 Incarnate Word Academy (23-4) over No. 7 Fort Zumwalt West (24-5)
No. 1 Webb City (26-2) over West Plains (22-7)
SEMIFINALSNo. 2 Blue Springs (27-2) over No. 3 St. Joseph's Academy (27-3)
No. 1 Webb City (27-2) over No. 4 Incarnate Word Academy (24-4)
FINALSNo. 2 Blue Springs (28-2) over No. 1 Webb City (28-2)
CONSOLATION No. 3 St. Joseph's Academy (27-4) over No. 4 Incarnate Word Academy (24-5)
DARKHORSEFort Zumwalt South
CLASS 4 GIRLS SECTIONALSNo. 9
Farmington (20-5) over
Dexter (18-9)
No. 5
Miller Career Academy (St. Louis) (22-4) over
Notre Dame (St. Louis) (11-15)
Notre Dame de Sion (Kansas City) (17-10) over
Pleasant Hill (20-5)
No. 6
Smithville (22-5) over
Grain Valley (18-8)
Jennings (22-6) over
Westminster Christian (St. Louis) (18-7)
No. 1
St. Dominic (O'Fallon) (26-0) over
Moberly (21-4)
St. Francis Borgia (Washington) (15-11) over
Helias (Jefferson City) (12-14)
No. 3
Republic (21-6) over
McDonald County (Anderson) (13-12)
QUARTERFINALSNo. 5 Miller Career Academy (23-4) over No. 9 Farmington (21-5)
No. 6 Smithville (23-5) over Notre Dame de Sion (18-10)
No. 1 St. Dominic (27-0) over Jennings (23-6)
No. 3 Republic (22-6) over St. Francis Borgia (16-11)
SEMIFINALSNo. 6 Smithville (24-5) over No. 5 Miller Career Academy (24-4)
No. 1 St. Dominic (28-0) over No. 3 Republic (23-6)
FINALSNo. 1 St. Dominic (29-0) over No. 6 Smithville (25-5)
CONSOLATIONNo. 3 Republic (23-7) over No. 5 Miller Career Academy (24-5)
DARKHORSEMoberly
MISSOURI BOYS BIG SCHOOL BASKETBALL RANKINGSCLASS 51. Chaminade (24-0) 1
2. McCluer North (22-4) 5
3. Hazelwood Central (25-2) 2
4. DeSmet Jesuit (20-5) 3
5. Nixa (21-5) 4
6. Webster Groves (22-4) 8
7. Columbia-Rock Bridge (20-4) 9
8. Raytown South (20-5) 7
9. Lee's Summit North (17-6) 10
10. Blue Springs South (18-7) –
CLASS 41. Sikeston (24-0) 1
2. Mexico (23-1) 4
3. Soldan International Studies (18-6) 3
4. Springfield-Hillcrest (20-4) 2
5. Logan-Rogersville (21-4) 5
6. St. Francis Borgia (16-8) –
7. Clayton (20-6) –
8. Jefferson City-Helias (17-7) 8
9. Platte County (18-5) 7
10. Miller Career Academy (19-7) 6
MISSOURI GIRLS BIG SCHOOL BASKETBALL RANKINGSCLASS 51. Webb City (23-2) 1
2. Blue Springs (23-2) 2
3. St. Joseph's Academy (23-3) 3
4. Incarnate Word Academy (21-4) 4
5. Ozark (20-5) 5
6. Columbia-Rock Bridge (20-5) 7
7. Fort Zumwalt West (22-4) 6
8. Springfield-Glendale (20-4) 8
9. Hazelwood Central (20-5) 10
10. Springfield Central (19-4) –
CLASS 41. St. Dominic (24-0) 1
2. MICDS (21-1) 2
3. Mexico (21-3) 4
4. Republic (18-6) 5
5. Miller Career Academy (18-4) 3
6. Smithville (20-5) 6
7. Platte County (17-7) 7
8. Visitation Academy (19-6) 9
9. Farmington (18-5) 8
10. Bolivar (19-5) 10
