Five Takeaways: Webster Classic
Prep Hoops Missouri was in the house for the final day of the Webster Classic on Saturday. All three games were exciting and were one or two possessions games down the stretch. Host Webster Groves defeated CBC for the championship,…
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Continue ReadingPrep Hoops Missouri was in the house for the final day of the Webster Classic on Saturday. All three games were exciting and were one or two possessions games down the stretch. Host Webster Groves defeated CBC for the championship, Soldan defeated Lee’s Summit for third place and John Burroughs edged Gateway in the third-place game.
Here are five takeaways from the final day of the Webster Classic.
Webster Groves is still formidable
If you thought the Statesmen were going to be an easy mark after the graduation of star players Courtney Ramey and Carte’are Gordon, you would have thought wrong. Webster made a big statement by winning the championship with its come from behind victory over CBC. The Statesmen still have some good talent as well as a top coach in Jay Blossom. They have three very good 2019 guards in Tennessee State recruit Amorey Womack, 6’3″ sharpshooter Ray Adams and 5’10” point guard Joe Jones, a transfer from Atlanta who was the MVP of the Tournament. They will get solid play up front from the 2019 duo of 6’7″ Malachy Simpson and 6’5″ Steven Wright.
Joe Jones is filling large shoes
There is really no way to replace the all-around brilliance of Courtney Ramey, a five-star recruit who led the Statesmen to two consecutive state championships before matriculating to Texas. The position now belongs to the 5’10” Jones, who transferred in from Atlanta. After a couple of inconsistent games in the first two rounds, Jones had his big coming out party in the championship game as he scored a team-high 18 points and rallied the Statesmen to a victory with his slashing drives to the basket. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament for his efforts.
CBC has the look of a contender again
The runner-up Cadets won a district championship last season and will be a contender again in 2019. They have a prime scoring threat in 6’3″ 2020 guard Caleb Love, who scored a game-high 24 points in the championship game. Fellow 2019s Josh Wallace and Ari Jackson are also big contributors. The 6’6″ Wallace is a high energy forward while the 6’4″ Jackson is a smooth offensive player with 3-point range. Class of 2022 point guard Rob Martin has also displayed a lot of promise early.
John Burroughs is on the rise
The Bombers made their first appearance in the Webster Classic and came away with two victories and the consolation championship. Second-year head coach Corey Frazier has the Bombers primed to make some moves after winning the Metro League championship last season in a big turnaround season. They got excellent play from 6’6″ 2019 forward Drew Hardwick, who scored in the post and knocked down 3-pointers. Speedy point guard Brandon Miller made the All-Tournament team. He is quick and tough to corral in the open court. His brother, 6’0″ 2019 guard Derrick Miller, is a four-year starter. Their is some good young talent coming up through the ranks.
Don’t Sleep on Soldan in Class 3
The Tigers picked up a couple of victories and took home the third-place trophy in the process. The Tigers are overshadowed by a powerful Vashon team in the Public High League, but they have the talent and experience to be a dangerous team in Class 3. They have two four-year starters in the backcourt in 6’1″ twins James and Jesse Little. There is also talent up front in 6’6″ 2020 Elijah Bishop and 6’5″ Tyon Hughes.