The Shootout has featured the USA
today national champions two of the past three seasons (Oak Hill in 2000 and
Dallas Lincoln in 2001) and five times in the past eleven years.
The Shootout started as a
triple-header in 1981, but has grown into a must-see by high school fans and
even NBA scouts. Players like Vince Carter, Chris Bosh, Kevin Garnett, Stephon Marbury, Alonzo Mourning, Rasheed Wallace, Michael Finley, Glenn Robinson, Allan Houston, Sam Cassell, Antoine Walker, Mike Bibby, Penny Hardaway, Kenny Anderson, Amare Stoudemire and Larry Hughes are among the alumni of this event.
Last year, McDonald's All-Americans Brandon Bass (LSU) and J.R. Giddens (Kansas) both played in the Shootout. These two raised the number of
McDonald's All-American to 72. Former Shootout alumni Chris Bosh, Brian Cook and
Keith Bogans were selected in the 2003 Draft, raising the number of NBA draft
picks to 67.
The games look to be very
competitive, especially the national contests.
I'll be attending
the Shop and Save KMOX Shootout and having recaps of all the games.
10:30 am Wildwood (MO)
Lafayette vs. Kirkwood (MO) St. John Vianney
12:00 pm St. Joseph's (MO)
vs. Granite City (IL) GIRLS
1:30 pm Webster Groves (MO) vs.
Portland (TN)
3:00 pm Belleville (IL) West vs. Jackson (MS)
Lanier
4:30 pm Aurora (IL) West Aurora vs. St. Louis (MO)
Chaminade
6:00 pm East St. Louis (IL) vs. Hazelwood (MO) Central
7:30 pm Peoria (IL) Central vs. Seagoville (TX)
9:00 pm Durham (NC) Mount Zion Christian Academy vs. South Kent
(CT) Prep
The 10:30 contest features two
Missouri teams as the Lafayette Lancers versus the St. John Vianney Golden
Griffins
The Lancers are led by 6-1 junior
Landon Shipley, who averaged 15.4 points per game last season. They have good
size with 6-6 junior Matt Lawrence (7.8) and 6-8 senior Paul Bannister. The
Golden Griffins return three double figure scorers, led by 5-11 guard Paul
Paradoski, who has committed to Southeast Missouri State and averaged 17.5
points per game last season. They also return 6-5 senior Brandon Beal
(17.1) and 6-3 senior Tom Mulvihill (11.3).
The St. Joseph's Academy Angels
will face the Granite City Lady Warriors in the noon girl's contest. St. Joseph
does not return a double figure scorer, but welcomes back four players who
averaged more than 7.6 points per game. They have some excellent young talent,
led by 6-0 sophomore Mackenzie Stirmlinger, who averaged 9.9 points per game and
6-5 junior Erin McCarthy (8.8). They also have 5-6 sophomore Kelly Luna
(7.6) and 5-10 senior Katie Heidenreich 8.0). The Lady Warriors are led by 5-9
senior Whitney Sykes, who averaged 16.9 points per game. She will get some
scoring assistance from 6-2 junior Megan Gavlick (9.9)
The 1:30 matchup will feature
Webster Groves (MO) Statesmen versus the Portland (TN) Panthers
Webster Groves is led by 6-1
senior Daron Harris, who averaged 14.2 points per game. 6-0 senior D.J. Conners
(8.6) and 6-4 senior Darrell Jackson averaged 7.7 points and a team-high 5.9
rebounds per game also return from a basketball team that won the Suburban South
League with an 8-0 mark also return. The Statesmen finished 17-10 overall.
Jackson is a standout quarterback, who is being recruited by Missouri, Illinois,
Minnesota and Northern Illinois and was named Post-Dispatch All-Metro offensive
player of the year last year. The Statesmen won the MSHSAA Class 5 state
football championship last season.
The Panthers are led by McDonald's
All-American candidate Corey Brewer, who averaged 26.8 points per game last
season. Brewer helped lead Memphis YOMCA to the 2003 AAU National Championship
in Orlando this July.
The 3:00 contest features Belleville
(IL) West Maroons versus the Jackson (MS) Lanier Bulldogs.
The Maroons are led by 6-4 senior
Xavier Price, who three years ago became the first freshman to win the slam dunk
contest at the Illinois state tournament. He played in last year's event for
conference rival O'Fallon, where he averaged 18.9 points per game. He committed
to Purdue. Price is joined in the starting lineup by 6-1 senior J.B. Jones
(13.3) and 6-4 senior Sean McPeak (9.8). The Maroons are 0-2 in past KMOX
Shootouts and finished 27-6 last year.
Lanier is led by 6-4 junior Monta Ellis, who averaged 27.2 points per game. Ellis is one of the top juniors in the
country. He is getting looks from Mississippi, Mississippi State and North Carolina. 6-9 senior Charles Rhodes, who committed to Mississippi State,
averaged 15.0 points per game. 6-2 freshman Al Graham has the chance to be a
special player for the Bulldogs. Lanier lost to city rival Provine, 64-62, in
the state Class 4A title game, despite 35 points from Ellis. Lanier defeated
Provine in three of five games played during the season and finished
31-4.
The 4:30 pm game will feature the
Aurora (IL) West Aurora Blackhawks versus the St. Louis (MO) Chaminade Red
Devils.
The Blackhawks finished 25-3 last
season after being upset by Downers Grove South in the sectional semifinals.
They lost Marquette signee Dameon Mason to graduation, but still have plenty of
talent. They welcome back two big players ranked among the top 100 in the
country. 6-5 guard Justin Cerasoli, who averaged 14 points per game, committed
to Seton Hall. He is a McDonald's All-American candidate. 6-9 center Shaun Pruitt, who missed the first 2 1/2 months of last season due to a broken leg,
committed to Illinois. They also return 6-2 senior Jaeh Thomas, who averaged ten
points per game. The Blackhakws lost to Seattle (WA) Rainier Beach 69-62
in overtime in last year's KMOX Shootout.
The Red Devils are making their
fourth appearance in the KMOX Shootout. They are led by three returning senior
starters from a team that finished 23-4 last season. 6-6 senior Vaughan
West led the team with 12.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. 6-2 senior
Tommy Williams added 11.6 points and 6-1 senior point guard Monroe Douglass scored 9.8
points and 6.3 assists per game. His father, Monroe Sr. is a St. Louis Billiken Hall of Famer.
The 6:00 contest will match two
local teams as the East St. Louis (IL) Flyers faces the Hazelwood (MO) Central
Hawks.
The Flyers are led by St. Louis
commitment Tommie Liddell, who averaged 17.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.
6-1 senior guard Mark Howlett, who made 57 three-pointers, added 10.1 points.
East St. Louis added 6-5 senior transfer Darian Luster, who averaged 11.4
points. They finished 21-7 last season.
The Hawks went 18-9 last season
and finished second in the Suburban North Conference. They return 6-8 senior
forward Kalen Grimes, who committed to Missouri. He averaged 13.3 points, 9.4
rebounds and 4.1 blocked shots per game. 6-4 senior guard Aaron Jackson led the
team with 16.5 points and added 6.8 boards per game. 6-7 sophomore forward Alex
Tyus added 5.9 points per contest.
The Hawks lost to Oklahoma City
(OK) John Marshall 59-51 at last year's KMOX Shootout.
The 7:30 pm contest matches
Illinois Class AA state champion Peoria (IL) Central Lions versus the Seagoville (TX) Dragons.
The Lions are led by 6-6 senior
Shaun Livingston, who is one of the top players in the Class of 2004.
Livinigston recently committed to Duke, but some observers feel that he might
enter the 2004 NBA Draft. He averaged 15.5 points per game and scored 26 points
in their 73-66 win over Creve Coeur (MO) DeSmet Jesuit in OT at last year's KMOX
Shootout. He is joined in the backcourt by Northwestern commitment 6-2 Brandon Lee, who averaged 12.8 points. 6-7 junior DeAndre Miranda added 6.6 points per
contest. The Lions are making their second straight KMOX appearance and are 2-0
in the event.
Seagoville is led by McDonald's All-Amercian candidate 6-11 senior LaMarcus Aldridge, who committed to Texas. He avergaed 27.5 points per game last season. 6-4 junior Ryan Boyd added 14.8 points.
The 9:00 pm game will pit Durham
(NC) Mount Zion Christian Academy against South Kent (CT) Prep.
Mount Zion has many high recruits
and figures to be ranked among the top teams in the country. 6-3 shooting Roy
Dandridge committed to Missouri, which will make him a fan favorite
playing in front of the Savvis Center faithful. 6-3 shooting guard Albert Webber
committed to Alabama, but recently re-opened his recruitment and is hearing from
Arkansas, Connecticut, Oklahoma and Texas. 6-4 shooting guard Glenn Miles
committed to Alabama and 6-10 center Mohamed Tangara is bound for Arizona. 6-6
small forward Roy Bright will ink with Cincinnati. Point guard Tasheed Carr will
play for Iowa State. 6-9 forward Robert Simpson is considering Western Kentucky
and Murray State and 6-10 Shawn Taggart recently visited DePaul.
South Kent is also loaded with
talent. 6-7 forward Dorell Wright has committed to DePaul, 6-4 shooting guard
Paul Cummins is headed to Lafayette and 6-5 shooting guard
Cheyenne Moore
will play at Clemson. 6-7 forward Tavon Nelson will ink with College
of Charleston and 6-1 point guard Jack McClinton is bound for Siena. They also have talented junior forward Brandon Rush, whose brother Kareem, played for Missouri before turning pro.
Shootout tickets may be purchased
at the Savvis Center box office, at any Ticketmaster outlet or online at
www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices are $12, $17 and $22.