St. Louis Players Abound

(St. Louis, MO) – Former St. Louis area players are succeeding all over the country and some are shining in our Divison 1 Valley Conferences. With the arrival of Cameron Biedscheid (Cardinal Ritter Prep) we thought it was the perfect time to report on the progress of the players from ‘the Lou’.

Outside the Valleys

The national and regional scene is impacted by locally trained players. Nationally ranked Butler is receiving outstanding play and great leadership from O’Fallon Township’s Roosevelt Jones. The red shirt senior is contributing more than 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game for the Bulldogs. Jones was a second-team all Big East performer last season. Butler is 21^st in the latest Coaches’ Poll.

Illinois’ 161 RPI wouldn’t be THAT high if not for the nightly work of Belleville East’s Malcolm Hill. The 6’6 junior is second on the Illini with over 17 points, five rebounds and dishing almost four assists for the 6-5 squad.

Former CBC guard Patrick McCaw is turning heads at UNLV. The Rebels are 8-2 and McCaw, who played a year at Montrose Christian High School too, is their leading scorer at 16.9 ppg. McCaw is handing out four assists and grabbing four rebounds each game.

Other players of note are Jones’ teammate at Butler Trey Pettus (MICDS), Parkway North’s D. J. Johnson plays at Kansas State. Missouri Tigers Cullen VanLeer (Pacific) and Ryan Rosburg (Marquette) are significant contributors. Saint Louis University’s Austin Gillman (Oakville) is evolving into a significant asset.

St. Louis guys are making waves on the national scene!

Missouri Valley Conference

There are fewer than normal metro area players involved in the Valley this season, but several players are growing into significant roles. Edwardsville’s Armon Fletcher is having a solid freshman season for Southern Illinois. His 6.4 ppg off Barry Hinson’s bench are a sign of good things to come.

Three St. Louis area players are part of Missouri State’s squad. Robin Thompson (MICDS) and Shawn Roundtree (Edwardsville) are limited in their participation, but Hazelwood Central’s Jordan Martin is averaging 4.3 points and 2.9 rebounds for Paul Lusk’s Bears.

C. J. Rivers’ overall game, makes him the ultimate ‘glue guy’ for Drake. The former Cahokia Comanche scores 4.1 points, grabs 4.8 rebounds and hands out 2.4 assists on a nightly basis.

Ohio Valley Conference

OVC schools have recruited the St. Louis area like politicians search for votes. Three at Austin Peay. Four at Eastern Illinois, two at Jacksonville State and one each at SIUE and Tennessee State. That only tells part of the story. St. Louis area players are huge contributors on their teams.

Significant scorers abound. St. Mary’s Josh Robinson at 14.2 (Austin Peay), Hazelwood Central’s Trae Anderson at 15.8, Ladue’s Cornell Johnston at 9.1, St. Charles’ Casey Teson at 7.0 and Fort Zumwalt South’s Marshawn Blackmon at 4.9 (all at EIU), Alton’s JaQuail Townser (9.1) and Ritter’s Cameron Biedscheid (8.5) for Jacksonville State and SIUE freshman Carlos Anderson (Alton) (8.2) are partial headliners at their schools.

Biedscheid has only played two games, but game number two was a double digit night. His impact with the Gamecocks could be a game changer during the conference portion of the season.

Several teams are adding St. Louis players next year as well. SIUE is tapping into the immediate area with a vengeance and so is Jay Spoonhour at Eastern Illinois. Indiana State has already inked Jordan Barnes from CBC.

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