(St. Louis, MO) – High school basketball is fresh, it’s new, it is unpredictable and that’s why we love it. When you add in the three-day tournament element to the mix, well it is just down right fun.
I had the privilege to broadcast several games at the Denver Miller Classic and was reminded of why we race to these gyms to see these games.
There are better games on television and virtually every college game is on some media outlet. So the basketball junky doesn’t have to get off his couch to watch a game (and we hope some of you watched ours on www.prepsportsshowcase.com!), but there is just something about being at courtside watching these 15-18 year-olds trying to figure it all out.
The talent level for the Kirkwood High School based event was outstanding. Top-seeded and eventual champion O’Fallon was led by one of the top unsigned seniors in Illinois, in Donovan Franklin. Liberty North’s junior post player Michael Hughes is going to make some college basketball program very happy.
McCluer North, Kirkwood and Jennings are always good and all Wade Bouslog does at Duchesne is win. This was a quality smorgasbord for the hoop aficionado.
But these young men are unpredictable! Who can predict that O’Fallon reserve Caleb Wegner would come off the bench to score 21 points in the championship game? Who could predict that Liberty North would play man-to-man against Kirkwood when they played zone in virtually every minute of every other game this year and at this Classic.
Kirkwood coach Bill Gunn told me was proud to bring the Classic to life in honor of the legendary Pioneer coach Denver Miller. I had a chance to speak with Coach Gunn before the semi-final round games.
The staff at Kirkwood are the perfect hosts. Athletic Director Corey Nesslage is a real pro and he and his staff run a tremendous tournament in a beautiful gym. Bringing in teams from Illinois and from across the state was a master stroke.
I’m ready for some regular season games, but I love mid-season tournaments!
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Flooding, lightning strikes, etc. have cost @RacersHoops two home games. Had to play 'neutral site' tonight instead of at home and Wednesday's goes from home to away. Tough break for the Racers, and the whole area has been hit with difficulties. #FatherHarry
Murray State's scheduled home game Wednesday vs. Southern Illinois being moved to Banterra Center in Carbondale. #ValleyHoops
Gigantic game for @BradleyUMBB today in Des Moines. If they have a chance to catch @DrakeBulldogsMB, they have to win today. The Bulldogs can basically win the title today. @BustingBrackets breaks it all down. #FatherHarry https://bit.ly/3EGiVgi
Not rooting for any particular @ValleyHoops, but chaos is always fun. If things break certain ways, after today there could be a six-way tie for fifth place.
Fun to listen to @MLBLarry on the @SIU_Basketball/@BelmontMBB game tonight. Good job brother. #FatherHarry
