Key Storylines Heading into Season
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The high school basketball season is almost here! Time to break it down with some key storylines for the 2023-2024 season. Cardinal Ritter Moves to Class 6 Ritter was a favorite to repeat as Class 5 champions but on Friday the…
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Continue ReadingThe high school basketball season is almost here! Time to break it down with some key storylines for the 2023-2024 season.
Cardinal Ritter Moves to Class 6
Ritter was a favorite to repeat as Class 5 champions but on Friday the next classes were released. They’ll be a part of Class 6 District 1. The move impacts both their previous class and their new class. The championship possibilities in Class 5 have now opened up further. It’s anyone’s race. As for Class 6, teams on one half of the bracket will now have a much tougher road to state. Ryan Johnson returns an outstanding group of seniors and will be looking to cement his legacy this season.
New Coaches at Top Jobs
CBC (Sam Briscoe) and Oak Park (Sherron Collins) will be led by new coaches. They’re both top programs in the state and return a handful of talented players. It’ll be interesting to see how they operate and establish a culture quickly as the expectations for both are high. Each will have a chance to make deep playoff runs and build a solid foundation for the future.
Impact Transfers
There was a lot of movement throughout the state. We saw many of the best players in the 2024 and 2025 class change schools and create contenders overnight. How well these players mesh and create chemistry will be the most important part. Among the top transfers are Nassir Binion Nassir Binion 6'4" | SG Vashon | 2024 State MO (Vashon), Tyrique Brooks Tyrique Brooks 6'3" | SG Waynesville | 2024 State MO (Central), PJ Farmer (Sikeston), Aaron Rowe Aaron Rowe 6'2" | PG Father Tolton | 2025 State #17 Nation MO (Tolton), and Avian Webb Avian Webb 6'0" | PG Staley | 2025 State MO (Staley). All five of their new programs have seen elevated expectations since their arrival.
Freshman Phenoms
The 2027 class appears to be very good at the top. Lee’s Summit West product Cameron Barnes is a 6’7 prospect who’s going to gain a lot of attention locally. Scottie Adkison out of Webster Groves is a super explosive 6’2 guard that’ll be a top name in St. Louis. Jimmy McKinney Jr. Jimmy McKinney Jr. 6'2" | SG Vashon | 2027 State MO is another freshman with a Mizzou offer out of Vashon. All three will be near the top of the rankings and others are sure to emerge.
Who is the Top Team?
The state is wide open this year. Class 6 has a lot of question marks and saw great competition during June. Lee’s Summit West has both talent and experience making them a favorite. Chaminade features a ton of talent but lack experience. Oak Park might have the best guards in the class. Cardinal Ritter, Staley, and Hickman are all set to make deep runs. In Class 5 there are a few programs that stand out. Sikeston, Jefferson City, Ladue, Cape Central, and Vianney are some initial teams that have intrigue but it’s truly anyone’s race. Webster Groves has a talented team as well. In Class 4 Vashon has sustained dominance but the emergence of a new-look Tolton will provide intrigue. John Burroughs is another program that could surprise some as their size will cause mismatches. It’s going to be a fun year of coverage.