Barstow takes aim at state title and Class 5 boys teams to meet in sectionals
Among the descriptions for Barstow’s trip to the Missouri Class 3 Final Four last March, Knights coach Billy Thomas ultimately settled on “unexpected” as the most fitting.
A year later, as Barstow prepares for its second straight trip to Columbia for the state semifinals, that adjective is far from Thomas’ vocabulary. With the bulk of the roster back from last season, the Knights’ 27-2 record has come as a surprise to virtually nobody.
And that has made it all the more satisfying.
“That’s the thing I’m proud of these kids for,” Thomas said. “It’s one thing to get there when nobody expects you to do it. This year, to come back with the expectations and pressure we put on ourselves, it’s a testament to how mentally tough these kids are. I’m extremely proud of the way they’ve handled it.”
Barstow returns to the Final Four on Thursday, when they will play College Prep of Madison at 5 p.m. in a rematch of last season’s semifinals. Barstow won that matchup 55-47 before losing in the state championship game. And it’s the latter result that’s provided plenty of motivation for this season.
“Everything we did has been built around the last four minutes of that championship game — that’s where we lost that game,” Thomas said. “We focused on getting better, getting stronger, getting to play how we want to play. We’ve been fortunate enough to put it all together.”
As well as Barstow has played all season, Thomas says their best performance came in Saturday’s 67-45 quarterfinals win against Lafayette County.
Junior forward Jeriah Horne provided a game-high 33 points, and junior wing Shea Rush added 17 more. Horne, Rush and sophomore point guard Jacob Gilyard have been the catalysts for Barstow’s return to Columbia.
Barstow is seeking its first state championship since 1995.
“Honestly, I think the last game we played was our best game of the season, all the way around,” Thomas said. “The kids were defending hard; they followed the game plan; there wasn’t a bad shot taken. Everyone is just zoned in right now. You can just tell how much they want it.”
Class 5 boys sectionals
Blue Springs South (25-2) vs. Jefferson City (18-8)
WHEN/WHERE: 6 p.m. Wednesday at State Fair Community College, Sedalia, Mo.
KEY PLAYER: Blue Springs South senior forward Kevin Puryear is averaging 20.5 points and 8 rebounds per game.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Puryear, a Missouri signee, is the most recognizable name for the Jaguars, but they’re more than a one-man team.
Junior point guard KJ Robinson is scoring 16.8 points per game this season — and he appears healthy after a recent ankle tweak — and senior wing Brandon Kilgore is at 13.1 points per game.
The Jaguars have done a superb job of taking care of the ball this season, averaging only 9 turnovers per contest, and they have shown an ability to win games with their defense. The latter element can come in awfully handy this time of year.
Rockhurst (15-11) vs. Lee’s Summit (21-6)
WHEN/WHERE: 6 p.m. Wednesday at Grandview High School
KEY PLAYER: Lee’s Summit senior Drew Lock draws a lot of attention — and rightfully so — but it’s junior point guard Blake Spellman who runs the up-tempo offense.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: A lot of pace. Lee’s Summit will run at every opportunity, even after a made basket. But the Tigers are dangerous in the half-court, too. They feature a starting lineup in which all five players are capable of knocking down a perimeter shot.
Lee’s Summit has won 18 of its past 19 games.
Rockhurst is on a bit of a roll, too, with five straight victories. Similar to Lee’s Summit, Rockhurst has a rotation capable of spreading out a defense along the perimeter, which opens driving lanes. The Hawklets will need to make outside shots to have a chance to pull off the upset.
Liberty North (17-10) vs. Park Hill South (23-3)
WHEN/WHERE: 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Excelsior Springs High School
KEY PLAYER: Liberty North junior forward Michael Hughes is a double-double machine, posting 14.8 points and 12.0 rebounds per game, along with 4.8 blocks per game.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Park Hill South has won 12 straight since losing to Raymore-Peculiar in the championship of the Northtown Classic on Jan. 23. The Panthers couldn’t get many outside shots to fall that night — but problem has rarely been duplicated over the past six weeks.
Park Hill South junior Ryan Welty can light it up from three-point range, and he has a formidable supporting cast — with point guard James Byrd and forwards Mitch Henderson and Allen Hyatt.
Liberty North would prefer to turn the game into a battle of the bigs. The Eagles have out-rebounded opponents by an average of 7.2 rebounds per game, an effort led by Hughes, a 6-7 post player.
This story was originally published March 11, 2015 at 2:42 PM with the headline "Barstow takes aim at state title and Class 5 boys teams to meet in sectionals."