Staley tops Blue Springs to reach Missouri semifinals: all classes’ final fours are set
It was fitting that such a hard-fought game provided the closing act for a thrilling day of high-level high school basketball at Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence.
The final performance Saturday night: the Missouri Class 6 boys high school quarterfinals, in which Staley led by as many as 11 points in the first half only for Blue Springs to battle back to tie it early in the second.
Aided by a big corner three from guard Jared Lee, the Falcons were able to pull away for good down the stretch and prevail 54-41. The Wildcats, who got 15 points from Ike Eseogu, were unable to score a field goal in the final period.
Emmanuel Byrd and Kayden Fish scored 12 points apiece for the Falcons, who now advance to the final four for Class 6, Missouri’s largest classification, and a semifinal showdown against Nixa, a 68-44 winner Saturday night over Lee’s Summit West in Bolivar.
Staley and Nixa tip off at 6 p.m. Thursday at JQH Arena in Springfield, after Chaminade plays Christian Brothers College in the other boys Class 6 semifinal at 4.
Earlier, Smithville reached the girls Class 5 semifinals with a 57-38 victory over Raytown South at Cable Dahmer Arena. Warriors sophomore Rylee Thompson led Smithville with 22 points.
Smithville (21-8) had split two regular-season meetings with Raytown South, each team winning on its home court. With Saturday’s loss, Raytown South saw its season end at 22-6. But it was a memorable run for the Cardinals, who reached the state tournament for the first time since 1999.
Smithville advances to the Class 5 state semifinals and a noon Friday matchup against the West Plains Zizzers (25-4) at JQH Arena. West Plains advanced Saturday with a 55-46 win over Carl Junction.
In the boys Class 4 quarterfinals, Pembroke Hill beat Richmond 52-32 at Blue Springs High and advanced to a final four matchup against Father Tolton Regional Catholic, a 65-26 winner on Saturday over Willow Springs.
Pembroke Hill (21-4), the team coached by former Kansas Jayhawks guard Jeff Hawkins, meets Father Tolton (21-8) on Friday at 8 p.m. in the Hammons Student Center at Missouri State in Springfield.
The Platte Valley Co-Op girls team beat Delta 63-50 for its second straight Class 1 championship on Saturday at JQH Arena in Springfield.
MISSOURI BOYS
CLASS 6
Saturday quarterfinals
Christian Brothers College 53, St. Louis U. High 40
Chaminade 57, Ft. Zumwalt South 37
Nixa 68, Lee’s Summit West 44
Staley 54, Blue Springs 41
Semifinals, Thursday at JQH Arena
Chaminade vs. Christian Bros. College, 4 p.m.
Staley vs. Nixa, 6 p.m.
Friday, March 18 at JQH Arena
Third-place game: noon
Championship: 4 p.m.
CLASS 5
Saturday quarterfinals
Webster Groves 75, Central (Cape Girardeau) 65
Springfield Catholic 53, Bolivar 47
Helias Catholic 70, William Chrisman 52
Cardinal Ritter 67, St. Dominic 47
Semifinals, Friday at JQH Arena
Webster Groves vs. Cardinal Ritter, 6 p.m.
Springfield Catholic vs. Helias Catholic, 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 19 at JQH Arena
Third-place game: noon
Championship: 4 p.m.
CLASS 4
Saturday quarterfinals
Pembroke Hill 52, Richmond 32
Central (New Madrid) 59, Life for Life 46
Vashon 69, Mexico 44
Father Toltan 65, Willow Springs 26
Semifinals, Friday at Hammons Center
Central (New Madrid) vs. Vashon, 6 p.m.
Pembroke Hill vs. Father Tolton, 8 p.m.
Friday, March 18 at JQH Arena
Third-place game: noon
Championship: 8 p.m.
CLASS 3
Thursday’s semifinals
Charleston 56, Duchesne 53
Lafayette County 64, Thayer 59
Friday, at JQH Arena
Third-place game: Thayer 70, Duchesne 35
Championship: Charleston 58, Lafayette Co. 56
CLASS 2
Friday’s semifinals
Bernie 79, Putman County, 75
Norwood 59, Bishop LeBlond 55
Saturday, at JQH Arena
Third-place game: Putnam Co. 57, Bishop LeBlond 55
Championship: Norwood 64, Bernie 63
CLASS 1
Friday’s semifinals, at Hammons Center
South Iron 85, St. Elizabeth 51
Stanberry 45, Wellsville-Middletown 40, OT
Saturday, at JQH Arena
Third-place game: St. Elizabeth 50, Wellsville-Mid 45
Championship: South Iron 71, Stanberry 45
MISSOURI GIRLS
CLASS 6
Saturday quarterfinals
St. Joseph’s Academy 41, Jackson 37
Incarnate Word Academy 70, Troy Buchanan 32
Springfield Kickapoo 64, Truman 51
Blue Springs South 47, St. Joseph Central 37
Semifinals, Thursday at JQH Arena
St. Joseph’s vs. Incarnate Word, noon
Blue Springs South vs. Springfield Kickapoo, 2 p.m.
Friday, at Hammons Center
Third-place game: TBD, 10 a.m.
Friday, at JQH Arena
Championship: TBD, 2 p.m.
CLASS 5
Saturday quarterfinals
Smithville 57, Raytown South 38
Webster Groves 41, Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau) 27
West Plains 55, Carl Junction 46
Whitfield 44, Warrenton 27
Semifinals, Friday at JQH Arena
Webster Groves vs. Whitfield, 10 a.m.
Smithville vs. West Plains, noon
Saturday, March 19 at Hammons Center
Third-place game: TBD, 10 a.m.
Saturday, March 19 at JQH Arena
Championship: TBD, 2 p.m.
CLASS 4
Saturday quarterfinals
Benton 48, St. Pius X (KC) 35
St. James 43, Park Hills Central 32
John Burroughs 53, Hallsville 42
Helias Catholic 56, Ava 49
Friday, at Hammons Center
St. James vs. John Burroughs, 2 p.m.
Helias Catholic vs. Benton, 4 p.m.
Saturday, March 19 at JQH Arena
Third-place game: TBD, 10 a.m.
Championship: TBD, 6 p.m.
CLASS 3
Thursday’s semifinals
South Shelby 45, West County 31
El Dorado Springs 46, Strafford 44
Friday, at JQH Arena
Third-place game: Strafford 64, West County 34
Championship: El Dorado 61, South Shelby 26
CLASS 2
Friday’s semifinals
Ellington 65, St. Paul Lutheran 51
Wellington-Napoleon 66, Blue Eye 47
Saturday, at JQH Arena
Third-place game: Blue Eye 57, St. Paul Lutheran 19
Championship: Wellington-Napoleon 52, Ellington 31
CLASS 1
Friday’s semifinals, at Hammons Center
Delta 43, Walnut Grove 30
Platte Valley (co-op) 45, Leeton 37
Saturday, at JQH Arena
Third-place game: Leeton 58, Walnut Grove 39
Championship: Platte Valley (co-op) 63, Delta 50
This story was originally published March 12, 2022 at 4:18 PM.