Last week didn't start out very well for the McCluer North basketball team.
"We fell down by 18 points against Riverview Gardens in the first half of the first game of the week on Tuesday," McCluer North coach Randy Reed said. "We came out very, very flat."
The Stars didn't stay that way, as they won four tough games in four days.
McCluer North rallied to beat Riverview Gardens 67-58, then defeated Columbia Rock Bridge 49-42 on Wednesday to win its pool at the People's Bank Invitational at Troy Buchanan.
On Thursday, the Stars beat Illinois Class A's top-ranked team, Pinckneyville, 51-47 at the Shootout. On Friday night, McCluer North defeated host Troy 65-58 to win the People's Bank Invitational and improve to 6-0.
Reed learned a lot about his team in those four days.
"It tells me we have a lot of character," Reed said. "We have certain guys we're going to go to and ride it out with them. These guys will fight to the end. They don't want to lose."
The Stars are led by three talented juniors: 6-foot-4 guards Torres Roundtree and Femi John and 6-8 center Anthony Booker. Roundtree, who scored 22 points against Troy, is averaging 20.2 points per game. John, who scored 29 against Troy, is averaging 17.2 points per game.
Reed also credited senior guard Ryan Goldkamp, who has emerged as the team's defensive stopper. Goldkamp covered the opponent's top offensive player in each game last week.
"He did a great job on all of those guys," Reed said. "He was kind of our unsung hero."
McCluer North, which was No. 2 in the Post-Dispatch preseason large-school rankings, has taken over the top spot in the rankings.
Vashon falls out of top spot
What does it take to be No. 1?
The Vashon Wolverines held the No. 1 spot in the Post-Dispatch large-school rankings from start to finish in each of the last three seasons.
But after losing 43-40 to Alton at the Shootout, Vashon (3-1) has dropped to third in this week's rankings behind unbeaten McCluer North and Webster Groves.
Since the start of the 2003-04 season, the Wolverines have won 90 games and lost four and have won two Missouri state championships — the 10th and 11th in school history.
Borgia win streak is at 22
Paul Eckerle and the Borgia Knights have picked up where they left off last winter.
Borgia went 30-1 a season ago and closed out the season with 16 straight victories, including a win over Sikeston in the Class 4 championship game.
The Knights' 6-0 start means they have won 22 straight games, a streak that will be tested against Chaminade and CBC this week.
Eckerle, a 6-1 senior guard, averaged 16.3 points per game last season and made 55 3-pointers. He is averaging 28.8 points so far this season and has made 50 percent (14 of 28) of his 3-point attempts.
Webster all-tourney team
The Webster Groves Statesmen won their third straight Webster Groves Classic on Saturday, and junior guard Drew Hanlen was named the most valuable player.
Hanlen, Alonzo Wrickerson and Devon Dace represented Webster Groves on the 10-player all-tournament team, with Hanlen and Wrickerson being repeat selections from a year ago. Lindbergh's Tyler Kiel was another two-time selection.
The rest of the team consisted of Zumwalt West's Ron Waller and Ben Rapp, Lindbergh's Robert Williams, Kirkwood's Ronald Patton, Maplewood's Bryant Allen and Whitfield's Mike Baker.
Marquette wins at Northwest
Marquette has enjoyed the Northwest Tournament the last three seasons.
The Mustangs have advanced to the tourney's championship game the last three years, and have won the event twice. Marquette (4-0) defeated Springfield Hillcrest 51-42 in the title game Saturday.
Tom Ahlborn scored a game-high 23 points and was selected to the all-tournament team, along with teammates Andy Rosburg and Karlos Washington.
De Soto wins at Hillsboro
De Soto defeated Summit 60-34 on Saturday night to win the Gene Steighorst Hillsboro Tournament. Jake Huskey had 29 points and 11 rebounds in the championship game.
