Webster's Drew Hanlen (left) drives past Truman's Tyler Martin. (Damon Bell/STLtoday Prep Sports)

COLUMBIA—Jay Blossom says he found a way to fall asleep Thursday night, but it’s hard to believe him.

With less than 30 minutes remaining in Thursday afternoon’s practice the Webster Groves boys basketball coach watched in shock (maybe even horror) as his star senior point guard, Drew Hanlen, sprained his right ankle.

Webster Groves has waited for 12 years to return to the state finals. Blossom has been at the helm for nine and in the Statesmen’s first trip back, he had to wonder whether or not his best player would be able to walk, much less play.

Hanlen, however, didn’t leave any doubt. He received treatments after practice, late at night, early in the morning and on the bus ride to Columbia.

When it came time to tip off in Friday night’s Class 5 semifinal here at the Mizzou Arena, Hanlen led the Statesmen out of the tunnel and ran through warm ups. Obviously gimpy and favoring his ankle, Hanlen played all 32 minutes, scored a game-high 25 points and helped the Statesmen (28-3) reach their second state final in school history with a 64-60 win over Truman (20-9).

“My point guard is the toughest son of a buck in the world,” Blossom said. “I thought it was a gritty win for our team.”

Hanlen, sitting in the interview room after the game with his foot up and covered in cooler’s worth of ice, said he was initially bothered by the bum wheel but as the game wore on it became less of a factor.
“I think the adrenaline kicked in,” the 5-foot-11 Hanlen said.

The Statesmen made their life easier Friday night by blowing up from 3-point range. As a team, Webster hit over 66-percent from the land of three as four players hit at least one.

“For a team to shoot like that, that’s crazy,” Truman coach Billy Guinnee said. “There was a point in the first half I wondered if these guys were ever going to miss.”

Sophomore guard Derrick Dilworth scored 15 points while shooting six of nine from the field, hitting one of his two triples and pilfering five steals.

Senior forward Mike Whittier scored 10 points and, like Hanlen, played the entire game. He was a defensive force who helped keep Truman’s mighty big man, Steve Moore, in check. Moore, who’s 6-foot-10 and signed to play at Mizzou, did score 22 points and grab 11 boards but he wasn’t as effective as he could have been because of Whittier and senior guard Jon Jon Bowie swarming him on entry passes.

“It’s tough,” Whittier said of matching up with a bigger player. “It gets physical.”

The Statesmen will take the court tonight in search of their second state championship. Tip off is slated for 8 p.m.