2011-2012 Game Summaries
Pioneers top Jays in opener
December 3, 2011
COLUMBIA - Kirkwood left the door wide open. Jefferson City just
couldn't come in. Despite
turning the ball over 22 times, the Jays had a shot to tie the game at
the end of regulation, mainly because Kirkwood went 4-of-16 from the
free-throw line.
Claude Ruboneka and Jack Young couldn't get 3-point attempts to fall in
the final seven seconds and Kirkwood defeated Jefferson City 55-52 on
Saturday afternoon in the Norm Stewart Classic at Columbia College.
"We got some decent looks there," Jefferson City coach Blair Thompson
said. "Those sometimes go, sometimes they don't. We hadn't shot the 3
real well all year. If you're counting on those to fall every one you
get, you're going to be disappointed a lot."
Jefferson City fell behind 48-39 early in the fourth quarter but battled
back to tie the game at 48 with 3:30 remaining. Jonathan Williams, a
senior guard, keyed the run with five of his game high 16 points during
that span.
Kirkwood went on a 7-0 run immediately afterward as Jefferson City
turned the ball over on three of its next four possessions.
Down 55-48, a bucket from Williams and two free throws from Scott
Stegeman cut the lead to three. Kirkwood 's Myles Artis missed the front
end of a one-and-one, allowing the Jays an opportunity to tie the game.
The Jays, in possession of the ball with 30 seconds left, couldn't get
anything going and called a timeout with 7.2 seconds left on the clock.
Ruboneka's 3 from the right wing and Young's attempt from the left wing
missed and the Pioneers escaped with a win.
"We're obviously a work in progress," Thompson said. "... I thought we
gave a good effort overall, we just had some crucial possessions down
the stretch where we came up empty and then followed that up with a poor
defensive possession or not getting back."
Kirkwood improves to 1-0 as Jefferson City falls to 0-2.
"It was the first game and I thought at times we executed very well and
at times we defended really well," said Bill Gunn, Kirkwood coach and
former Jays' assistant. "We just didn't shoot free throws very well and
I thought that made it a lot closer than it needed to be."
In addition to shooting just 25 percent from the free-throw line, the
Pionners turned the ball over 17 times. The Jays just couldn't use those
mistakes to their advantage.
"Every time you're given a chance, you've got to take that opportunity,
scoring off turnovers or missed free throws," Thompson said. "We had
plenty of those opportunities, we just didn't (capitalize). We still,
offensively, look a little stagnant at times. We have some puzzled looks
on faces at times. We're just trying to figure out who can do it and
who's buying in. This is another one of those tough lessons we have to
learn. We'll go forward and see how it goes."
The first half was pretty ugly for both teams. Kirkwood
led 11-7 after the first quarter and 27-22 at halftime. The Jays turned
it over 18 times in the first half and Kirkwood coughed it up nine
times.
It's not as if the Jays weren't hitting shots, they just weren't taking
many. Jefferson City went 7-for-14 in the first half.
Kirkwood went up 20-11 in the second quarter, but the Jays responded with a 8-2 run to cut the deficit to three. It was Willams with five points during that run as well. He finished with five rebounds and two assists as well.
"He had to step up," Thompson said of Williams. "I put him in there
starting tonight and he was up to the task. He was one of the guys down
the stretch that turned up some big shots for us. He did a nice job."
Kirkwood held a pretty steady advantage in the third quarter and into
the fourth, until the Jays made their late run to have a shot to tie it.
"We kept battling," Thompson said. "We made it tough on ourselves a lot,
but we kept fighting back. We had some guys make some big shots. They
were in a run late and we kept fighting. Winning is as much of a skill
as anything else, shooting and dribbling, and we've just got to get
better at that part of it."
The Jays were without starting point guard Brenden Jackson, who missed
the game with a concussion. Thompson said he'd play it by ear to see if
Jackson would be available for the next game.
Clark Randall led Kirkwood with 11 points and Ben Crancer joined him in
double figures with 10. The Pioneers shot 5-of-11 from beyond the
3-point arc.
"Ultimately I'm really happy we did what we needed to do at the end of the game to get a win," Gunn said.
Pioneers open tournament with victory
December
5, 2011
ST. CHARLES •
The Kirkwood Pioneers improved to 2-0 on the season earning a 63-51
victory over the St. Charles West Warriors in the opening round of the
2011 Warrior Classic.
Senior Ben Crancer connected on a pair of early 3-point baskets as the
Pioneers jumped out to an early 19-7 advantage through one quarter.
In the second quarter senior Myles Artis scored 7 of his game
high 16 points helping the Pioneers slow a Warrior rally.
At the half Kirkwood enjoyed a 31-23 advantage.
In the second half senior Clark Randall heated up, connecting on a pair
of long range shots as the Pioneers outscored the Warriors by four to
secure the victory and a trip to the semifinal round of the tournament.
Kirkwood finished with 8 three-point baskets, connected on 17-of-27 free
throws, limiting the Warriors to 26% shooting in the victory.
Artis finished with 16, Crancer 15, and Randall with 13 in the victory.
The Pioneers improve to 2-0 on the season and face Hazelwood West
in the second round on Wednesday evening.
Hazelwood West gets by Kirkwood, will defend title at St. Charles West
By Joe Lyons | jlyons@post-dispatch.com | Posted: Wednesday,
December 7, 2011 11:01 pm |
·
Hazelwood West's Derrius Pate shoots over the defense of Antonio Weston
of Kirkwood during the semifinals of the St. Charles West Warrior
Classic on Wednesday. (Roy Sykes | Journal)
ST. CHARLES •
The Hazelwood West and Kirkwood boys basketball teams were tied at 58
with less than a minute to play in the semifinals of the 21st annual
St. Charles West Warrior Classic Wednesday night when the Wildcats’
Derrian Johnson drove the lane with purpose.
“I saw an opening and went strong to the basket,’’ the 6-foot guard
said.
“He’s a senior. You expect your seniors to take over in situations like
that, and that’s what DJ did,’’ West coach Cary Lewis Jr. said. “It was
a now-or-never play, and he came through for us.’’
Johnson’s layup after soaring down the lane put the Wildcats on top to
stay in a 66-59 victory.
In a rematch of last year’s title game, West (2-0) will meet Lutheran
North (2-0) for the championship at 8:30 p.m. Friday. The Crusaders won
51-41 over Fort Zumwalt South in Wednesday’s other semifinal.
West beat Lutheran North 77-62 in last year’s title game at St. Charles
West.
“It’s become a pretty decent rivalry,’’ Johnson said. “They keep saying
they’re the better team. I’m sure it’ll be a tough game, but we intend
to defend our title Friday."
The Wildcats, who beat Fort Zumwalt West 65-63 Monday on a buzzer-beater
by Devon Carter, had to battle again Wednesday against Kirkwood.
“Hats off to Kirkwood,’’ Lewis said. “We’ll probably see them again --
we’re in their tournament -- and they’re a good team. But our guys
fought and fought and fought tonight. It was all them.’’
Sparked by T.J. Ross, who led the Wildcats with 19 points, West raced to
an 11-2 lead and took a 17-10 advantage into the second period.
Kirkwood (3-1) rallied to tie the game 17-17 on a Myles Artis layup and
took its first lead at 24-21 when Clark Randall knocked down his third
3-pointer with 4:31 to play before halftime.
The Pioneers were up 32-30 at the break.
West used an 11-4 run to close out the third quarter and led 51-44 when
Will Donegan made one of two free throws to open the scoring in the
final quarter.
The game remained tight until Johnson’s drive and layup put the Wildcats
on top to stay at 60-58 with 44.8 seconds to play.
West made six late free throws to close out the game.
Joining Ross in double figures for the Wildcats were Donegan, who scored
all 12 of his points in the second half, and Johnson, who finished with
10.
“We have a bunch of guys who can play and score,’’ Johnson said.
For Kirkwood, which will play Zumwalt South (1-2) in the third-place
game at 7 p.m. Friday, Artis scored 19 and Randall 16. Antonio Weston
came off the bench to score 14.
Solid defense helps Pioneers earn trophy.
December 9, 2011
ST. CHARLES •
The Kirkwood Pioneers rebounded from a difficult opening quarter in
which they fell behind 9-4 to earn a 53-34 victory over Ft. Zumwalt
South in the third place contest of the Warrior Classic.
Using a smothering defense that forced the Bulldogs into difficult shots
and forced 24 turnovers the Pioneers grabbed a 19-14 half time
advantage.
The second half would see much of the same as the Pioneer balanced
attack would see 11 different players figure into the scoring as 13
contributed to the victory.
Sophomore Eric McWoods led the way with 9 points, Justin Byrd and Myles
Artis added 8 apiece. The
Pioneers improve to 2-1 on the season and prepare for a non-conference
date with Lafayette(2-1) on Tuesday.
Pioneers fall in opening road test
December 13, 2011
WILDWOOD•
The Kirkwood Pioneers ventured onto the road and found it difficult in a
58-36 road loss to Lafayette.
Antonio Weston contributed two early baskets for the Pioneers who
had difficulty scoring and fell behind 15-7 after the opening quarter.
The Lancers built on their advantage in the second quarter outscoring
the Pioneers 15-10 and leading 30-17 at the half.
The Pioneer defense would slow the Lancer offense in the second half,
but the offense was never able to built momentum.
The Pioneers drop to 3-2 with the loss.
Sophomore Evan Booker who has played limited minutes due to
lingering knee pain following surgery in the summer would see his last
playing time of the season.
Connor Jacobs led the way with 8 points, Myles Artis added 7.
Kirkwood comes alive in second half, rolls by Howell Central
December 17, 2011
By Brett Auten | STLhighschoolsports.com |
Kirkwood's Myles Artis drives through the Francis Howell Central defense
for a bucket during the GAC/Suburban Shootout Saturday at Family Arena.
(Andrew Jansen \ Journal)
ST. CHARLES •
The Kirkwood boys basketball team found its rhythm in the second half
and cruised to a 68-50 victory Saturday against Francis Howell Central
at the GAC/Suburban Shootout at the Family Arena.
"Once we got behind we dug down and started playing defense and
rebounding," Kirkwood coach Bill Gunn said. "In the second half, we
started sharing the ball and got a lot of good looks underneath."
Myles Artis pumped in 22 points to lead Kirkwood (4-2). Antonio Weston
added 13 and Clark Randall nine.
"Overall, our defense was amazing," Artis said. "We took good care of
the basketball, rebounded well and limited their secondary shots."
Howell Central's Ryan Howard led all scorers with 23 points. Derrick
Puni chipped in 12 and Ryan Miller nine for the Spartans (1-5).
Kirkwood, which led 27-23 at the half, outscored Central 41-27 in the
second half.
"We had a hard time early on figuring out how to match up with them,"
Gunn said.
Kirkwood pulled away in the third quarter. The Pioneers put together a
19-9 run that ended with back-to-back baskets from Randall and a drive
to the hoop from Weston that pushed the lead to 46-36.
Brown and Artest kept Kirkwood's lead in double digits in the fourth
quarter, and Weston nailed another big bucket late to make it 62-47.
"We got really good play off our bench from Weston and (Jordan) Brown,"
Gunn said. "I like our mix of players. We know we're going to get effort
every night. Right now, it's just about getting on the same page."
The Pioneers took a slim lead early in the second quarter and held on to
it for most of the period. Howell Central pulled into a 23-23 tie with a
minute left in the half, but free throws by Weston and Clayton Burnett
and a floater at the buzzer by Darion Polk made it 27-23 Pioneers at the
break.
"We were throwing the ball away a lot in the first half," Artis said.
"But after that shaky first period we figured it out and were able to
contain them."
Pioneers falter late in Meramec opener
December 27, 2011
KIRKWOOD•
The Kirkwood Pioneers faced the No. 7 seeded Lafayette Lancers who had
defeated them just two weeks earlier 58-36 in the opening round of the
Meramec Tournament.
After just one period the Pioneers showed this would be a very different
game, the defense was outstanding, limiting the Lancers to just one
field goal and taking a 9-4 lead after one quarter.
Defense was the theme of this contest as baskets became difficult to
come by and for the only time all season the Pioneers were held without
a single three point basket.
At the half Myles Artis led the way with 4 points as the Pioneers held a
17-16 advantage. Kirkwood would extend the lead to five following three
quarters outscoring the Lancers 8-4 in the third period.
Kirkwood led the game for 31:40 of a possible 32:00 minutes in
regulation. Unfortunately
missed free throw opportunities, key turnovers, and late defensive
lapses allowed the Lancers to escape with a 35-33 victory advancing to
the second round.
Pioneers rebound to beat Longhorns
December 28, 2011
KIRKWOOD-A day after entering the consolation bracket of the Meramec
tournament the Pioneers faced fellow Suburban South member Parkway West.
Using pressure defense and an up-tempo offensive attack the Pioneers
attacked the Longhorn zone defense.
Led by senior Myles Artis who scored 6 of his team high 16 points
in the opening quarter the Pioneers took a 14-8 advantage following one
period.
Five different players scored in the second quarter as the Pioneers
extended their lead to 9, leading 29-20 at the intermission.
Sophomore Jordan Brown connected on a pair of long-range three
point baskets to loosen the Longhorn zone.
For most of the second half, the conference foes would trade baskets
with the Pioneers earning a 59-52 victory and the right to advance to
the next round against Marquette.
Brown recorded a career high, 11 points, providing solid play at
the point guard position as the Pioneers improved to 5-3 on the season.
Overtime Not Kind Once Again in Loss to Kirkwood
December 29, 2011
Ending what was for the most part a frustrating week of play at the
Meramec Tournament, Kirkwood sent Marquette home from the event with a
55-51 overtime victory. In a contest of extremely contrasting play from
quarter to quarter, things started very positively for Marquette in the
first period. The inside due of Ryan Rosburg and Alex Winter were very
effective in the early going. Rosburg tallied the first bucket on a spin
move in the post and followed that up with an offensive board and
putback on the next possession to give Marquette a 4-2 lead. A
three-point play by Rosburg was followed up by three jumpers for Winter
from the 15-foot range and at one point, the Mustangs led it 15-5 before
a late bucket by the Pioneers cut the lead to eight at 15-7 after a
quarter.
In what was a trend for the week for MHS, the opposition did their
damage from the three-point arc. Kirkwood would go on to hit eight
threes for the game including three early on in the second quarter. A
Mustang team that was beginning to show some signs of fatigue from a
short bench due to injuries throughout the early-season was beaten back
like they had not been beaten all season and by the time the Pioneer
offensive thrust was over at the buzzer, Kirkwood had outscored
Marquette 20-14 and trailed by only 29-27 heading into intermission.
The transition game for Kirkwood continued into the second half in an
even more obvious way as they were able to beat the Mustang defense down
the court again on a consistent basis. An MHS defense that has been
solid all season lost their organization on a couple of key possessions
leaving the dangerous Pioneer marksmen open for three more treys. The
Mustang offense was limited to three Winter jumpers (Alex would finish
with his first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds) and
a Rosburg lay-in in being outscored 19-10 and trailing 44-39 heading
into the fourth.
No Mustang would score in the first almost three minutes of the fourth.
Fortunately, the scoring drought that had hit Marquette had settled on
the Kirkwood attack as well. The score was STILL 44-39 with just over
5:00 to play. At that point, Rosburg scored off a nice Lenzen dish and
was followed up by a Mitch Cox jumper to pull to within one. Three
straight missed shots, two turnovers and the lone Pioneer field goal had
the Mustangs down three with just over a minute to play. Junior Dillon
Jones stepped up big with a three from several feet beyond the arc on
the right wing and a game which looked as if Kirkwood would win going
away in the third quarter was suddenly tied. The Pioneers held the ball
for a shot, which they took with just under 10 ticks to play. The
rebound came long and the Mustangs tossed it ahead and were unable to
convert on a contested lay-in at the buzzer and the game was headed to
over time tied 46-all.
A Chris Lenzen three-pointer served as the opening points in the extra
session and for the first time since the first quarter, it seemed as if
the momentum had found Marquette. A Kirkwood team though which had
scored all of two points in the fourth found their shooting eye and
drained a big three to tie. Marquette over the course of the next three
possessions proceeded to miss on five of six field goal attempts (five
of them at point blank range and compounded those shooting woes with a
1/3 performance from the charity stripe. Kirkwood was able to hit free
throws late and locked up the four-point win and a trip to a trophy game
the next day improving to 6-3.
Pioneers 2011 year ends on sour note
December 30, 2011
KIRKWOOD-Playing for the fourth time in four days the Pioneers faced the
Troy Trojans in the consolation championship of the Meramec Holiday
festival.
In the opening period the Trojan offense clicked, screening, cutting,
and slashing their way to the basket at will.
Only four consecutive opening baskets by sophomore forward
Antonio Weston helped the Pioneers as the game reached an 8-8 tie.
The Trojans playing with a new found energy reached a new gear that the
Pioneers struggle to keep up as Troy extended to a 18-10 advantage
following one period.
Senior Ben Crancer connected on a pair of three point baskets in the
second period, however Troy pulled out to a 35-18 advantage at the half.
The second half would witness much of the same as the Pioneers struggled
to slow the Trojan offense.
The Pioneers suffered their worst effort of the season and ended the
2011 calendar year with a 55-35 defeat.
The loss dropped the Pioneers to 6-4 on the season as they took a short
break before preparing for the new year.
Pioneers enjoy home cooking
January 3, 2012
KIRKWOOD-Playing at home for the first time in the 2011-2012 season the
Pioneers welcomed Mehlville to Dr. David Holley gym in a non-conference
test.
Shaking off some of the rust from rest and layoff the Pioneers struggled
through an opening period defensively, while
Ben Crancer dialed in from long range scoring 8 points in the
quarter and helping the Pioneers to a 15-14 advantage after one period.
A solid defensive effort in the second quarter limited Mehlville to just
five points as the Pioneers extended their lead to 23-19 at the
intermission.
While the Pioneer defense smothered 6-foot-5 Mehlville senior Adis
Mujakic, holding him to just 5 points, 0 in the second half the Pioneer
offense began to click.
“After a slow start, we really did an outstanding job on Mehlville’s top
players and I am happy with our balanced offensive attack”, commented
head coach Bill Gunn.
Eight different players found the scoring column in the second half as
Kirkwood earned a 60-41 victory to improve to 7-4 on the season.
Crancer and Myles Artis each finished with 12 points, senior
Clark Randall contributed 10 in the victory.
Sophomore Antonio Weston added 9 rebounds and a block.
The Pioneers finished the game with 37% shooting from beyond the arc
(6/16) and 78% shooting from the foul line (14/18).
Pioneers open Suburban South play with victory
January 5, 2012
CHESTERFIELD-The Pioneers opened the 2012 Suburban South conference
season on the road against a solid Parkway Central basketball team in
front of a raucous home crowd.
The opening quarter would see several lead changes as the hot outside
shooting of the Pioneers, four different players connected from long
range tried to combat senior Colt forward
Zach Biggs who scored 12 points in the opening quarter. After one
period Kirkwood held a 20-18 advantage.
Kirkwood fullcourt pressure sped up the Colt offense in the second
quarter forcing turnovers and quick shots.
A Jordan Brown three point basket at the buzzer gave the Pioneers
a 40-32 advantage at the half.
In the third period, the Pioneers seemed poised to run away with the
game when the Colts mounted a charge.
Eriq Moore scored 10 points for Central closing the Pioneer lead
to 54-50 heading into the final quarter.
With the score tied at 62-62 with just 3 minutes remaining senior Ben
Crancer took things into his own hands.
Crancer connected on three-point baskets in back-to-back trips
and a pair of key free throws to help the Pioneers secure a 74-66
conference victory.
“Ben has hit big shots for us throughout his career”, commented head
coach Bill Gunn. “Tonight again he stepped up when the team needed him
most.”
Crancer led the way with 14 points, Clark Randall added 13.
Senior Connor Jacobs finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds,
Artis added 12 and Antonio Weston added 11.
The Pioneers improve to 8-4 on the season, 1-0 in league play.
Pioneer streak ends at South
January 10,2012
BALLWIN-In recent seasons the Pioneers and Parkway South have battled to
close contested contests with the Patriots coming out on top.
The 2012 meeting would follow a familiar pattern.
Parkway South jumped out to an early 9-2 advantage, only to see the
Pioneers rally. Connor
Jacobs hit a 3-point basket, scored 5 points and the Pioneers trailed
13-12 after one period.
The next two periods would see the Patriots edge the Pioneers by just
two points in each frame as the home team built a 45-38 advantage
entering the final quarter.
In the final period the Pioneers were limited to just four points as the
Patriot offense found key baskets when needed earning a 57-42 victory.
The loss dropped the Pioneers to 8-5 as they prepared for the Denver
Miller Tournament.
Pioneers falter in Denver Miller opener
January 13, 2012
KIRKWOOD- For the first time since the return of the Denver Miller
Tournament the Pioneers found themselves moving backward toward the
consolation bracket.
The Eureka Wildcats met the Pioneers in the 3/6 game.
A slow start for the Pioneers dug an early hole as the purple
clad Wildcats jumped to a 20-10 advantage following one quarter.
On the strength of perfect free throw shooting (9-9) in the second
quarter the Pioneers cut into the margin closing the Wildcat lead to
35-29 at the intermission.
The Pioneers would battle throughout the second half, but were unable to
find the defensive stops necessary to slow the Wildcats.
Eureka earned a 77-69 victory and the opportunity to advance in
the tournament.
“Tonight we came out sluggish and we just were not able to turn up our
defensive intensity when we needed it most”, commented head coach Bill
Gunn.
One bright spot for the Pioneers was the play of senior point guard
Justin Byrd who finished with a career high 21 points, including 13 in
the final quarter.
After consecutive championship appearances the Pioneers drop to 8-6 and
face Jennings in the consolation round.
Thrilling comeback propels Pioneer victory
January 14, 2012
KIRKWOOD- Just a few hours after a difficult opening defeat to Eureka
the Pioneers faced an athletic Jennings Warrior team in the Denver
Miller gym in the consolation semifinal.
Throughout the opening half it seemed the Pioneers were unable or
unwilling to guard the Warriors talented duo of Courtney Stockard and
Raheim Holloway who combined for 28 points.
Jennings entered the half with a 46-32 advantage.
Late in the third quarter the Warriors extended their lead to 21 points,
as they pulled to a 60-39 advantage.
Coming off the bench Chris Taylor, Avery Black, Tucker Overmann,
Eric Mcwoods, and Clark Randall sparked a comeback pressure the Warriors
into turnovers, converting quick baskets, and cutting the lead to 62-51
at the end of the third quarter.
Pressure defense and the hot shooting of senior guard Ben Crancer who
scored 13 fourth quarter points the Pioneers thrilled the home crowd
earning a 75-71 victory.
“I’m proud of our guys for not giving up.
Our bench really gave us a spark when we needed it most tonight”,
added Bill Gunn
The victory improved the Pioneers record to 9-6, moving them into the
consolation championship against Chaminade.
Thrilling comeback crushes Pioneers
January 16, 2012
KIRKWOOD- Still elated from their come-from-behind victory over Jennings
the Pioneers used a solid defensive effort to build an 18-11 advantage
over the Chaminde Red Devils.
Sophomore Antonio Weston went to work in the post scoring 10 points,
senior Myles Artis added 10 and the Pioneer lead grow to 36-27 at the
half.
The Pioneer lead grew to 18 in the third quarter as it seemed the
Pioneer momentum gained a day earlier would propel them to another
victory. The Red Devils
missed the memo they were supposed to throw in the towel.
The Pioneers, rattled by full court pressure, faltered on defense.
After allowing just 36 points through 3 quarters, gave up 28
points in the final quarter.
Weston hit two pressure free throws with just a second remaining
sending the game to overtime tied 64-64.
Chaminade senior Andy Kleinlein knifed through the Pioneer defense
scoring 6 of his game high 29 points in the overtime period helping his
team to a 74-72 victory.
Weston finished with 22 points, Artis added 19, Clark Randall added 12,
and Connor Jacobs finished with 10.
The loss dropped the Pioneers to 9-7.
In the game, his 97th playing for the Pioneer varsity senior
Myles Artis scored his 1,000th career point.
Double overtime victory thrills home crowd
January 18, 2012
KIRKWOOD-In a contest in which the host Kirkwood team looked the fresher
for most of the contest despite playing its fourth game in five days,
Marquette was able to muster enough push late to send the game into
extra sessions. However, even with MHS leading by four with under
a minute left in the first over time, Kirkwood heroics by Clark Randall
were enough to send the game into a second OT allowing Kirkwood to earn
their second overtime victory over the Mustangs by a 75-70 score.
After Kirkwood stole the tip and went down quickly for a lay-in to go up
2-0, Marquette answered convincingly to lead 7-2. The Mustangs
would extend their lead to 11-2 before the defense stpped up and the
Pioneer three point barrage began.
Connor Jacobs and Myles Artis each hit threes and the Pioneers
trailed 18-14 after a quarter.
The Pioneers slowed the cold shooting Mustangs as they heated up from
the outside. Artis added a
pair of threes, Clark Randall and Ben Crancer joined the fun connecting
from long range and Kirkwood had a safe 37-25 lead at intermission.
Jacobs added a pair of three point bombs, Crancer hit another and the
Pioneer lead grew. Holding
a 12-point lead early in the fourth quarter the game seemed to be well
within the grasp of the home team.
Pioneer turnovers along with five consecutive free throw misses,
including the front end of three 1&1 attempts the Pioneers found
themselves again going to overtime.
Marquette grabbed and early lead and eventually pulled ahead by four
before late Randall heroics.
Randall hit a three to close the margin,t he following a pair of
Mustang free throws hit a three point basket with a trio of opponents in
his face to send the game to double overtime.
Twelve made three point baskets would get the Pioneers this far, but it
was their ability at the free throw line that allowed them to earn the
victory. The Pioneers hit
ten free throws in the extra period, finishing with 21 in 28 attempts
for the game earning a 75-70 victory.
“It wasn’t always pretty, but I am so proud of our guys for battling
back in overtime. After our
tough loss late to Chaminade yesterday it was great to earn this victory
over a quality team”, added Gunn
Seniors Crancer and Artis finished with 17 points each.
Sophomore Antonio Weston battled MU bound Ryan Rosburg inside and
finished with 12 rebounds.
The Pioneers improved to 10-7 as they prepare to return to Suburban
South play visiting Parkway West on Friday evening.
Pioneers earn odd victory
January 20, 2012
CHESTERFIELD-Odd, there is no other way to describe the first half
between the Pioneers and Parkway West Longhorns.
Concerned about shooting in a difficult shooting background
senior Clark Randall connected on a pair of three point baskets for the
Pioneers in two of the first three trips down the floor as Kirkwood
jumped to an early 6-2 advantage.
For the next 11 minutes of play the scored remained locked at 6-5
Kirkwood. For 11 minutes,
not a misprint, the teams were unable to make a field goal, missing ten
free throws between them. Sophomore Jordan Brown broke the long drought
connecting on a charity toss, Randall hit a pair and the Pioneers
trailed 10-9 entering the half.
Randall hit another pair of treys in the third period, Brown added
another and the Pioneers grabbed the lead 26-23 entering the final
period.
Solid defense and timely free throw shooting by Justin Byrd who was four
of four from the line and hit a key three point basket at crunch time
allowed the Pioneers to escape with a 45-38 victory.
“There is no one I trust at the line more than Justin”, added
Gunn.
The Pioneers improved to 11-7, 2-0 in conference play with the victory.
Griffins stuff visiting Pioneers
January 24, 2012
KIRKWOOD-Facing the 17-0, No. 1 ranked Vianney Golden Griffins the
Pioneers faced their toughest challenge to date.
After four minutes of solid defensive effort and no scoring the
Griffins began to assert their will.
Four timeouts were not enough to help the Pioneers survive the opening
quarter as Vianney grabbed a 16-2 advantage.
The Pioneers exploded for 21 points in the second quarter, but allowed
23 and trailed 39-23 at the intermission.
The second half provided much of the same as the No. 1 team in
the state kept their perfect record in tact earning a 65-42 victory.
The Pioneer record drops to 11-8, they will visit Vianney on Friday.
Pioneer defense keys victory
January 24, 2012
CRESTWOOD-On a night when the Lindbergh Flyers held a Paint it Pink
promotion to support cancer awareness and research a capacity crowd held
a 45 second applause to honor Jake Franzel, an 18-year old senior who
died earlier that morning following a battle with the disease. Franzel
had worn the No. 45 during his football career.
On an emotional night the Flyers played with great emotion battling back
from an early 13-6 deficit at the end of one period.
An 11-6 second quarter advantage cut the Pioneer lead to 19-17 at
the half.
Riding the inside play of senior Myles Artis and fellow senior Ben
Crancer outside (each scored 5 points in the quarter) the Pioneer
defensive pressure began to take it’s toll.
A Tucker Overmann baseline jumper at the buzzer allowed the
Pioneers to extend their lead to 36-25 following three quarters.
Solid free throw shooting and a smothering defense that limited the
Flyers to single digit scoring totals in three different quarters
allowed the Pioneers to earn a 52-34 victory.
“It was a special night and we were honor to be a part of all the
pre-game festivities tonight.
I am proud of the way our team battled and earned a tough road
victory”, commented Bill Gunn.
The win improved the Pioneer record to 12-8. Artis finished with 15
points, Clark Randall added 13 and 7 rebounds.
Pioneers falter on the road
January 31, 2012
ST. LOUIS-Trips to St. Louis University High’s beautiful new facilty
have not proven kind to the Pioneers who were 0-2 on recent visits and
0-2 against Metro Catholic foes this season.
Solid inside and outside play early helped the Pioneers grab an 18-16
lead after the opening quarter.
Ben Crancer connected on a pair of three point baskets in the
period.
Crancer remained hot in the second quarter, the Pioneer defense seemed
to solve the Jr. Bill spread offense and the visitors entered the half
with a 30-27 advantage.
In the third period Daniel Schmidt begin to assert himself from the
perimeter scoring 12 points as he knifed through the Pioneer defense.
The Jr. Bills continued to connect from the charity stripe taking
advange of their 26 free throw attempts, compared to just 13 for the
visitors improving to a 46-42 lead at the end of three quarters.
The Pioneers were unable to mount a charge in the final period falling
62-42, dropping their record to 12-9 on the season.
Senior Myles Artis finished with 18 points and 5 assists.
Pioneers pound Jaguars
February 3, 2012
IMPERIAL-Battling an overwhelmed opponent, the Pioneers earned a 67-32
road victory over Seckman to improve to 13-9 on the season, 3-0 in
Suburban South conference play.
Eleven of thirteen Pioneers found the scoring column in the victory.
Artis 16, Randall 13, Jacobs 10, Crancer 9, Weston 6, Taylor 6,
Byrd 2, McWood 2, Overmann 2
Pioneers survive Viking quest
February 7, 2012
KIRKWOOD-Facing one of the top teams in the St. Louis area and one of
the top post players in the state in 6-foot-9 inch Darrell Johnson the
Pioneers were battle to keep their perfect league record intact.
Through the opening period it appeared the Pioneers did not have an
answer for the solid outside play of Aaron Hines and the Johnson in the
paint who scored 8 first quarter points.
North grabbed a 21-16 lead.
Struggling to find a way to guard the inside efforts of the Vikings who
would finish with 16 offensive rebounds and Johnson who had two powerful
dunks in the opening half the Pioneers trailed 34-29 at the half.
As they have through the season the Pioneers battled bigger stronger
opponents, using outside shooting, and a will to win.
Ben Crancer and Clark Randall each connected on a pair of three
point baskets and a box and one defense limited the perimeter play of
Hines and the inside play of Johnson as the Pioneers grabbed a 48-44
lead at the end of the third quarter.
“I’ll give our guys credit for making in game adjustments”, commented
Bill Gunn. “We hadn’t
worked on zone or junk defenses much this year, but when we needed them
our guys responded”.
In the final quarter the Pioneers withstood Viking pressure, connected
on pressure free throws, and held on for a 68-65 victory.
Randall finished with 19 points, Crancer added 17.
Inside sophomore Antonio Weston added 11 points, 8 rebounds, and
3 blocks.
The victory improved the Pioneer record to 14-9, 4-0 in Suburban South
play as the Pioneers prepare for a conference showdown at Webster.
Simmons, Webster sail by Kirkwood to run league win streak to 79 games
By Scott Fitzgerald | STLhighschoolsports.com
|
WEBSTER GROVES
• Kirkwood fans were out in full force on Friday night at a packed
Roberts Gym. But Webster Groves' Rayshawn Simmons didn't give them an
opportunity to get excited.
"We just wanted to play hard and keep the streak going," Simmons said.
"When teams pressure me and try to stay in front of me, I can get to the
rim."
The 6-foot-4 senior was at his high-flying best, scoring a game-high 26
points and leading the Statesmen in assists (10) and rebounds (8) in an
84-66 victory. Webster, the No. 6 team in the
STLhighschoolsports.com
rankings, ran its record to 20-4 and extended its Suburban South
Conference unbeaten streak to 79 games.
Simmons, who came in averaging 13 points, hit nine of 13 shots from the
field. The Statesmen also got 15 points from Demetrius Robinson and 14
from Peter Fairbanks.
The Statesmen improved to 6-0 and clinched a tie for the conference
title with one game league remaining. Webster coach Jay Blossom had a
good feeling Simmons would be on his game.
"Rayshawn told me third hour that he felt pretty good," Blossom said.
"That helped me relax a little bit the rest of the day. When he says he
feels good, he usually feels pretty good.
"When he gets in the paint, we're really good. And he got in the paint,
and got the other kids involved. ... He's the most underated recruit in
the entire area."
Webster led 17-12 after one quarter as Simmons led the way with seven
points. Then the Statesmen outscored Kirkwood 23-8 in the second
quarter, taking a 19-point lead to the break.
Early on, Pioneers coach Bill Gunn figured it was going to be a tough
night.
"They do things really well, and that's why they're 6-0 in league and
they've done it for a long time," Gunn said. "I feel like we've been
playing pretty well."
In the first half, the Pioneers went one for 10 from behind the arc and
were four of 11 from the free throw line.
And that wasn't the worst of it, said a frustrated Gunn.
"What really got us was we didn't defend," he said. "We didn't get back
in transition defense. When they're that good and you give them that
many opportunities, then they're going to get rolling, and when they get
rolling, it's hard to get a stop."
Webster led by as many as 28 points in the third quarter. Kirkwood
(14-10, 4-1) got a team-high 17 points from Antonio Weston and 14 from
Myles Artis.
The Statesmen didn't do their damage in their usual black and orange.
For the sixth year in a row, the Statesmen took the floor in purple
uniforms in honor of long-shuttered Douglass High School, a school
located on Holland Avenue in north Webster that educated area
African-American students from 1925 to 1956.
"We've been really focused in these conference games," Blossom said. "I
think our closest game has been 17. They're just very determined, go
about their business and make plays."
Pioneers sluggish in home loss
February 14, 2012
KIRKWOOD-Trying to shrug off the effects of an emotional road loss to
Webster and unable to practice due to a light snow the Pioneers took the
court against visiting University City Lions following three off days.
The time off seemed to affect the Pioneers who struggled to contain the
quick Lions or find their outside shooters as the Pioneers fell behind
20-13 following one period.
In the second quarter senior Travon Williams built on his scoring total
as the Lions extended their lead to 36-23.
Unable to sustain a defensive effort the Pioneers found ways to score,
but were unable to catch the Lions who earned a 75-59 victory.
The Pioneers fall to 14-11, 4-2 in league play.
Pioneers celebrate senior night with victory
February 17, 2012
KIRKWOOD-The Pioneers celebrated senior night as they honored six
outstanding seniors, Myles Artis, Chris Taylor, Justin Byrd, Ben Crancer,
Clark Randall, and Connor Jacobs and their parents prior to the game.
Enjoying their finest season, the Summit Falcons entered with a 17-7
record, led by one of the top players in the league in point guard Jory
Woodson.
A large Pioneer crowd was treated to a solid defensive effort and
balanced scoring as four Pioneers got into the act including sophomore
Eric McWoods who connected from long range to help Kirkwood to a 17-8
advantage following one period.
McWoods, Justin Byrd, and Jordan Brown providing outstanding on ball
pressure throughout the night as the Pioneers forced Woodson into
several turnovers and 4-of-16 shooting.
Only a poor effort from the line could stall the Pioneers who took a
31-22 advantage into the half.
With a large group of future Pioneers watching on Post Game with
the Pioneers night the Pioneers used the same receipe for success in the
second half.
Pressure defense and balanced scoring allowed Kirkwood to finish the
regular season with a 62-54 home victory.
Sophomore Antonio Weston put forth the finest effort of his
career finishing with 24 points and 20 rebounds.
Senior Connor Jacobs added 13 boards.
The Pioneers improved to 15-11 and a second place finish in the Suburban
South with a 5-2 mark.
Pioneers upset in district semifinal
February 22, 2012
KIRKWOOD-In an upsetting end to what had been a solid season the No. 2
seeded Pioneers were upended in the second round of district play by an
inspired group of Lindbergh Flyers 54-49.
Lindbergh led 12-11 after one period, then a Blake Welch basket at the
buzzer sent the Flyers excitedly to the locker room with a 24-21 half
time advantage.
The Pioneers seemed to wake in the third period, intensifying their
defensive pressure and finding scoring from five different Pioneers.
Four crucial possessions in the final period would spell doom for the
Pioneers who had tied the game.
A trio of turnovers and a poor shot allowed Lindbergh to gain
separation they would not relinquish in a five point victory.
A final attempt down 3-points with just seconds remaining was stolen by
Welch who raced to the other end with Pioneer hopes for victory.
Lindbergh advanced to the championship game to face Vianney and the
Pioneer season ended sadly at 15-12.