First Look - Missouri Boys Basketball 2019-2020 season - Gateway South Conference

So far, I have analyzed three of the four Suburban conferences that were part of the reshuffle of teams to make up the Yellow, Red, Green and Blue conferences last year.  These conferences will probably change again, after a careful review, for the 2020-2021 season.  I will get to the Blue conference in my next post, but I am meandering a bit into the Gateway South Conference today to look at Francis Howell and the teams chasing them again this year.

The Gateway Conference, led by Howell last year, includes Francis Howell Central and North, Troy Buchanan, Timberland, and Fort Zumwalt West.  It is of key interest to me because several of the players in this conference play with Larry Hughes Basketball Academy during the AAU season, so I am fairly familiar with them and their high school competition.  Besides, Francis Howell, which lost to CBC in the State semi-final, will again be very strong.  Sorry Blue Conference, I will get to you soon.

Here's a team by team analysis of returnees, return scoring and their outlook this winter....


Gateway South 2018-2019 Record # % % Avg Avg 2020
Posted 9/7 2019 Rating Wins Losses  Returnees Return Scoring Hgt(") Hgt(")
Francis Howell 132 28 4 9 62% 55% 73.9 73.00
Significant returnees:
Matt Schark, Sam Thompson, Sam Maddox, Preston Fortner

Graduates:
Daylan Dalton, Patrick Schulte and Matthew Simmons (42% of scoring)

Outlook:
Howell was a freak injury away from blowing CBC off the court and winning the state championship the next night.  6'9" Sam Thompson, who dominated the defensive end, injured his shoulder on a block attempt that caught the net and CBC came back to edge the Vikings.  Lots of firepower back with the leading scorer Schark, skyscraper Thompson, Maddox and their jitter bug point guard, Fortner.  Schark will score 25 ppg but the team will have to find better chemistry that includes Thompson as the second option.  Thompson has been ignored by teammates his first two years.  They have to find their big man, who can shoot from anywhere on the court, to be as successful this year as last.   If they share the scoring burden, this tandem will be near impossible to stop.  Look for another 30 win and 130 rating season.



Gateway South 2018-2019 Record # % % Avg Avg 2020
Posted 9/7 2019 Rating Wins Losses  Returnees Return Scoring Hgt(") Hgt(")
Troy Buchanan 110 10 17 7 70% 54% 72.6 71.9

Significant returnees:
Griffin St. Pierre, Tyson Ludwig and Braden Nett

Graduates and transfers:
Jim King and Brendan Deters (transfer to St. Dominics) - 45% of scoring gone

Outlook:
Troy was an interesting young team who was actually a higher rating in 2018 vs. the previous year (110 vs. 107) but flipped from 17-10 to 10-17, due to a bunch of close losses. They were probably the best 10 game winner (or 17 loss team) in the state.  They would be even better with St. Pierre, Ludwig and Nett, if they hadn't lost Brendan Deters, a strong shooting guard with Prep Hoops accolades, to a transfer to St. Dom's.    The team will still be good but could have been something close to great.  15 wins and 110 rating are likely for this maturing group.



Gateway South 2018-2019 Record # % % Avg Avg 2020
Posted 9/7 2019 Rating Wins Losses  Returnees Return Scoring Hgt(") Hgt(")
Fort Zumwalt West 107 11 16 8 75% 50% 74 73.36364
Significant returnees:
Darius Turner and Kody Klingensmith

Graduates:
Kaileb Bryant, Brendan Douglas, Les Robinson, Jack Strassner (51% of scoring)

Outlook:
Zumwalt West flipped from a 15-12 winning record to an 11-18 record last winter, even with 60% of the team and 40% of the scoring back.  This winter, they bring back more firepower with Turner and Klingensmith, so let's figure they will turn the corner again for a 500 or better record.  Their rating really didn't change between 2017 and 2018, but their luck didn't hold.  Finishing games might be a place to start.... West lost 7 games by less than 9 points so they could easily won 15 games last year with some extra work. 



Gateway South 2018-2019 Record # % % Avg Avg 2020
Posted 9/7 2019 Rating Wins Losses  Returnees Return Scoring Hgt(") Hgt(")
Francis Howell Central 108 17 10 4 28% 30% 73.25 73.29
Significant returnees:
Myles Estrada and Logan Scott

Graduates:
Kaleb Anderson, Tyrek Coleman, Austin Crudup and Jordan Hayden (70% of scoring)

Outlook:
Last year, Howell Central, with a mainly senior team, jumped from 8 to 17 wins and from 104 to 108 rating.  The one key returnee, Myles Estrada, was the second leading scorer and he will need a lot of help from Scott and others to keep Central on the winning side of 500.  Estrada is a 6'1" scoring machine from anywhere on the court, capable of 20 plus points per game, but if he doesn't get significant help from the next crop of varsity players, opponents will double up on him and Central will drop back in the conference.  The CNR fall league should give us an inkling about their winter performance.



Gateway South 2018-2019 Record # % % Avg Avg 2020
Posted 9/7 2019 Rating Wins Losses  Returnees Return Scoring Hgt(") Hgt(")
Timberland 101 11 14 11 79% 43% 71.8 72.64
Significant returnees:
Jackson Lamb, Blake Lyerla among others 

Graduates:
Blake Busateri and Cole Martin (57% of scoring)

Outlook:
Timberland made good progress in the last two years, jumping from 8 to 11 wins, even though they had less than half the team and scoring back last year.  This winter, they have a good crop of players returning, led by Lamb and Lyerla who can score 15 ppg.  There are about five other guys that scored 80-100 points last year that could jump up and take a varsity starting position and get Timberland to 13-15 wins and 105 rating.  Who's in the gym right now, guys?  Get off your phones, stop reading this drivel and get to work.



Gateway South 2018-2019 Record # % % Avg Avg 2020
Posted 9/7 2019 Rating Wins Losses  Returnees Return Scoring Hgt(") Hgt(")
Francis Howell North 93 3 23 12 71% 55% 71.8 72.1
Significant returnees:
Clinton Okoulatsongo, Sterling Jones, Cameron Lewis

Graduates:
Anthony Hople, Miles Montgomery (45% of scoring)

Outlook:
The returnee numbers for players and scoring look great but they also were fantastic after a 4-20 2017-2018 season.  So after going 3-23 this past season, what does Howell North need to do to get on the winning track.  Hopefully the strong trio of Okoulatsongo, Jones and Lewis can help them get to double digit wins and a 95 to 100 rating.  If the program continues to mire in mediocrity, it might be time to look at the feeder program and how to bring players to the high school level with the skills to play in Gateway South.  Too many coaches overlook their feeder teams.  Prepare the soil for future planting.



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