Gramps 2020-2021 Missouri Hoops

 While I am busily working through all the Thanksgiving weekend tournaments and updating all six classes of boys and girls Missouri basketball, I am also expecting to see the new MSHSAA classifications and district assignments in the near future.  I probably will wait to post all class rankings until we have some more games and know where teams are assigned.  Early ratings are a crap shoot with only a few games to measure the team's ratings. But I do want to give a shout-out to the South Iron Panthers, who just released their winter boys schedule and it is a doozy.  While some teams will duck competition, the Panthers are playing with the Big Dogs this winter and I expect they will do just fine.  I have listed the top 25 teams in class one and there won't be much competition for them, if they stay in class one.  With former Dora coach, Rick Luna, and his boys heading to Viola, Arkansas this summer, South Iron will be looking for new rivalries.  Platte Valley and Mound City will

Two things on my mind today.... rumors that Sam Page is going to shut down St. Louis County sports and a few lines about St. Louis Christian Academy. First, the rumors.  Some are saying that Dr. Sam Page, St. Louis County executive, is going to announce a shut-down of sports on Friday.  I think Dr. Page has done a wonderful job managing the County during the pandemic.  According to a SLU study, the masking mandate, while unpopular with some, has led to fewer cases, and deaths, than if he had not mandated the order.  COVID Cases Dropped in Counties with Mask Mandates: SLU Study | News Blog (riverfronttimes.com) If we had the same orders in other Missouri counties, we might not be inundated with outstate patients.  Our Governor has decided on a laisse-faire approach and said that people should behave responsibly.  Well, it starts on top and if our President and our Governor had shown some responsibility, we would be more like South Korea (less than 600 deaths in 50 million people) than S

MASK UP!  That is what all the medical experts and scientists are saying.  It is not an infringement on you rights  to have to wear a mask.  It is your responsibility to your family, your community, your state and your country.  Not wearing a mask or purposely wearing it under your nose to flaunt authorities is selfish.  We could all die!  We are dying at an astounding rate that leaves me grieving for my friends and those faces I do not know.  South Korea has some 500 deaths with 50 million people because they are listening to their scientists and government.  Do something for your country!  MASK UP! The St. Louis Suburban conference just issued new guidelines for high school basketball games in St. Louis County during the Covid-19 pandemic.  I am really glad that they have implemented these drastic measures rather than cancelling the season totally.  Per Jim Powers, " the mask rules are for all STL Co. players and officials, public and private. And from what I am under standing,

  The past three years, I have been calculating Missouri Boys high school basketball ratings using a Sagarin-like rating system where I compare head-to-head and comparative scores to calculate a power rating for each school. This past year, I took a look at the Missouri Girls high school scene for the very first time.  I don't have the same historical ratings for girls that I have for boys, so I am going to report last March's final ratings as the pre-season ratings.  As the season progresses (cross your fingers), I will update both the boys and girls ratings on this blog. I am posting boys and girls ratings by class and also overall.  All 500+ girls and 600+ boys teams are rated.  You won't find this anywhere else.  It is a work in progress but I think it beats the coaches and sports page polls that are not statistically based.  The difference between any two teams rating is the predicted spread.  I have taken a look at St. Louis area teams and their returnees.  I have fac