MIssouri Boys Basketball - All Schools divided by Class - February 19, 2021

Last night was special for me.  I got a chance to watch two of my favorite AAU players from our grandson's Larry Hughes 17U team, coached by Eric Bain.  Anthony Phiffer, a senior guard for an excellent Webster Groves Statesmen squad, was visiting a good Francis Howell Central Spartans, with their outstanding all-time leading scorer, Myles Estrada.  I have watched these guys play since grade school or middle school and they were "guarding" each other last night.  I say "guarding" because Phiffer, the ultimate defender had twenty points to lead the Statesmen to a 65-44 win over the Spartans, while Estrada dropped 22 points, including four threes from downtown St. Charles.  I mentioned them guarding each other and Coach Justin Mathes DMed me after the game to make fun of my choice of words.  He said guarding was a loose term for these two star players.  I disagreed.  Phiffer had his hand in Estrada's face at 25 feet and they were still dropping in without touching the net.  Phiffer is always hard to keep down with his 90 miles per motor.  It was great fun and Greg Uptain has a nice article at Back at full strength, Webster Groves knocks off Francis Howell Central | Boys Basketball | stltoday.com.  I hope some small college coaches were watching this pair.  They belong playing at a D2-D3 level next year.

What could make the week any better?  Well, tonight my grandson's Wildcats go to Webster Groves for a game in which Phiffer will probably be guarding Nate Parker and vice versa.  According to my ratings, Webster should have beaten FHC by 11 but they doubled that spread.  Tonight, I favor the Statesmen by a couple over a very good Eureka team.  I expect both Anthony and Nate will be fired up to face each other.  They were penultimate defenders and support players for Larry Hughes 17U but both can score when they put their mind to it.  Two top defenders, defending each other?  I hope they both drop 20 again.

I saw David Kvidahl's comments on my @810Varsity post about the best Missouri teams being in the same districts.  I fully agree.  Webster will have CBC, Chaminade, Ladue and Kirkwood in their class 6 4th district.  Ouch.  The same thing happens over in district 15 in Kansas City.  I have been posting district seedings and predictions HERE or Here and will continue through all the classes by early next week.

Here are all of the 545 Missouri boys basketball teams ranked by class.  Classes two and one are listed first, Classes four and three, and finally Classes six and five.

You will find the top 20 for each Missouri Boys class posted at www.810varsity.com every Wednesday.  Girls top 20 posts every other week.










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