Boys basketball preview capsules for Class 4 AND 5 districts involving area teams:
CLASS 5 DISTRICT 1 AT JACKSON
Seeds: No. 1 Cape Girardeau Central (18-6), No. 2 Poplar Bluff (8-15), No. 3 Jackson (15-12), No. 4 Northwest (5-20), No. 5 Seckman (2-22)
Final: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Notes: Central won this district a year ago, and the Tigers are once again the favorites. The only other team with a winning record in this district, Jackson finished second last season after winning the district in 2010. Christian Lamborn (13.3 ppg), a 6-foot-4 senior forward, is the top player for Northwest. Seckman, which has just two seniors, has a 6-4 sophomore center in Paul Stephens (8.6 points, 7.7 rebounds).
CLASS 5 DISTRICT 2 AT ST. LOUIS U. HIGH
Seeds: No. 1 Webster Groves (22-4), No. 2 CBC (16-10), No. 3 Ladue (18-8), No. 4 Chaminade (9-16), No. 5 SLUH (12-14), No. 6 Roosevelt (6-15)
Final: 7 p.m. Friday
Notes: Webster Groves, No. 6 among area large schools, enters districts on a positive note after overcoming a 16-point third-quarter deficit to beat Parkway Central 70-63 on Friday for its 80th consecutive victory in Suburban South Conference play. The Statesmen are led by three seniors in Rayshawn Simmons (16 points, 7.9 assists), Demetrius Robinson (15.3 points) and Peter Fairbanks (14.1 points, 81 3-pointers). CBC is young but talented, led by 6-7 sophomore forward Jordan Barnett (14.3 points, 7.1 rebounds). Junior point guard Cornell Johnston (16.7 points, 6.7 assists, 3.2 steals) leads Ladue.
CLASS 5 DISTRICT 3 AT PARKWAY SOUTH
Seeds: No. 1 Parkway South (20-6), No. 2 Lafayette (17-8), No. 3 Summit (17-8), No. 4 Eureka (11-13), No. 5 Marquette (15-10), No. 6 Parkway West (6-17)
Final: 8 p.m. Friday
Notes: Parkway South has twice defeated Lafayette, including 70-58 on Friday to clinch the Suburban West Conference. South has won eight of its last nine games. Joel Pennington (14.6 points) is the all-time leader in assists and 3-pointers for Lafayette. Led by junior guard Jory Woodson (16.5 points), Summit improved from 11 wins a year ago and eight the season before. Marquette has struggled this winter, but has the top player in the district in 6-10 senior Missouri signee Ryan Rosburg (21 points, 11.1 rebounds). Marquette won its district as a No. 3 seed a year ago.
CLASS 5 DISTRICT 4 AT PARKWAY CENTRAL
Seeds: No. 1 De Smet (18-8), No. 2 Parkway North (19-6), No. 3 Parkway Central (15-10), No. 4 Hazelwood West (12-14), No. 5 Pattonville (11-13), No. 6 Ritenour (4-20)
Final: 7 p.m. Friday
Notes: De Smet, No. 8 among area large schools, features one of the area's top talents in 6-8 junior forward Nolan Berry (20 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.7 blocks) and has a playmaking junior point guard in Jimmy Barton (12.2 points, 8.4 assists). Senior 6-8 forward Darrell Johnson (16.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, 5.1 blocks) leads Parkway North. Parkway Central also has a good post player in 6-7 senior forward Zach Biggs (16.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.9 blocks). Hazelwood West won four of its final six games.
CLASS 5 DISTRICT 5 AT FOX
Seeds: No. 1 Vianney (24-1), No. 2 Kirkwood (15-11), No. 3 Lindbergh (12-13), No. 4 Oakville (8-17), No. 5 Mehlville (6-18), No. 6 Fox (5-20)
Final: 7 p.m. Friday
Notes: Vianney, No. 2 among area large schools, capped a remarkable regular season with its first Metro Catholic Conference championship. The Golden Griffins have a strong mix of players, led by the school's all-time leading scorer in senior guard Tony Cochran (16.3 points, 76 3-pointers). Vianney beat Kirkwood 65-42 on Jan. 24. Kirkwood beat Lindbergh 52-34 on Jan. 27. Oakville has two good sophomores in 6-10 center Austin Gillmann (13.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.0 blocks) and 6-5 forward Ervin Sarajlic (12.4 points, 42 3-pointers).
CLASS 5 DISTRICT 6 AT TIMBERLAND
Seeds: No. 1 Troy (19-7), No. 2 Holt (12-13), No. 3 Francis Howell (9-16), No. 4 Fort Zumwalt West (10-15), No. 5 Timberland (6-17)
Final: 7 p.m. Friday
Notes: Troy beat Holt 79-67 on Friday to capture the Gateway South Conference championship. The Trojans, who finished second in Class 5 a year ago, have five scoring options, led by senior guard Derek Deters (16.5 points) and junior guard Ben Chaney (12.4). Howell beat Troy 59-52 on Feb. 10 and Zumwalt West 60-54 last Tuesday. The Vikings, led by 6-2 sophomore forward Nic Perkins (13.9 points, 8.4 rebounds), went 8-5 down the stretch after a rough start.
CLASS 5 DISTRICT 7 AT FORT ZUMWALT NORTH
Seeds: No. 1 Fort Zumwalt South (14-11), No. 2 Fort Zumwalt North (14-10), No. 3 Francis Howell Central (9-16), No. 4 Francis Howell North (8-17), No. 5 Fort Zumwalt East (9-16)
Final: 7 p.m. Friday
Notes: Zumwalt South beat Zumwalt North 60-57 on Jan. 31 and finished the regular season strong by winning seven of its final eight games. Zumwalt North won its final six games of the regular season, and sophomore guard Chaz Glotta (18.9 points) led the Gateway North Conference in scoring, followed by Josh Ross (15.7 points) of Zumwalt East.
CLASS 5 DISTRICT 8 AT MCCLUER
Seeds: No. 1 McCluer North (22-1), No. 2 Hazelwood Central (19-6), No. 3 McCluer (23-3), No. 4 Riverview Gardens (15-10), No. 5 Hazelwood East (12-13), No. 6 Normandy (7-17)
Final: 12 p.m. Saturday
Notes: The area's best district is loaded again. Defending Class 5 champion McCluer North is the top-ranked large-schools squad in the area. North has won 20 straight games and won the Suburban North Conference after beating both Hazelwood Central and McCluer. The Stars won their district a year ago as a No. 3 seed. Eighth-ranked Hazelwood Central and third-ranked McCluer are capable of winning this district. McCluer has won nine straight games and 14 of its last 15. Riverview Gardens junior guard Tyrin Williams (22.4 points) led the league in scoring, ahead of McCluer senior guard Demetrious Floyd (16) and Central's 6-8 junior forward Jordan Martin (14.9).
CLASS 5 DISTRICT 9 AT SMITH-COTTON
Seeds: No. 1 Rock Bridge (21-4), No. 2 Jefferson City (9-16), No. 3 Hickman (14-10), No. 4 Washington (10-14), No. 5 Smith-Cotton (7-16)
Final: 7:45 p.m. Friday
Notes: Rock Bridge is led by junior point guard Travis Jorgenson, who has made an early commitment to Missouri. Jefferson City has lost nine straight games. Jimmy Whitt (13.8 points) is the leading scorer for Hickman. Washington is led by junior guard Luke Schroepfer (14.5 points) and sophomore guard Ronnie Suggs (11.7).
CLASS 4 DISTRICT 2 AT POTOSI
Seeds: No. 1 De Soto (22-4), No. 2 Farmington (14-10), No. 3 North County (13-9), No. 4 Park Hills Central (12-11), No. 5 Potosi (2-21)
Final: 7 p.m. Thursday
Notes: De Soto is the top seed on the strength of senior guard and SEMO recruit Jared White, who's averaging 22 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. He should be the Jefferson County Conference Player of the Year for the third consecutive season. The Dragons also trot out 6-10 SEMO recruit Colin Ferguson, who's averaging over 12 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks per game. Farmington is the defending district champion.
CLASS 4 DISTRICT 3 AT LUTHERAN SOUTH
Seeds: No. 1 Festus (14-5), No. 2 Pacific (17-8), No. 3 Lutheran South (11-14), No. 4 Hillsboro (15-9), No. 5 Windsor (9-12), No. 6 Affton (12-12)
Final: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Notes: Festus was the only team in the Jefferson County Conference to beat De Soto. The Tigers are led by Jeremy Moss (14 points, 5 assists) and Collin Beffa (12 points). Festus did lose to both Pacific and Lutheran South at the Union Tournament at the end of January. Hillsboro boasts three players averaging double figures in scoring, led by Erik Maynard's 17 per game. Hillsboro is the defending district champion.
CLASS 4 DISTRICT 4 AT DUBOURG
Seeds: No. 1 Imagine (18-7), No. 2 Vashon (15-6), No. 3 Gateway Tech (13-10), No. 4 St. Mary's (12-12), No. 5 Miller Career (11-12), No. 6 DuBourg (5-18)
Final: 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Notes: Imagine doesn't know if junior point guard Martavian Payne will be available because of a knee injury sustained near the end of January. Kevin Baker is the Bears top scorer at over 16 points per game. The only other player averaging double figures in points is Payne (15). Vashon has won five straight headed into district play. The Wolverines are led by Derrick Mitchell and Antonio Hopkins who are averaging 16 and 15 points, respectively. Imagine won its first district championship last year.
CLASS 4 DISTRICT 5 AT JENNINGS
Seeds: No. 1 Soldan (19-5), No. 2 Jennings (11-15), No. 3 Beaumont (9-14), No. 4 Sumner (7-16), No. 5 Trinity (11-13), No. 6 McCluer South-Berkeley (5-17)
Final: 6:30 p.m. Friday
Notes: Soldan is the No. 1-ranked small school and two-time Class 4 third-place finisher. The roster has nine seniors, led by SEMO football recruit Paul McRoberts and Randy Holmes, each of whom averages 14 points. The Tigers lost one game all season to an area team, and that was No. 3 large school McCluer. Jennings has won six of its last eight games. The Warriors depend on senior point guard Raheim Holloway (16 points, 4 assists) and Courtney Stockard (12 points).
CLASS 4 DISTRICT 6 AT MICDS
Seeds: No. 1 Westminster (21-4), No. 2 University City (17-8), No. 3 MICDS (15-8), No. 4 Clayton (9-15), No. 5 Priory (7-17)
Final: 8 p.m. Friday
Notes: Westminster gets contributions from all over the court. The Wildcats have three players averaging double figures -- Jack Dohr (15), John Eric Steiner (15) and Connor Flemming (13). Dorh and Steiner have shot over 90 3-pointers and are hitting at better than 35 percent. Travon Williams, the reigning Suburban South Conference Player of the Year, leads U. City at 20 points per game. MICDS won the Metro League despite only sophomore guard Rashad Lindsey averaging in double figures at 12 per game. Clayton is the defending district champion.
CLASS 4 DISTRICT 7 AT ST. CHARLES WEST
Seeds: No. 1 Duchesne (17-8), No. 2 St. Dominic (13-11), No. 3 St. Charles (11-13), No. 4 St. Charles West (6-18), No. 5 Warrenton (4-20)
Final: 8 p.m. Friday
Notes: Duchesne is the defending district champion. It beat every team in the district this season. The Pioneers spread the scoring responsibilities around as Trevor Tune, Ryan Tune, Drew Moore and Sam Briscoe all average more than 10 points. Ryan Tune and Briscoe have proven deadly long range shooters. Tune has hit 43 percent of his 115 triples, and Tune has knocked down 40 percent of his 102 3-pointers. St. Dominic is led by Alex Hagan (14 points) and Michael Schneider (13 points, 7 rebounds).
CLASS 4 DISTRICT 9 AT UNION
Seeds: No. 1 Borgia (20-5), No. 2 Sullivan (16-8), No. 3 Salem (11-13), No. 4 Union (11-14), No. 5 St. Clair (8-18), No. 6 Owensville (1-23)
Final: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Notes: Borgia has been to the Class 4 semifinals three consecutive years, earning one state title and two runner-up finishes. Borgia has won its district tournament seven of the last nine years. The Knights are led by Bryce Dolan (18 points), whose 3-point range appears limitless. He's taken 202 3-pointers and connected on 45 percent of them. Jacob Martin averages 12 points. Sullivan (16-8) depends on Justin Biermann (16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals). Sullivan will be playing with heavy hearts. Tianna Stockley, 18, a four-year starter who has earned a softball scholarship to Southeast Missouri, died early Sunday in an automobile accident.
