FLORISSANT • Caleb Greenwalt is generously listed at 5-foot-10. But the Maplewood-Richmond Heights junior shooting guard made a giant impact Saturday afternoon at the Slam Dunk Heart Disease event at Hazelwood Central.
Greenwalt scored a team-high 12 points as he knocked down four 3-pointers, three in the second half, to help Maplewood rally past No. 10 small school Whitfield 47-41.
“It felt good,” Greenwalt said.
Maplewood (11-5) was playing down a man, so to speak, after head coach Corey Frazier was unable to be with his team after being ejected in the first quarter of the Blue Devils South Central Athletic Association game at Valley Park on Friday. Per MSHSAA rules, a player or coach who is ejected is ineligible to participate in the next game.
Assistant coach John Redden took over head-coaching duties, and he’s proved to be good at it. In his 10 years at Maplewood, Redden is 5-0 filling in for Frazier due to illness or suspension.
“It’s a big win,” Redden said of Saturday’s victory. “That’s a state contender in Class 3.”
Whitfield (13-7) was also down a man. According to Whitfield coach Mike Potsou, Zach Ellis is out with an injury. Potsou said that it is not a season ending injury, and he hoped Ellis would only miss a week.
Without Ellis, the Warriors were able to open up a nine-point halftime lead. Guard Darrion Harris led the way with 14 points, 13 of which came in the first half. Justin Thomas scored 11.
Whitfield forced the Blue Devils to play the game at its pace in the halfcourt. The Warriors attacked the basket and were rewarded. For the game they hit 22 of 30 free throws.
But the Whitfield offense went cold in the second half. The Warriors scored nine points in the third and fourth quarters combined and were held to just two field goals.
“We have to find more ways to score,” Potsou said. “With Zach out, we haven’t found other ways to score.”
The Blue Devils struggled to score in the first half but were able pick up the pace in the second half with their defense. Maplewood forced Whitfield into 18 turnovers, 11 of which came in the second half.
“We kept playing defense,” Redden said.
With Greenwalt providing timely scoring, Maplewood was able to get its nose out in front early in the fourth quarter and keep it there. Guard Kahlid Hagens gave Maplewood a four-point lead when he knocked down two free throws with 12.2 seconds to go.
Both of these teams have big games next week. Whitfield travels to No. 9 small school Borgia on Monday for a 7:30 tip. Maplewood returns to Hazelwood Central on Thursday for a 6:30 tip against the Hawks.
