The girls high school basketball season gets underway this week with two traditional tournaments.
The Columbia Tipoff Classic and Dupo Cat Classic signal the beginning of new campaign. Both eight-team affairs will run all week long.
Here are three storylines to keep an eye on for the upcoming season.
Incarnate Word junior Nevaeh Caffey (2) takes a shot over a defender during a girls Class 6 semifinal game on March 15, 2024 at Mizzou Arena on the campus of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, Post-Dispatch
Will Incarnate Word's winning streak stay intact?
The Bel-Nor school has won its last 131 games, the longest current run in the nation.
IWA has captured seven successive state championships and has 10 titles over the last 11 years that the event has been played. It is 233-25 over the last eight years.
Senior guard Nevaeh Caffey, the defending All-Metro player of the year, returns to the lead the way. She recently signed to attend Indiana University.
People are also reading…
The Red Knights sport a strong non-conference scheduled loaded with potential land mines. They face Etiwanda High of Etiwanda, California, on Jan. 20 in the James Naismith Classic in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Etiwanda is ranked No. 1 by Sports Illustrated in the preseason national rankings. The Eagles won 32 of 35 games last season and feature senior Grace Knox, a 6-foot-2 forward who has committed to LSU. Point guard Aliyahna Morris is bound for the University of California.
IWA's last loss was a 48-44 setback to Rock Bridge on Feb. 2020.
Jarius Powers (44) of Alton takes a shot against D'Myjah Bolds (3) of O'Fallon in the Class 4A Normal West Sectional semifinal at Belleville West High School in Belleville on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. Paul Baillargeon, Special to STLhighschoolsports.com
Will Alton take the next step?
The Redbirds won their first 17 games last season and reached the super-sectional round before falling to Waubonsie Valley 55-53.
Alton, which finished 32-3, returns three key starters from that team including senior winger Kiyoko Proctor, who averaged a team-best 14.9 points last season while topping the squad is steals (97) and assists.
Forwards Jarius Powers (14.1 points, 6.6 rebounds) and Talia Norman (7.3 rebounds) form a deadly one-two punch up front.
The defending Southwestern Conference champs are 63-5 over the last two seasons under coach Deserea Howard.
John Burroughs coach Jacob Yorg calls out a play to his team during a girls Class 5 semifinal game on March 13, 2024 at Mizzou Arena on the campus of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, Post-Dispatch
Title-winning teams with new coaches
Two coaches who guided their teams to state championships last season are no longer with those schools.
Jacob Yorg helped steer John Burroughs to the Class 5 state crown. He has moved on to St. Joseph's Academy. Yorg also coached Burroughs to the 2022 state title, the first in program history.
Yorg is replacing Julie Matheny, who stepped down after winning 517 games during a stellar 33-year career.
Chantell Polk helped guide Lift For Life to the Class 4 state championship. Polk was told in April that she would not be retained as coach at the downtown St. Louis school.
Polk compiled 36-10 record after taking over the program midway through the 2022-23 campaign. She had successful coaching stints and Lutheran North and Hazelwood Central.Â
Lift for Life's new head coach is Chris Porter.
