MRH Boys Fall Flat in Webster Classic Consolation Game

WEBSTER GROVES – On Saturday afternoon, the two teams on the court–Maplewood Richmond Heights and Miller Career Academy–seemed like teams with two different missions. And for the first three-plus quarters, Miller looked like the team with a mission to win.

The Miller Career Academy Phoenix scored first, then double- and triple-teamed Kevin Baker, Tony King and every other Blue Devil who got the ball. MRH (2-4) didn't respond until it was too late. Miller harassed MRH for 32 minutes and defeated the Blue Devils, 61-49, in the consolation final of the 11th Annual Webster Classic at Webster Groves High School.

"They came out and bullied us, that's all I got to say," MRH sophomore guard Wes Williams said. "We didn't start playing hard until the fourth quarter."

There's a good rivalry between the schools. The two head coaches, MRH's Corey Frazier and Miller Career's Dale Turner, coach a summer league together, which featured many players from both teams.

"It's nothing new to each other when we see each other," Frazier said. "It's one of those things that whoever comes to play hard is going to win. We didn't come ready to play hard."

"We're good friends," Turner said, "but, competition-wise, there's no friends in competition. I really wanted my kids to be ready to come out and play." He said they were missing three seniors because they were taking the ACT, so he really needed his juniors to come to play, and they came through.

Turner said his team's solid defense knocked MRH off balance, and he knew they needed to stop Baker. "Obviously I know him, and he is a good player. He's the kind of kid that if he gets it going it's difficult to slow him down. And we did a good job earlier of finding him and not giving him space."

MRH was outscored 12-4 in the first period, not putting in its first field goal (a Baker 3-pointer) until 1:45 remained in the first period. At the half, Miler led 24-17. The Phoenix poured it on in the third, outscoring MRH 21-9 to go ahead 45-26 after three quarters.

Baker, a sophomore, was MRH's high scorer with 21 points, 16 of which came in the fourth period. King, a senior, added 4 and senior Greg Jerrett scored 5.

Junior Warren McLeod was Miller Career Academy's high scorer with 20 points. His first 10 came in the first quarter. He had 2 in the third period and 8 points in the fourth. Miller had 27 attempts from the free-throw line and made 21. MRH was 8-for-12 from the line.

"On the court, it's personal," Frazier said, "and that's how it should be. If you're going to compete, if you're a competitor of any kind, then you need to come ready to play. For 32 minutes, we got to give people hell. And we didn't do that until the last quarter."