The St. Louis metro area has a new athlete that will be performing at the highest level after the NBA draft was completed Thursday evening while a local high school graduate kicked off his summer by qualifying for a major junior championship this past Monday. There is also going to be a ton of action on the courts and on the football field, this weekend as teams start to wrap up their summer contact periods.
Let’s get caught up in this week’s edition of the Friday Fast Break.
E.J. Liddell from Belleville West will be the latest basketball player to join the NBA after he was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans in the second round of the NBA Draft Thursday evening. Liddell had an outstanding career at Ohio State and was the top player for the Buckeyes this past season. Liddell led Ohio State in scoring with 19.4 points per game average while also pacing the Buckeyes in Rebounds and blocked shots. He was a consensus third-team All-American and earned Big Ten first-team honors and was named to the conference All-Defensive team. In his time at Belleville West, he led the Maroons to a pair of IHSA state championships and was named Mr. Basketball in Illinois on two occasions.
On the links, 2022 Lafayette graduate Trip Sanfelippo earned one of two qualifying spots in the upcoming U.S. Junior Amateur with a second-place finish in the local qualifier at Sunset Country Club Monday afternoon. Sanfelippo shot a 2-under-par 70 to finish in the runner-up slot behind eventual winner Carson Kammann from Knoxville, Tenn. Sanfelippo ended his high school career at the Missouri State High School Activities Association Class 4 championship with a 14th place finish as he will be attending Indiana University in the fall. The duo will move on to the U.S. Junior Amateur that will be held at Bandon Dunes in Oregon the week of July 25.
Action on the hardwood heats up this weekend over at Edwardsville High School as the NCAA and the Illinois High School Association will be putting on their Live Showcase. There will be 110 games over the three days with many teams from the metro area participating. This event will allow local players to perform in front of many college coaches from around the country. Some of the local teams that will take part in the event are Webster Groves, Vashon, Edwardsville, Whitfield, Althoff, Belleville East, De Smet, Belleville West, O’Fallon, and St. Louis University High School. Games start Friday at noon at the home of the Tigers and Liberty Middle School.
Some of the top local football teams will take part in the St. Louis Football Coaches Association 7 v 7 football tournament that will be held at Troy High School Saturday. Ten teams will take part in the event that will allow coaches to see their players compete against some of the top talents in the area. The teams that will play are St. Mary’s, Fort Zumwalt North, De Smet, Lutheran North, Chaminade, Troy, John Burroughs, St. Charles West, Wright City, and Priory. Play will begin at 9 a.m. with the championship taking place around 1 p.m.
Jim Powers has been covering prep sports in the St. Louis area for 15+ years and a part of the Missouri State High School Activities Association Championship Broadcasts for the past 11 years. Powers is also a part of the Fox 2 Verlo Mattress Prep Zone Friday nights at 10:10 during the football and basketball seasons. If you have a prep sports story, please contact Jim at japowers2421@yahoo.com. Follow Jim at @hssportscaravan
