2005-2006 Varsity Season Recap

June 19, 2008

By iHigh Staff of Northwest High School

After losing three double-digit scorers and their second-leading rebounder to graduation, the Lions entered the 2005-2006 season inexperienced.  At the start of the season only one player had scored more than 70 varsity points.  The Lions played eight juniors and two sophomores during the season, only two of whom had prior varsity experience.  Thus over the course of 27 games, there were stellar moments and growing pains en route to a 12-15 overall and 2-6 conference record.  However, the season ended with the Lions first trip to a district championship game in ten years and increased excitement about future years.

  Good Things Come in Threes  The Lions opened the season on November 29 hosting the Sullivan Eagles, who also had lost key players to graduation.  The teams traded leads throughout the evening and were tied at 37 early in the fourth quarter.  In what would become a hallmark of many Northwest victories, the Lions sank 12 free throws in the final period to win 51-42.  Drew Moore finished with 21 points and 8 rebounds and Rob Clifford scored a career-high 13 points.

  Three days later came perennial Jefferson County power DeSoto.  The sting of losing in overtime at The Pit one year earlier was etched in the Lions minds.  The Dragons built a 16-9 lead early in the second quarter, but the Lions responded by scoring 14 consecutive points and at one time held a 29-18 advantage.  DeSoto came back, cutting the Lions lead to 40-39 with about 32 seconds remaining.  Drew Moore and Greg Carley contributed free throws in the final 22.3 seconds and Rob Clifford pulled a crucial rebound late in the game as the Lions won 43-39.  Jake Strauser finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.  The win over DeSoto was the Lions first since 1997.  Since DeSoto finished with 18 wins, the Jefferson County Conference championship, and a district title, this was a quality win for the up-and-coming Northwest squad.  The Lions were 2-0 for only the second time in ten years.

  No Northwest team had started 3-0 since 1995 and the Lions next obstacle was Timberland in the quarterfinals of the Northwest Mobil On the Run Classic on December 7.  One year earlier the Lions needed overtime to defeat the Wolves and Timberland had tuned up for the game by defeating EMO Conference power Elsberry.  The Wolves built an 8-point lead in the third quarter and remained ahead 38-33 entering the final period.  But the Lions delivered in the clutch as Jake Strauser put Northwest ahead for good with 3:53 left.  As with the win against DeSoto, the Lions lead was cut to one point with less than one minute remaining as Andrew Eddinger scored the last of his 23 points.  Jake delivered another clutch basket late and Drew Moore scrambled on the floor to earn a steal as Northwest finished with a 58-53 win, bolstered by 10-for-11 free throw shooting in the fourth quarter.  Jake scored a career high 22 points and made all ten of his attempts from the foul line and was later named to the All Tournament Team.  The win was the 100^th of Coach Bill Gunn's career, earning him a signed ball from the Lions players and kudos from many friends across Missouri on the MOSports website.

  The Lions then risked their 3-0 record against two-time defending state champion Poplar Bluff.  Facing Mississippi State signee Ben Hansbrough (whose brother Tyler plays at North Carolina and is considered a top NBA prospect), one might have expected the young Northwest team to be intimidated by the Mules.  However, the Lions battled, leading after one quarter and even as late as 3:12 remaining in the second following a Nathan Shelton basket.  Poplar Bluff pulled away with a 12-0 third quarter run and even though the Lions lost 75-55, people saw the potential in this squad.  The Lions finished fourth in their home tournament, losing 72-53 to Cape Central in the third-place game.

  The Seckman and Union Tournaments  Following an overtime loss to 19-game winner Festus, the Lions carried a 3-4 record into the Seckman Holiday Classic.  Northwest opened on December 26 against Rockwood Summit, a game carrying district seeding implications.  The Falcons built a 7-point lead early in the third quarter before the Lions responded with a 13-2 run.  Entering the final period with a slim 30-29 lead, Northwest delivered 19 free throws in the fourth quarter and won 53-42.  Drew Moore finished with a double-double (16 points, 11 rebounds) and Jake Strauser added 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals.

  After losing to eventual tournament champ Seckman in the semifinals, the Lions faced Francis Howell North in the third place game.  The Knights built a 21-13 lead, but a 10-2 Lions run tied the game at 23 entering halftime.  The third quarter ended in three of the strangest minutes of the season.  Trailing 32-31, the Lions stalled against the Knights zone.  Kenny Bechaud held the ball as two minutes ticked away.  After the Lions later committed a turnover, the Knights let the clock run under 10 seconds.  Nathan Shelton stole a loose ball, then scored at the buzzer to put the Lions ahead 33-32.  The Lions built a lead as big as eight points in the last quarter and earned a 52-49 win and the third-place trophy.  Again fourth quarter foul shooting was crucial as the Lions sank 10 of 14 free throws in the final eight minutes.  Drew Moore scored 16 points and Brian Chesnick scored 11 points.  Both players were named to the All-Tournament Team.

  The Lions returned to the Union Tournament in late January, opening with St. Clair, their opponent in the previous two consolation championship games.  After spotting the Bulldogs an early 7-2 lead, the Lions roared back with a 14-2 run.  The Lions continued scoring and earned a 64-50 win, their highest offensive output of the season.  Drew Moore scored a career-high 28 points and Greg Carley earned 10 points and 8 rebounds.  Northwest had earned its ninth win, exceeding some preseason predictions.

  Pacific defeated the Lions 63-46 in the semifinals, setting up a third-place game against potential district opponent Washington.  The Blue Jays were led by Scott Suggs, one of the most touted sophomores in metro St. Louis.  An unscientific poll on MOSports asked who would win the game and Washington was favored by a 6-3 margin; another thread discussing the margin predicted the Blue Jays winning by anywhere from 3-10 points.  The Blue Jays built a 28-15 lead in the second quarter and the prognosticators appeared prophetic, except possibly underestimating Washington's margin of victory.  Then the amazing happened.  Split between the second and third quarter, the Lions reeled off 26 consecutive points to snatch a 41-28 lead.  Brian Chesnick sank two 3-pointers and Drew Moore dropped a trey as the Lions scored the first 19 points of the second half.  The Lions outscored the Blue Jays 21-2 in the third quarter, part of the Lions best defensive quarter in nine years.  (One game later, Northwest held Summit to one point in the third period.)  Although the Blue Jays mounted a fourth-quarter rally, the Lions held on to win 56-52 and earn a plaque at Union for the fourth consecutive year.  Brian Chesnick finished with 14 points and Kyle Fowler scored 12 points.  More importantly, the Lions appeared likely to earn a bye in the district quarterfinals.

  Road Trip  On February 13 the varsity and JV Lions boarded a charter bus for central Missouri.  Even though the first game at Jefferson City High School wasn't until 5:30 pm, the Lions turned the day into a series of memorable experiences.  The first stop was at Columbia College, for a 45-minute practice in their field house.  After practice the Lions headed to the University of Missouri-Columbia and a tour of the new Mizzou Arena.  The teams saw the weight room, locker rooms, offices, luxury suites, and walked out onto the main court.  The university was attracting national attention that day as Tigers head basketball coach Quin Snyder resigned one day earlier.  Before heading south on Highway 63, the Lions ate lunch at Shakespeare's, a popular pizza restaurant in downtown Columbia.

  Through arrangements with the office of State Representative Rick Johnson (High Ridge), the teams toured the state capitol.  The players sat at representatives' desks in the House chamber and were taken into the dome, an echo chamber.  The House held a brief session at 4 pm and the Lions basketball teams were recognized by the assembly.  Representative Ron Casey (Crystal City) attended the Lions games later that evening and Representative Clint Zweifel even told his constituents in Hazelwood what a good group of young people the Lions players were.

  Unfortunately, the day's activities may have sapped the energy out of the Lions.  Except for a 26-26 tie in the third quarter, the Lions trailed all evening and lost to the Jays 53-36.  Despite the loss, the trip was a positive team-building experience for the Lions players and coaches.  Several fans braved the two-lane Highway 50, traveling to Jefferson City to support the Lions.

  Going Where No Lion Had Gone in Ten Years  The Lions struggled through much of February, facing powerhouses Lafayette, Jefferson City, and Kirkwood.  (The Pioneers were the first Lions opponent to reach the Final Four since DeSoto in 2002-2003.)  In addition, the Lions fell just short in road conference games at Oakville and Parkway South, so they entered districts with a five-game losing streak.  However, the Lions earlier wins against Rockwood Summit and Washington had earned them the second seed in the district tournament at Northwest.  The Lions were to face Summit in a semifinal game with the challenge of trying to defeat the Falcons for the third time in the season.

  Although Brian Chesnick opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, districts were a new experience for many Lions and there were jitters.  With the game tied at 4, the Lions unveiled their "secret weapon"-sophomore guard Cameron Nichols, who was making his varsity debut.  Cameron broke the tie with a putback and added a trey to put Northwest ahead 9-4.  Boosted by Cameron's performance, the Lions gained confidence and opened up a 21-12 lead.  The Falcons, fighting to extend their season, rallied and cut the Northwest advantage to 24-22 early in the third quarter.  Nathan Shelton symbolized the Lions determination, scoring in heavy traffic at the end of the third quarter to extend the lead to 32-25.  As was the case in many of Northwest's first 11 wins, the Lions delivered numerous fourth quarter free throws, getting points at the charity stripe from Jake Strauser, Drew Moore, Brian Chesnick, and Kyle Myers.  The defense held the Falcons to the fewest points by a Lions opponent since 2000, earning a 45-31 win.  Drew totaled 14 points and 9 rebounds.  The win sent the Lions to their first district championship game since 1996.

  Winning the district semifinal game energized the Northwest basketball community.  Over the next three days, Coach Gunn received congratulatory e-mails and phone calls from out-of-town Lions alumni including Casey Korn, Adam Cauley, and Andy Jones.  Sam Haug drove up from Cape Girardeau for the district championship game against Lafayette.  Since the Northwest girls team was also playing Lafayette for their district title, a large crowd in Cedar Hill was expected.

  The Lancers entered the game 19-8, including an undefeated Suburban West Conference championship.  District championship games were not a new experience for the Lancers as they had advanced to the sectional in 2005 and finished third in Class 5 in 2004.  For the Lions, this was a first-time experience.  The Lions were not bothered by their underdog status; instead, this was an opportunity to show that Northwest could compete with the area's top programs.

  As in the semifinal win, Brian Chesnick scored the first three points of the game on a trey.  The Lancers used an early 8-0 run to take a 10-6 lead.  The teams stayed close throughout the first three quarters.  Drew Moore tied the game at 24 in the third quarter with his fourth 3-pointer of the game and Brian Chesnick subsequently gave Northwest a 26-24 lead.  The Lions trailed by only one point entering the fourth quarter and knowing how many times the players had sank clutch free throws late in the game, an upset seemed possible.  Unfortunately, the lack of postseason experience caught up to the Lions and an 11-2 Lancer run at the start of the fourth quarter sent Lafayette to its fourth consecutive district title.  Despite the 49-35 loss, the Lions competitiveness earned the respect of many people and gave the Northwest program something to build on for next season.

  Staffing the Program  In order to run a first-rate program with emphasis on game film, shot charts, and statistics, the Lions enlarged their crew this season.  Dave Thomas, a senior, joined the team as an assistant statistician and was typically the first person to learn when a player reached a milestone.  Chadd Lammert, Maggi Vivrett, John Hunter, and Ashley Skouby worked as student assistants.  Chadd and Maggi have worked with the team for three years.  John is in his second year with the program and Ashley joined the team this season.  Their work throughout the season was greatly appreciated by the Lions coaching staff.For the first time since the award began in 2002-2003, the Lions had two winners of the Pride of a Lion award-Rob Clifford and Jake Strauser.  Rob is the first two-time recipient of the award, having earned the plaque as a junior when he stepped up in the face of injuries to other guards.  He has given considerable time to the Lions youth programs through Saturday leagues and fall open gyms.  Jake has been a leader in the locker room and also given time to the development of future Lions players.  In an article in the January 18 Meramec Journal, Jake was cited by Kyle Fowler for helping him develop his inside game, as post players have a larger role in Missouri basketball than in Florida.

  Records are Made to be Broken

  Brian Chesnick sank 44 of his 52 free-throw attempts this season, leading the Suburban West with an 84.6% percentage.  Only one St. Louis area player with at least 50 attempts finished with a higher percentage.  Brian narrowly broke the school record set by Richard Cliffe 34 years ago.  Cliffe finished the 1971-1972 season with an 84.5% mark at the charity stripe.

  Rising to the Occasion  The Lions defeated two district champions this season.  In addition to defeating DeSoto during the first week of the season, Northwest beat St. Pius X 60-50 on January 4.  Drew Moore led the Lions that night with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists.  The Lancers entered their sectional game with a 19-7 record and the January game was only their second loss to a Missouri team at that point.

  Another aspect worth noting is that the Lions did not slack against lesser opposition.  Northwest finished a perfect 8-0 against teams that won 12 games or fewer; the worst 2005-2006 record of any team to defeat the Lions was 13-14 (Oakville).  The Lions defeated four teams with 13 or more wins:  DeSoto, Timberland, St. Pius X, and St. Clair.

  The Players

  Junior guard Drew Moore averaged 15.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2 steals per game.  He joined Casey Korn as the only two Lions to score over 400 points in a season during the past decade and was the first Northwest player to win a conference scoring title in recent years.  Drew also led the Suburban West by making 93 free throws.  Drew scored over 20 points five times this season and posted double-doubles in wins against Rockwood Summit on December 26 and St. Pius X on January 4.  In addition to his performances already described, Drew scored 23 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in the Lions 58-54 conference win against Mehlville on January 6, part of a four-game winning streak.  Drew will enter his senior year with 76 varsity games experience and career stats of 668 points, 438 rebounds, 105 assists, 102 steals, and 62 blocks.

  Senior forward Jake Strauser averaged 7.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and just over 1 assist per game.  Jake recorded his only career double-double against Pacific on January 27, finishing the Union Tournament game with 12 points and 11 rebounds.  His career scoring high of 22 points came in the Lions comeback win against Timberland on December 7 and included a 10-for-10 performance at the free-throw line.  Jake had a 17 point, 7 rebound game in the Lions conference win against Fox on January 10.  Despite injuries costing him a number of games during his sophomore and junior years, Jake appeared in 56 varsity games, totaling 248 points, 205 rebounds, and 31 steals.  Jake plans to play college basketball at St. Louis Christian College in Florissant next season.

  Senior guard Rob Clifford scored 104 points, passed 29 assists, and grabbed 78 rebounds and ranked second on the team with 13 blocked shots.  Rob scored a career-high 13 points in the season-opening win against Sullivan and had a 3-assist, 3-steal game against Timberland.  In the Lions three wins against Summit, Rob averaged 6.3 points and 5 rebounds per game.  Late in the win against Washington, Rob made a court-length pass to assist on a basket which gave the Lions a 5-point lead with under 12 seconds left.  The only two-time recipient of the Heart of a Lion award, Rob played in 53 games with career totals of 174 points, 117 rebounds, 52 assists, 45 steals, and 21 blocks.  Rob plans to attend Missouri State University next season.

  Junior guard Brian Chesnick scored 109 points, but will best be remembered this season for breaking the 34-year-old school record for free-throw percentage.  Brian scored a career-high 15 points on February 7 against Lafayette, but had many of his finest moments in tournaments.  Against Howell North in the Seckman Tournament, Brian scored 11 points, earning himself a spot on the All-Tournament Team.  His performance against Washington was even more superb, sinking a pair of 3-pointers early in the third quarter and finishing with 14 points in the comeback win.  Brian also opened the scoring in each of the two district contests, dropping treys in each game to give the Lions a 3-0 lead.

  Junior guard Greg Carley averaged 6.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game and ranked second on the team with 32 assists.  Greg's performance against district rivals was crucial in securing the second seed as he scored 10 points and pulled 8 rebounds in the Lions win against Washington and sank five free throws in the January 31 win against Summit.  Greg scored a career-high 13 points at Pacific on January 17 and nabbed 4 steals in the district opening win against Summit.

  Junior forward Kyle Fowler finished his inaugural Missouri season with 100 points, 61 rebounds, 16 steals, and 9 blocks.  Kyle transferred from Fletcher High School in Jacksonville, Florida.  Following a 12-point, 7-rebound performance in the Lions win against Fox, Kyle said in a Meramec Journal article he was learning a different role as post players here get more scoring opportunities than in Florida.  Kyle scored a career-high 14 points against Marquette on January 20 and 12 points against Washington on January 28.

  Junior guard Kenny Bechaud scored 84 points and ranked second on the team with 33 assists.  Kenny scored 8 points against Timberland on December 7 and again at Jefferson City on February 13.  He finished with 7 points in the first win against Summit and sank late free throws in the second win against the Falcons.  Kenny nabbed 4 steals against Washington, and basked in the spotlight of getting to hold the ball for over two minutes against Howell North on December 28.  Kenny has played in 40 games with career totals of 110 points, 60 rebounds, and 38 assists.

  Junior guard Nathan Shelton scored 74 points and dished 27 assists.  Nathan ranked second on the team by connecting on 12 three-pointers.  Two of Nathan's highlights were buzzer-beating scores at the end of the third quarter against Howell North and in the district game against Summit.  Nathan sank all six of his free-throw attempts as part of an 8-point performance in the Lions 58-54 win against Mehlville.

  Senior guard Austin Henry sank 29% of his 3-point attempts this season (9-for-31).  Nicknamed "Iowa" after transferring from Heelan High School in Sioux City before his junior year, Austin scored 6 points apiece in conference games against Lindbergh and Lafayette.  Austin played in 49 games for Northwest, scoring 51 points (45 coming on 3-pointers), dishing 10 assists, and pulling 15 rebounds.  Austin's plans for next year are undetermined.

  Senior forward Phil Ward scored 6 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in 18 games.  Phil missed seven games after the car he was driving was struck by a hit-and-run driver on Highway 30, but escaped serious injury because he wore his seat belt.  Despite an injury-plagued career, Phil's hustle and positive attitude earned him the respect of many people.  Phil played in 33 games with career totals of 19 points, 10 assists, and 22 rebounds.  Phil plans to attend Maryville University next school year and major in physical therapy.

  Sophomore guard Cameron Nichols played in the two district games, totaling 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist.  Cameron's 5 points in the first quarter helped spark the postseason win against Summit.  Cameron led the JV Lions with 11.3 points per game and a 41.7% shooting percentage from behind the 3-point arc.

  Junior guard Kyle Myers scored 22 points and dished 9 assists in 24 games.  Kyle connected on 5 of 19 attempts from behind the arc (26%), including a 3-pointer which provided the margin of victory against Howell North in the Seckman Holiday Classic.

  Junior guard John McCarthy scored 5 points and pulled 5 rebounds in 20 games.  John's first two varsity points came in an unusual manner, on free throws following a technical against the Cape Central scorekeeper.  John sank a 3-pointer against Final Four team Kirkwood on February 21.

  Sophomore guard Colten Hill played in 8 varsity games, finishing with 3 points and 3 assists.  Colten averaged 7.2 points and nearly 3 assists per game for the JV team.

  Senior forward Zack Gearon scored 12 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in 11 games this season, including an 8-point performance against Festus on December 16.(The records are still being researched, a process which may take years, but this was the first time tentative records were printed.)  Prior to the Lions 58-54 win against Mehlville, the Lions 1996 district champion team was reunited.  As part of the ceremony, Northwest retired uniform number 4 in honor of Andy Guethle, the Lions all-time leading scorer.  This was the first number retired in the 50-year history of the Northwest basketball program.

  But Looking Toward an Even Better Future  The Lions preparations for next season start long before practice begins at the end of October.  The players will compete in summer leagues and team camps, participate in open gyms, and lift weights to get ready for next season.  The schedule will also look different without games against county rivals DeSoto and Festus.  However, the Lions will resume a rivalry with Hillsboro after a three-year hiatus and add St. Clair to the regular season schedule.  Holt and Springfield Hillcrest will replace Poplar Bluff and Cape Central in the Northwest Mobil On the Run Classic.

  Reaching the district championship game and returning most of the players are only part of the reason the Lions believe they are close to achieving higher win totals and advancing further in the playoffs.  Playing a difficult schedule, the JV team won 12 games and posted a 5-3 conference record.  The freshmen won three conference games even though they lost three ninth graders to the JV for the entire season.  The upgrades to the middle school development program paid dividends at the JV level, and should bear fruit for the varsity next year.  Talent continues to rise through the pipeline; the Lions two seventh-grade teams each won their pool at the Eureka Hoops Classic and faced each other in the championship game.  Tasting success will motivate Lions in all grade levels to work hard this summer to establish themselves as one of the top programs in metro St. Louis.