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Mar 14, 2025

Class 1 boys basketball Final Four team capsules | Jefferson City News Tribune

Here are capsule looks at Braymer, Chadwick, St. Elizabeth and Wheatland, who are competing in the Class 1 boys basketball Final Four in Columbia. BRAYMER Record: 17-10. Coach: Remle Johnson (17-10

Here are capsule looks at Braymer, Chadwick, St. Elizabeth and Wheatland, who are competing in the Class 1 boys basketball Final Four in Columbia.

BRAYMER

Record: 17-10.

Coach: Remle Johnson (17-10 career record, all at Braymer).

Final regular-season ranking: Not ranked.

Notes: It’s the second consecutive Final Four appearance for Braymer. The Bearcats finished second last season. … Braymer won the Class 1 District 13 title as the No. 2 seed, edging top-seeded Faith Christian Academy 69-65 in overtime in the tournament championship game. The Bearcats then beat Grundy County/Newton-Harris in the sectionals before topping Rock Port, which was receiving votes in the state rankings, in the quarterfinals. .. The postseason run came after the Bearcats dropped three of four games to end the regular season. The five-game winning streak starting in the district tournament is their longest of the season. … Braymer scored a season-high 106 points in a victory against Breckenridge to open the district tournament. … During the basketball season, the Carroll-Livingston Activities Association voted 11-1 to suspend, then remove Braymer from the conference. The action was taken due to what were called “two concerning incidents involving Braymer C-4 athletes, coaches and spectators” and cited “severity of these incidents, coupled with previous reoccurring problems and the involvement of law enforcement.”

CHADWICK

Record: 21-7.

Coach: Ethan Garrett (212-90 career record, all at Chadwick).

Final regular-season ranking: No. 1.

Notes: The Cardinals look to repeat as state champions. In 2024, Chadwick defeated Green City 52-49 and Braymer 67-38 in the Final Four to win the title. … Clayton Garrison and Tristan Smith earned all-state honors as juniors last season for Chadwick. Garrison, a 6-foot-3 forward who was selected as the Class 1 player of the year last season by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association, leads the Cardinals in scoring this season at 22.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Smith totals 10.9 points per game. Prestin Kinyon, a sophomore, is a third Cardinal averaging in double figures at 14.3 points. … The Cardinals average 59.9 points per game, while allowing 41.2 to its opponents. … Chadwick has won seven of its last eight games, with the loss being a 62-60 decision Feb. 14 against Fatima in Westphalia. … Among its other losses are to Class 5 No. 6 Rolla (72-65), Class 3 No. 2 Montgomery County (63-49), Class 2 No. 6 Harrisburg (53-47) and Class 2 No. 2 Hartville (61-47). … The Cardinals won the District 4 Tournament title with victories against Hurley and Billings. The Cardinals then topped Eminence in the sectional before posting an overtime win against fourth-ranked Risco in the quarterfinals.

ST. ELIZABETH

Record: 21-9.

Coach: Caleb Heckemeyer (97-51 career record, all at St. Elizabeth).

Final regular-season ranking: No. 10.

Notes: It will be the eighth appearance all-time in the Final Four for the Hornets. St. Elizabeth has never failed to win at least one game in their previous trips, taking second three times and third in its other four appearances. … The Hornets average 67.7 points per game and allows an average 57.1 points to its opponents. … Gavin Williams tops the Hornets in scoring at 14.3 points, rebounding at 9.4 and assists at 4.5 per game. Nick Heckemeyer is next in scoring at 12.4 points and rebounding at 6.3 per contest. … St. Elizabeth has won its last six games, including a win against Prairie Home to win the District 9 Tournament title. The Hornets then defeated Cairo in the sectional before topping Class 1 tied No. 2-ranked Green City in the quarterfinals. … St. Elizabeth was 7-6 after the first 13 games this season. … The Hornets have won 18 district titles in program history, 13 since 2001.

WHEATLAND

Record: 27-3.

Coach: Brian Pearson (192-154 career record, 134-88 at Wheatland).

Final regular-season ranking: No. 7.

Notes: The 27 wins are the most in a single season for Wheatland. … The Mules total 59.7 points per game and allow 41.9 to their opponents. … Wheatland has three players averaging in double figures, led by 6-foot junior guard Nathan Sawyer at 16.4 points per game. Andrew Murphy, a 6-2 senior forward, is next at 12.9 points, with 6-1 senior guard Braden Sawyer scoring at 11.4 points per contest. Murphy tops the Mules in rebounding at 7.4 per contest. … Wheatland brings an 11-game winning streak into the Final Four. The Mules won the District 8 Tournament title with a 47-35 win against sixth-ranked Halfway, then defeated Kingsville and McCauley Catholic to advance to the Final Four. … The win against Halfway avenged a 69-38 loss to the Cardinals in the regular season. Wheatland’s other losses came to Class 2 No. 3 Norwood (65-37) in the regular season and Class 1 tied No. 2 Brunswick (60-51) in the Tipton Shootout. … Blair Oaks athletic director Clay Crouch was a two-time all-state basketball player for Wheatland in 2010 and 2011.