MBCA: Ramey earns 2018 Player of the Year, Blossom earns 2018 Coach of the Year

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Courtney Ramey has earned the 2018 Missouri Basketball Class 5 Player of the Year Award!  In 23 games, Ramey averaged 21.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, and 6.6 apg on 49% shooting from the field.  He also shot just over 81% from the free throw strike.  Besides the tremendous stat line, Ramey’s unrivaled point guard prowess led the 2017-2018 Statesmen to a repeat State Championship.  As an unselfish, brilliant play-maker with court vision like no other player in Missouri, he was able to guide his team through the playoff gauntlet and hoist yet another championship trophy.   Congrats to Courtney for an unforgettable season and a purely remarkable career!

Coach Jay Blossom has deservedly won the 2018 Missouri Basketball Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year honors.  His 2017-2018 Statesmen team posted a 22-9 record while playing a national schedule, many games of which Webster was without Ramey due to an early season broken wrist injury.  Blossom’s decision to increase the regular season strength of schedule paid off in the playoffs as the Statesmen were prepared and built for all its post-season adversity.  The Statesmen played against nearly 10 nationally-ranked teams this season; 4 of those teams finished the year listed on USA Today’s High School Hoops Nationally-Ranked Top 25 List (Memphis East, Brentwood Academy, Mountain Brook, Belleville West).  The schedule also included strong national opponents such as Hudson Catholic (NJ), Oak Hill Academy (VA), Christ the King (NY), Mount Vernon (NY), Wheeler (GA), and Fern Creek (KY).  Blossom’s impressive feat was his ability to challenge this year’s group and prepare them for its repeat state championship run while managing two superstars alongside a unit without much true varsity experience.  He also was able to direct and manage an unusually large coaching staff with many different perspectives and personalities.  Blossom has undoubtedly earned this season’s Coach of the Year award for the state of Missouri.  Congrats, Coach Blossom!

Jim Krebs Night

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Jim Krebs Night at Roberts Gym: January 15, 2010

January 15th was “Jim Krebs Night” in Roberts Gymnasium, honoring the 1952-53 Statesmen basketball team. The 52-53 team went the final four in the 1953 State Championship playoffs, and went home with the third place title. The Statesmen were undefeated going into the final four, but were defeated in their first game putting them in the third place game. The team was lead by Webster Groves only All-American basketball player and only NBA player, Jim Krebs. Jim scored 61 points in the third place game, a Missouri state record that still stands today. Krebs was drafted in the first round by the Minneapolis Lakers where he played all seven of his seasons in the NBA, and was there when the team moved to Los Angeles. Tragically, in the off season after his seventh year in the league, Krebs was killed in an accident while helping a neighbor move a tree after a storm. Jim’s death was a tragic loss all across the city of Webster Groves. On the 15th, four players from the 1952-53 team as well as Jim’s sister and nephew came in from around the country to be honored at the game. The Statesmen put on a show for the former team, beating Seckman by 50 points. Every player off the Statesmen bench played in the game, and 11 of them scored. During halftime of the game, Coach Blossom assisted Jim’s sister to mid court for the unveiling of a banner placed at the north end of the gym honoring Jim and the entire 1952-53 team.