By Lonnel Cole, Argus Sports
Amid marches, worship services, tributes, and cultural celebrations, Martin Luther King Jr. Day carries another powerful tradition across the region: high school basketball. On Monday, January 19, more than 20 area high school games will tip off in an all-day celebration of hoops, competition, and community pride, with Clayton High School and Cardinal Ritter College Prep serving as host sites for packed shootouts that promise wall-to-wall action.
The Holiday Hoops Fest brings together programs from across Missouri and beyond, with teams traveling in from Hayti, Chicago, and Memphis. From early morning tip-offs to primetime showdowns, the day reflects the spirit of MLK—bringing diverse communities together through shared purpose and positive competition.
Action begins as early as 8 a.m. at Clayton, where the host girls squad faces county rival Lutheran North. The tempo quickly rises with a 9:30 a.m. boys matchup between Ritenour and Hazelwood Central, followed at 11 a.m. by Career Academy, led by explosive scorer C.J. Nelson, who entered the season averaging more than 30 points per game and has become one of the area’s most electrifying talents.
The marquee attraction at Clayton is set for 2 p.m., featuring St. Mary’s against perennial power Borgia. St. Mary’s arrives with a strong 12–2 record despite navigating a rugged regional schedule, relying on balance rather than a single star. Gary Johnson Jr. leads the Dragons at 16.9 points per game, supported by a deep rotation that includes Ronnell Johnson, Josh Grimes, Marvin Neals III, and Xavier Clark—all capable of scoring in bunches. Borgia counters with tradition and firepower, led by junior guard Emery Woehrmann, who has poured in 28.3 points per contest while shooting nearly 49 percent from beyond the arc.
The Clayton slate continues with Lutheran North facing SLUH at 3:30 p.m., before Westminster closes the night against the host Greyhounds.
Over at Cardinal Ritter, the festivities begin with Hayti squaring off against Whitfield in a 1:30 p.m. boys game. The lone girls contest follows, as Cardinal Ritter hosts Overton High of Memphis, showcasing Ritter standouts Nyla Scales (16.7 ppg) and Trinity Jackson (14.7). Chicago Hyde Park then meets North County power McCluer North, featuring a balanced trio in Terry Cornell, Mekhi Owens, and Jamel Hawkins.
The grand finale pits Cardinal Ritter’s boys against a formidable 15–2 East St. Louis squad. The Flyers are led by Penn State recruit Jamison White, averaging over 20 points per game and coming off a dominant 29-point, 16-rebound performance against Belleville West. With secondary scoring from Alex Johnson, East St. Louis presents a stern test for a Ritter team defined by depth and grit rather than individual stardom.
Together, these games transform MLK Day into a celebration of youth, unity, and excellence—where the echoes of sneakers on hardwood complement the larger call to community and purpose.
For game information, contact Cardinal Ritter College Prep at 314-854-6600 or Clayton High School at 314-854-6600.
Below: Cardinal Ritter’s Nyla Scales, East St. Louis Flyers’ Jamison White, and St. Mary’s balanced lineup of Josh Grimes (5), Xavier Clark (11), Ronnell Johnson (2), Marvin Neals III (24), and Gary Johnson Jr. (3) headline a full day of basketball on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Photos courtesy of school social media pages.
