A Community Celebration Through Sports and Unity
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Photos by Leon Algee
Hurlie Cozart of KIPP St. Louis and Tennelle Bufford of Metro couldn’t have been more proud as the school’s boys basketball coaches to tip off in the opening game of the first annual Martin Luther King Jr/ Mathews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club high school basketball tournament.
“Oh my God, this is a great opportunity for our kids to say that they participated in the first-ever Martin Luther King tournament here at the club is huge ,” beamed Cozart. “It’s also a great opportunity for our kids to be seen in the spotlight. All in all this is a big plus for our kids.”
“Mathews-Dickey has always been a part of my life,” recalled Bufford, “Coach (Charles ) Woods (one of the current athletic directors) took a liking to me as a kid and would always look out for me.”
Although KIPP, which is a free college prep charter school near downtown St. Louis, eventually routed a short-handed Metro in the game, both teams considered it a ‘winning’ proposition just to participate in the inaugural tournament at the landmark club on North St. Louis in 1960 by Martin Mathews and Hubert “Dickey” Ballentine.
“This weekend was a full circle moment and though we did not have a good showing, down with our two leading scorers (Kailan Smith and Jack Buchanan ), I believe we have a bright future,” noted Bufford.
The Metro Panthers were without the sophomore guard Smith (averaging 14.8 points per game) and senior captain and fellow guard Buchanan (10.6) and it showed, as they never came within 10 points, as the Wolves of KIPP built a 23-8 lead after one quarter on the way to a 68-18 blowout It was a win-win scenario for KIPP, whose acronym stands for Knowledge Is Power Program curriculum.
“Absolutely, events like tournaments and shootouts can be excellent ways to bring attention to a school,” emphasized Cozart, who also doubles as the school’s athletic director. “They not only showcase student talent but also build school pride and foster community connections. It’s a great opportunity to leave a positive impression on visitors and create awareness about KIPP’s programs and achievements.”
The MLK showcase featured three games on the slate, with the other two having closer outcomes, as the Ritenour Huskies outlasted the Normandy Vikings 72-62 and the Lutheran North Crusaders beat Oakwood Academy 62-61 in the final game of the evening. Lutheran North is in its first year under new coach Dwayne Polk, a former Vashon High and St. Louis University star.
As Metro’s team is concerned, Bufford believes once his core starters become healthy again the Panthers will be competitive come playoff time.
“We are virtually a JV (junior varsity) level team with a few seniors now,” he explained. “When we get back healthy, we still have a puncher’s chance at winning our district, which is filled with teams at or slightly above our level.”
They were just no match for KIPP last Saturday, which pressed Metro’s offense into a rash of turnovers and at times scored at will on layups. Offensively, KIPP ‘s top two scorers are Farron Strong (13.3 ) and Christian Quinn (12.5 points per game). Incidentally, the inaugural MLK Tournament featured music by local DJ DJ Cuddy Montana throughout the contests.
“I like it,” said Wayne Moody, a fan in the crowd and a longtime private events disc jockey himself. “The games and the event are nice. It’s bringing something positive to the community.”
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