ND's Willen, Greer top all-state honors

The Notre Dame boys basketball team opened the 2007-08 season without Ryan Willen and Austin Greer.

With both players sidelined by injuries, the Bulldogs won their opener in the SEMO Conference Tournament and proceeded to get squashed by Charleston and Sikeston.

When both players were in the lineup, the Bulldogs beat those two teams and nearly everyone else on the schedule in a 24-6 season that ended with a Class 4 state championship.

Willen this week was named to the Class 4 all-state first team by the state's sports writers and sports broadcasters association. Greer earned second-team honors. Notre Dame coach Paul Hale, who recently stepped down after four seasons at Notre Dame and 30 overall, was named the coach of the year.

"Ryan is a fierce competitor," Hale said. "He didn't get scared, and he liked playing in the big games.

"I've said it before that he might be the best player I've ever coached. He was the hardest worker on the team, and when your best player is your hardest worker, that's a good combination." Willen, who averaged 23.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, recently was named the SEMO Conference's Player of the Year. He has been selected to the first team all-state by the coaches as well.

Greer, a second-team selection in Class 4 by the writers and broadcasters, was fierce about rebounding on the offensive glass. He was second on the team in scoring (13.8) and rebounding (4.8) with more rebounds on offense than defense, and next year he could become the seventh Notre Dame player to top 1,000 points in a career.

The Bulldogs finished No. 1 in the Class 4 state poll, while district rival Sikeston was No. 4.

Scott County Central, which finished as the third-place finisher and second-ranked team in Class 1, had three players honored by the writers and broadcasters. Senior Caleb Johnson and junior Drew Thomas made the first team, while senior D.D. Gillespie was tabbed for the second team.

Bell City guard Nick Niemczyk also made the first team.

Senior guard Sarah Keys of Class 1 girls runner-up Delta was tabbed for the first team.