Notre Dame boys face tall task in Class 4 semifinal

~ The Bulldogs will encounter St. Charles in today's semifinal contest.

The Notre Dame boys basketball team will face a tall task 9 a.m. today when it takes on St. Charles in a Class 4 semifinal at Mizzou Arena in Columbia.

St. Charles (23-6) is led by 6-foot-9, 265-pound senior Josh Harrellson and also starts a 6-10 senior, Dean Dillen. Five of the Pirates' top six players are 6-2 or taller, the regular rotation for Notre Dame (26-4) has just two players taller than 6-2.

"We haven't faced a team like this all year with this kind of size," Notre Dame coach Paul Hale said. "Their guards are good, too, and have some length. We'll have to play very, very well to have a chance, and hopefully they don't play as well.

"They know we're going to have to block off better than we've blocked off before, and we have to press better than we've pressed before."

Brother David Migliorino spoke during a pep rally for the Notre Dame boys basketball team Thursday at Notre Dame Regional High School. The players left after the rally for Columbia, Mo., where they will play in the Class 4 final four. The Bulldogs will face St. Charles at 9 a.m. today in a semifinal contest. The winner will move on to the state championship game Saturday. (Diane L. Wilson)

Harrellson, a Western Illinois recruit, averages 18.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. He also averages more than three blocked shots per game.

Harrellson is the only Pirates player averaging in double figures. Guard Rudy Harper, a 6-3 senior, averages nine points a game.

"He's a man out there," Hale said of Harrellson. "It looks like boys play up along side him. He can shoot the ball. He has range."

Hale wouldn't mind seeing Harrellson trying to score from outside.

"We fear his size down low, that's where we fear it," Hale said.

The Bulldogs, meanwhile, list leading scorer Ryan Willen at 6-8, 190 pounds. Austin Greer, Notre Dame's other post player, is 6-1. Top reserve Mark Himmelberg is 6-3.

"If you look at us, we have Ryan and that's about it height-wise," Notre Dame sophomore John Unterreiner said. "We pride ourselves on our up-and-down game and pressure defense."

Notre Dame's pressure ran St. Clair into the ground in a 60-28 win in the quarterfinal round. That was a low-scoring game for the Bulldogs, who had 40 points at halftime and average 80 points per game to St. Charles' 52.9.

"We have to make a full-court game out of it," Hale said. "We can't play a half-court game. They have too much size. We have to speed up the game.

"It's going to be a contrast of styles. We'll see which style comes out on top."

St. Charles' projected starting lineup includes five seniors, and all six of their seniors are in their rotation.

Notre Dame has just two seniors on its roster. Abe Dirnberger is a starter, while Chad Friend sees limited playing time. The Bulldogs start two sophomores and two juniors, and the first two players off the bench are juniors.

"We may only have two seniors, but we all know our roles," Friend said. "We all work together. It's not just one person."

Notre Dame's various weapons from outside make this year's team a better title threat than the 2005 squad which entered the postseason below .500. Himmelberg and Williams are Notre Dame's top two outside threats, but four Notre Dame players have hit at least 16 3-pointers.

Notre Dame also is strong from the free-throw line, shooting 69.4 percent as a team compared to St. Charles' 63.8 percent. Five of Notre Dame's top six players shoot 68 percent or better.

"We work hard on shooting, and hopefully [today] we'll be hitting our shots," Williams said.

Another interesting matchup will take place on the sidelines. The two head coaches involved in today's semifinal have a combined 52 years of head coaching experience and more than 950 wins. St. Charles coach Gary Wacker, in his 21st season at St. Charles, will retire following the season.

"The whole St. Louis area, all his fellow coaches want him to win," Hale said. "I tried to get film from his rivals and they said no. I've seen his teams play before, and he's a fine coach."

Ruskin vs. Willard

The other semifinal will pit top-ranked Ruskin (27-1) against Willard (23-7). Junior guard Milton Garner leads Ruskin in scoring at 17 points a game and is the tournament's most prolific 3-point shooter with 71 treys. Ruskin has won 27 straight after losing its opener to Class 5 final four squad Rockhurst.

Willard is led by senior guard Travis Wilkins, who averages 19.3 points a game. Senior guard Alex Henderson is second on the team at 17.6 points a game. Willard, under first-year coach Travis Evans, is projected to start five seniors.

Notes

• None of the Class 4 final four participants won district titles last year.
• Three of the four final four coaches have at least 400 career wins.
• Ruskin is making its first final four appearance.