Gramps Braggin Rights Missouri Girls Predictions for March 17-18th - 3/15/2022

 I gave a sermon on tournament seeding in my boys blog.  I will spare you that preaching with the girls.  Without appropriate seeding of teams in district and tournament brackets, the best teams do not end up playing each other in the semi- or final games.  It is really sad to see the second-best team in a class get knocked out of a district final instead of a state championship game.

So here are my picks for the girls games.  I do not know the players so I will stick to comments on the team ratings and strength of schedule.

St. Joseph's Academy vs. Incarnate Word Academy - this game is not a result of improper seeding.  Incarnate Word is just so much better than any other girls team in the state that they would be 25 point favorites.  Period.  Strafford, in class three, is the next best team in the state and they would be 15 point underdogs.  The second-best class six teams, Kickapoo or Blue Springs South, will be a 20 point underdog in the final.  St. Joes has had a nice run through the districts and state tournament. It ends vs. Incarnate Word.  Red Knights by 27.

Kickapoo vs. Blue Springs South - Kickapoo knocked off the third best team in the state when they beat Nixa in their district 5 final.  Blue Springs South will be a good test but the Lady Chiefs will dine on the Lady Jaguars.  Poo by 4.

John Burroughs vs. St. James - John Burroughs has had a resurgence in both the boys and girls programs this year.  The Bombers face an outstanding St. James Tiger team in this class four semi-final.  This should be a close and highly competitive game.  Edge to the Bombers by four but it could go either way.

Helias Catholic and St. Joseph Benton - Helias, along with Webster Groves, are the only schools with both boys and girls remaining in the tournament.  That is pretty exciting for both of these schools.  The Helias - Benton game is probably the closest match of all the games Thursday and Friday.  Helias is a two-point favorite but Benton could win and it would not be an upset.  Flip a coin.

Whitfield vs. Webster Groves - Webster is the second school with boys and girls remaining but Whitfield also has a strong boys and girls program, and except for a close four-point loss to Burroughs boys, Whitfield might be boasting about boys and girls teams.  As strong as the Lady Statesmen (Stateswomen) have been down the stretch, Whitfield gets the nod by five. Expect another very close and competitive game.

Smithville vs. West Plains - I have been talking about strong basketball pedigrees and West Plains has an exemplary record for boys and girls.  Smithville is just now developing strong boys and girls teams after about 10 down years.  West Plains is the fourth-best girls' team in the state and my #1 in class five.  West Plains wins by 25 and plays a great championship game vs. Whitfield or Webster Groves.


Best of luck to all the girls teams.



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