Championship battle set!

Jays to battle Bulldogs in Final

After a strong second half performance against a scrappy Springfield Glendale team, Liberty advanced to the Nelson division Championship game.

The victory by the Jays, which moved them to 8-1, sets up a highly anticipated battle with their undefeated cross town rival, Kearney Bulldogs.

The game will tip at William Jewell College at 9pm.

If you can not make the game, please remember to tune in and catch the action with Dallas Ackerman on the call.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow night at Jewell!

GO JAYS!

Blue Jays into Nelson Division Semis

Game to be carried LIVE here on the internet tonight

The Liberty Blue Jay Boys Basketball Team had little trouble in their first round matchup in the Bank Midwest William Jewell Holiday Tournament with Fort Osage Monday night winning in a rout 61-20. Liberty only allowed 2 points in the second half. They Jays now advance to the semifinals of the Nelson Division tonight where they'll face Springfield Glendale in the 9pm game from the Maybee Center.

If you can't make it out ot Jewell, listen to the game LIVE tonight by clicking the "LIVE AUDIO" icon provided below. Dallas Ackerman and Kevin Starr will have the call beginning at approx. 8:45pm.

Click here and look for "LIVE AUDIO"

Players Enjoy Gift Exchange

The Liberty Basketball team enjoyed a lot of pizza, gift sharing, and each other's company during the annual Christmas gift exchange. After a completing their first semester finals earlier in the day and then having a productive practice, the players gathered at Coach Stirtz's house. Pizza is always the meal of choice and the players devoured 30 of them (240 slices). The highlight of the evening was the gift exchange. There were some very nice gifts, and of course, some humorous ones, leading to a good time for all.

The Jays program wishes you and your family the very best during this Holiday season.

Blue Jays Wake Up Early to Get Win

The Liberty Blue Jays battled Blue Valley West this morning at Avila University as part of the Hy-Vee Shootout presented by Metro Sports. The final score was 58-51 Jays. The victory moves the Jays to 6-1 on the season and an 7-4 overall record in the Shootout, which is best in the Metro.

After trading baskets in the first quarter, Liberty extended their lead to 6 points by halftime. Christian Brinser's 2 three pointers in the second quarter gave the offense a lift. Solid rebounding by Denton Koon and Austin Weese provided the Jays with an edge on the glass. Luke Lee gave his team valuable minutes off the bench with excellent defense and timely baskets.

The Blue Jays extended their lead to 10 in the 3rd quarter but the Jaguars didn't go away. A few missed layups and costly turnovers allowed BV West back in the game. The Jays led by 1 going into the last quarter.

With the game in the balance, Marshon Norfleet scored 6 big points and the Jays went 8-9 from the foul line during crunch time. Denton Koon, 21 points/12 rebounds in the game, went 5-5 from the charity stripe. Brinser added 10 points, while Norfleet and Weese chipped in 8 apiece.

"We were very pleased with how we performed during the most important part of the game, crunch time. With the score tied, our players made great reads in the motion offense and delivered the ball to a teammate for an easy basket. Brinser and Lee made some intelligent plays. Defensively we got stops and rebounds that extended our lead," stated Coach Stirtz.

The Jays will hit the practice floor a couple of times before Christmas break and then 2 more after break before they face Fort Osage in the Holiday tournament at 9pm.

Jays to Host Youth Clinic

Boys, Grades K-5, come play with the Blue Jay basketball team! During this two hour clinic, you will practice your ball-handling, passing, dribbling, shooting, rebounding, and defensive skills with the varsity coaches and players.

When: January 2nd, 2010
Where: Liberty Junior High School
Who: Boys, Grades K-5, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Cost: $10; Autographed t-shirt $10 (optional)
*Can write one check ($20) for both; t-shirts will be delivered
*Make checks payable to Liberty High School

Please register in the gym the morning of the clinic. Please bring your own basketball. If you have questions, contact Coach Roger Stirtz @ 736.6836.

Holiday Bracket Released

The bracket for the WJC Holiday tournament has been released. The Blue Jays are the #2 seed in the Nelson division. Liberty opens the tourney against Fort Osage on Monday, Dec 28th at 9:00pm. If victorious, they would face the winner of the Glendale-Smithville game on Dec 29th at 9:00pm. For a complete bracket, check our the 'Liberty Men's Basketball' website link in the right-hand column.

Hoop Team Delivers Food

The Blue Jay basketball team helped deliver food to citizens of Liberty Saturday morning. In a community wide effort to assist people in need, the players had the final step in the process of putting the food in the hands of the people of need. Liberty Public Schools, in cooperation with the Sertoma service club, promote food drives at each school building. The canned food items are collected from the schools and organized into the correct address locations. From there, the Jays' players are able to deliver food to about 100 people at two apartment complexes.

"This is the 15th year our program has participated in the Mayor's Christmas Tree Food Drive. It would be 16 in a row but one winter the weather was so bad we didn't want our players out on the dangerous roads. It's a good experience for our players to give back to the community...a community that has provided them with so much," states Coach Stirtz.

Max Francisco, sophomore, said "It was a good experience and it was nice to help people in need." Derek Brizendine, sophomore, remarked "It was very successful. It was great to see the joy that we brought people who we delivered food to."

Liberty Tournament News

“C.W. Stessman Liberty Invitational Basketball Tournament” to be televised throughout Kansas City Metro

Local high school basketball fans will have an opportunity to watch one of the premier boys basketball tournaments in the state coming up in January.

The Liberty Public Schools Cable TV Station, KLPS-TV Channel 18, will provide LIVE wall-to-wall coverage of the Liberty Invitational Boys Basketball Tournament for a 4th consecutive year. But new this year will be that all twelve games of the tournament will be simulcast on Time Warner Cable Channel 5 in the Kansas City Metro area, making games available for fans from all teams competing who have Time Warner Cable Service.

“We’re really pleased to be able to showcase our broadcasting program here in Liberty and also showcase one of the best basketball tournaments in the state at the same time,” commented Dallas Ackerman, KLPS announcer.

“With the field consisting of teams ranging in locations from Leavenworth to Olathe to Lee’s Summit, we wanted to come up with a great option for fans that wanted to follow their teams but couldn’t make the trip to Liberty and I think we’ve done that.”

This years tournament begins on Tuesday, January 19th with games at 4pm, 5:30pm, 7pm, and 8:30pm. Day 2 action resumes on Thursday, January 21st with four more games at the same times with the final slate of four games set for Friday, January 22nd all culminating with the championship game at 8:30pm.

Along with the games being shown on Time Warner Cable Channel 5, all games will also be offered on the internet at the Channel 18 website (www.klpstv.com).

Jays Capture Championship

The Liberty Blue Jays claimed first place in the Lebanon Tournament late Saturday night with a very exciting overtime victory over the Ozark Tigers. In competing in their forth game in five days, the Jays showed a lot of mental toughness and perseverance to force overtime and then dominate the 4 min overtime period to win 77-68.

Ozark, who used a zone defense to try to slow the pace and force some outside shots, were hurt by JT Nixon's three 3s...none bigger than the last two which helped force overtime and his last helping put the Jays up for good in OT. Liberty hit 8 three pointers in the game. In addition to Nixon's big 3s, Jordan Lewis added 3 also. Denton Koon's 3 point field in the forth quarter helped the Jays draw closer after entering the quarter down by 3 pts.

With some questionable defensive effectiveness during the first three and a half quarters, the Blue Jays showed a lot of toughness with the game on the line late in the 4th quarter. Down by two points, 60-62, with under a minute to play, the defense stepped up and forced a turnover. Then with 13 secs, a Marshon Norfleet driving lay up off the glass tied the game. Again, the defense played with a lot of pride by not allowing the Tigers a good shot to win the game.

In overtime, Bryan Adams got the tip, and Koon quickly hit a 15 foot jumper to give the Jays a 64-62 lead. They wouldn't let up. After another stop and Nixon's 3, the Jays started to gain control of the game. Liberty outscored the Tigers 15-6 in OT in large part because of the Marcus Lucas' and Norfleet's offensive output and defensive boards.

For the third time in four games, the Jays had 4 players in double figures: Nixon, 16; Koon, 15; Norfleet, 13; and Lewis, 11. Lucas added some very timely 9 points.

Congratulations to Denton Koon, who averaged 18 points per game during the tourney, and Jordan Lewis, 14 pt/game, for making the All-Tournament team. Lewis deservingly earned MVP honors. Other Jays, Norfleet 14 pt/game and Nixon 10 pts/game were given All-Tourney consideration.

Liberty, who will have a week off to practice, plays host to Blue Springs on Dec 15 at Cokely Fieldhouse in their next game.

Jays 71 Helias 54

The Blue Jay basketball team won their semifinal game against Helias 71-54 on Friday in the Lebanon tournament. The 17 point victory was in large part to balanced scoring and some solid half court defense in the 2nd half.
Leading scorers were Denton Koon 20pts, Jordan Lewis 17 pts, and Marshon Norfleet 16 pts. The Jays were also good from the FT line knocking down 19-25 for the game and an impressive 12-14 in the 4th quarter.
With the score tied at 29 at halftime, the Blue Jay defense went to work in the 3rd quarter. Helias was held to only 2 points during the first 6 mins of the quarter.
The Jays advance to the championship game verses Ozark at 7:30.

Jays Get 1st Round Win Over Lebanon

The Liberty basketball team moved to 2-0 in the early season with an opening round win over the host school in the Lebanon Tournament Thursday night. Once again, the Jays had 4 players in double figures. Denton Koon led all scorers with 18 points, Marshon Norfleet had 14 pts, Jordan Lewis had 12 pts, and Austin Weese added 10 pts.
The Blue Jays led by 6 points after the 1st quarter and by 10 points at halftime. The lead grew to as many 20 in the second half before ending with a final of 76-64.
"We were pleased our effort and the outcome of the game. We made some defensive adjustments at halftime and the players did nice job of executing the changes, mentioned Coach Stirtz. We have a big test tonight against Helias at 8:30pm. We'll need to play much better defense, rebound well, and limit our turnovers to be successful."

Guest Coach Speaks to Jays

The Blue Jay basketball team had the privilege of listening to Stanford Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh today before practice began. Coach Harbaugh, in Liberty to recruit senior Marcus Lucas, spoke to the team for about 10 minutes. His topic...togetherness and team play.

In an era in which society sees athletes do so much 'self-promoting' after dunks, homeruns, and touchdowns, he challenges his Stanford Cardinal team to do something different; celebrate the team. In watching the Cardinal play, they are in it for each other. In a national tv game verses Notre Dame on Saturday, Heisman candidate Toby Gerhart rushed for 205 yards and 3 touchdowns. In the interview immediately after the game, he didn't take any credit for his outstanding performance. Credit was given to his offensive line. He could not have accomplished what he did without his teammates and he quickly gave acknowledgement to them over himself.

Harbaugh also mentioned the Bible verse of Proverbs 27:17. "As irons sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." His point was at the right angle iron can sharpen iron, but at the wrong angle it can dull itself. Such is the case with a team. Being the best teammate you can be will only help the team become better and achieve its potential.

Junior guard Jordan Lewis commented about hearing Coach Harbaugh's words. "His talk about being a team was really motivating and taught me a lot about how to make my teammates better in practice and in games." Austin Weese, junior forward, also said the following, "We need to hit our swords in the same direction to sharpen them, meaning on the court we have to all be on the same page in order to be great. We need to lift each other up!"

Coach Harbaugh was given a Liberty Basketball 'WE>me' t-shirt as a thank you for taking the time to speak with the Jays.

Parents Host Tip-Off Dinner

Following the conclusion of a 52-18 Sophomore victory over Tonka, the parents hosted the annual Tip-Off Dinner for the players of the Blue Jay basketball program.
"The tip-off dinner was a great time to relax with teammates, talk, and eat good food," stated senior guard Christian Brinser.

Another senior, Bryan Adams, said "It was very good food to go and play on...and the company wasn't bad either."
"We really appreciated the parents providing a meal for our players. It was a great way to start the season. To share each other's company off the floor is very important to building team chemistry and this was a fun way for our players to begin the process," remarked assistant coach Brandon Smith.

The Jays tip-off the season for real Tuesday, Dec 1st, night against Park Hill. The junior varsity game begins at 5:30 followed by the varsity game around 7:00. Get out to Cokely Fieldhouse to watch the 09-10 Jays.

Blue-White Scrimmage

The Blue Jay and Lady Jay basketball programs enjoyed a fun night of basketball at the annual Blue-White Scrimmage Friday night. After player introductions, the boys' team participated in three scrimmages. Each game was very competitive with the defense dominating most of the action.

"The coaching staff was pleased with what we saw during the scrimmages. The three things our staff looked for tonight were communication both on offense and defense, hustle, and working together as a team. For the most part, we saw those things out of our players and that's very encouraging. We still have a lot to implement but thanks to our players' work ethic, we feel we're in good shape", remarks Coach Stirtz.

The Jays were pressed into having to make a big comeback in the 3 point challenge against the girls' team. Thanks to some clutch shooting by Denton Koon and Jordan Lewis, the Jays were able to win by just 3 shots.

During the Varsity scrimmage, the Jays shared the ball well, ran the floor better, and shot the ball well from the perimeter. "I liked our pace tonight. I liked how we pushed the ball down the floor and our bigs did a good job of running the floor. I was pleased with the full-court pass from JT to Bryan for a dunk. Something we'll need to build on is how we are screening for each other, hustling on the floor, rebounding, and taking better care of the ball," states Coach Stirtz.

At the conclusion of the game, fans were able to shoot a FT for a dollar for the opportunity to win a basketball t-shirt. Over 100 t-shirts were won. Thanks to all our fans for coming out to watch!

Blue vs White Scrimmage

As ESPN runs the "24 hour College Hoops Marathon", Liberty Basketball fans will get their chance of a basketball marathon of their own.

On Friday, November 20th, both Men's and Women's basketball teams will give you a sneak peak to the 09-10 season. We invite you to come out to Cokely Fieldhouse starting at 6:30pm for a fun and exciting evening of basketball.

Please see below for a schedule of events for the evening.

6:30-6:40 Boys Player Intros

6:40-6:52 Boys game #1

6:52-7:00 Girls Player Intros

7:00-7:15 Girls game #1

7:15-7:30 Boys game #2

7:30-7:40 3 point contest (2 girls vs 2 boys)

7:40-8:00 Girls Varsity

8:00-8:20 Boys Varsity

8:20 Fans: $1 shot for hoops t-shirt

Don't miss out on your first opportunity to see the Jays!

We are looking forward to an exciting 2009-2010 season, we look forward to seeing you on Friday, November 20th at 6:30pm.

GO JAYS!

New Season Gets Started

The 09-10 BlueJay basketball season is into it's second week of practice and the excitement level is very high. The players have completed 7 successful, competitive practices. "Our best practice of the season was tonight. The team was locked in from the beginning of practice and it continued over the next 2 and a half hours. The coaches were pleased with the intensity level and execution. For us to get to the next level, we're going to need to be much more fundamentality sound on the defensive end. There needs to be more hustle, communciation, and desire to not let anyone score on us," states assistant coach Phil Simpson.

With the Jays trying to play a little faster on offense, work is being done to incorporate a more uptempo pace while maintaining focus on the motion offense in half court situations. "We implemented more full court transition drills to teach our players the importance of running or better yet, sprinting down the floor. We think with our quick guards and athletic forwards we'll have opportunities for some easy baskets. It all depends on our defense and if we can force turnovers and get rebounds. Our players will need a lot more repetitions in practice to learn how to transition from a fast break situation to our half court motion. We're making progress. We just need to tighten up our execution and get into a better flow," mentiones assistant coach Chris McCabe.

The Jays will be on display this Friday, Nov 20th beginning at 6:30 at Cokely Fieldhouse for the Blue/White Scrimmage. There will be more details about the scrimmage in an upcoming blog.

Lebanon Tournament bracket

Following a home opener against Park Hill on Dec 1st, the Jays will travel to Lebanon, MO for a tournament Dec 3rd-5th. The bracket has Liberty playing the host school on Thursday, Dec 3rd at 7:00pm. Winning the first round game would pit the Jays against the winner of the Helias-Waynesville game at 8:30 on Dec 4th. For a complete bracket check out our website at:

http://athletics.liberty.k12.mo.us/cms/page_view?d=x&piid=&vpid=1232963695993

Leadership Training with Rob Miller

The Boys basketball team, along with about 70 other student/athletes from LHS, participated in a leadership summitt presented by Rob Miller. The purpose of the conference was to instruct the leaders of sports teams in the importances of their jobs and guide them in correctly leading their teams.

Mr. Miller took the group through five stages: 1. Steps to a great team. 2. Standards for a great team. 3. Roles of the captain. 4. Potential challenges. 5. Summary/assessment. Through team discussions, each sport was able to identify their core covenants and what their team standards look like in action.

Senior guard, Skyler Schlick mentioned his favorite quote. "The will to win is important. The will to prepare is vital." Mental toughness is staying positive and enthusiastic no matter what.

JT Nixon, senior guard, liked the phrase, "A great team does not happen by chance. A great team reaches potential. Give 100%, 100% of the time."

Senior guard, Luke Lee, said, "The conference was very worthwhile. It was a time for our team to define what a great team looks it and set up our core covenants for the season. It was a lot of fun and I'm glad Mr. Miller was able to share his expertise with us. It will help."

Liberty Junior High Basketball Meetings

Liberty Junior High will conduct their boys 8th and 9th grade preseason basketball meetings next week. Any athlete expecting to tryout for the team should attend. The meetings will include information on the following topics:

• Physicals


• First week tryout schedule


• Expectations for grades, behavior responsibility and accountability


• Clothes to wear for tryout


• Explain the 15 practices until the first game and they need 14 to play


• 1st selection on Wednesday; other selections will follow if necessary


• Grades and 6 week progress reports, eligibility

8th graders: Wednesday, Oct 28th, at 8:10am in the South Gym; Coach Baker & Coach Van Edgom

9th graders: Wednesday, Oct 28th, at 8:10am in the North Gym; Coach Stegall & Coach Tysdahl

South Valley JH Basketball Meetings

South Valley Junior High will conduct their boys 8th and 9th grade preseason basketball meetings next week. Any athlete expecting to tryout for the team should attend. The meetings will include information on the following topics:

• Physicals
• First week tryout schedule
• Expectations for grades, behavior responsibility and accountability
• Clothes to wear for tryout
• Explain the 15 practices until the first game and they need 14 to play
• 1st selection on Wednesday; other selections will follow if necessary
• Grades and 6 week progress reports, eligibility

8th graders: Tuesday, Oct 27th, at 7:10am in Room 309; Coach Rouse & Coach Owen

9th graders: Tuesday, Oct 27th, at 7:10am in the Gym; Coach Gulliford & Coach Maeder

Rambler Adams' Midnight Madness

Check out the following link for an update on Shaun Adams' Midnight Madness at Loyola-Chicago.

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicago-college-basketball/2009/10/midnight-madness-live-blog.html

HUBIE BROWN ON WHAT KILLS A PLAYER'S POTENTIAL

What kills a player’s potential?

1. Low pain threshold
2. Low IQ (basketball) for what we’re running
3. Selfishness
4. Can the person do the intangibles (charges, loose balls, pass aheads, rotations
5. Drugs and Alcohol

Coaches vs Cancer

As a member of the Board of Directors for the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Association, Coach Stirtz had the opportunity to attend a Coaches vs Cancer event at the College Basketball Experience on Tuesday evening. The event, which was sponsored by Capital Federal Bank and the National Basketball Coaches Association, was a fundraiser for the Coaches vs Cancer organization.

In attendance, volunteering their time and making donations to the cause of fighting cancer, were Bill Self, University of Kansas; Frank Martin, Kansas State University; Matt Brown, University of Missouri-Kansas City; and Mike Anderson, University of Missouri. The emcee for the night was former Missouri coach, Norm Stewart, the founder of Coaches vs Cancer. Coach Stewart, who won his battle with colon cancer in 1989, created the organization in 1993 as a way of drawing more attention to fight the disease.

October is breast cancer awareness month, so as we watch NFL players play with pink cleats or baseball players swing pink bats, let us be encouraged to give of our time and resources to find a cure for cancer. During the basketball season, participating coaches will wear tennis shoes during games for the same purpose. Together, cancer can be defeated…make an effort to do your part.

Turning obstacles into Positive Situations

These are two links that show how athletes overcame some obstacles to achieve their goals. Check them out and let them motivate you to accomplish your dreams.

"Kid can do it all on one leg"

"Hoopster born without a left hand gets his chance"

Robinson Joins LSU Tiger Staff

After spending the last year back in Liberty and coaching at William Jewell, former BlueJay standout has joined the coaching staff at Louisiana State University. Let's catch up with Nick and his family.

1. First, update us on your family:
Meagan and I celebrate our 9th anniversary today, Sept. 15, 2009. She continues her wonderful work at home with our two children, Annie Lee (5) and Tate Nicholas (1), and is excited to deliver our 3rd child at the end of October after a relatively healthy pregnancy. Annie started kindergarten - she likes her uniform, recess, and doing homework (sometimes). Tate is walking/running and says a few words like "ball" and "daddy" - my two favorites. He can say a couple other words as well. Overall, we are healthy and enjoying our experiences here in Louisiana.


2. How’s life in Baton Rouge…little different than Liberty & Palo Alto?
Baton Rouge is a great city to live in. We haven't spent much time in downtown, but we did enjoy the July 4th fireworks on the bank of the Mississippi River, which is blocks from downtown Baton Rouge. The weather is hotter and more humid, and just as unpredictable as Missouri weather can be. Here we are preparing for hurricanes, instead of tornadoes (MO) or earthquakes (CA). Throughout the city there are a lot of trees and many of the local neighborhoods are tucked away, which is quite nice. Now that school is back in session, the traffic has picked up and it can be very sloooooowwwww moving at times. I spend most of my working days on campus, which is really nice. Similar in architecture to Stanford because the same architect designed both schools way back when. The athletic facilities are outstanding - hard to describe them. Probably best to check them out online at www.lsusports.net.

3. How did the LSU position transpire and what are your duties?
After working for Coach Holley at William Jewell College, being around Coach Stirtz and the Liberty Blue Jays, and many of my former Blue Jay teammates, I realized this spring that I wanted to continue in the coaching profession. So, I called Coach Johnson at LSU during April, along with other coaching contacts, to see if I could rejoin the NCAA Division I coaching ranks. Coach Johnson said a position would be available and that got the ball rolling...My duties include liaison for the Head Coach, a student-athlete personal development program, assist in recruiting research and on-campus recruiting, organization of basketball office, supervision of student-office assistants, coordination of events, booster club fundraising and events, budget management, summer camp director.


4. Coach Johnson admires you a lot to hire you at 2 different schools. What’s it like to play for and coach with Coach Johnson?

Coach Johnson is a competitor and a winner. Playing for Coach Johnson during the 2004-05 season was a great experience. He helped me develop as a player - especially at the wing position - and helped lead our team to the NCAA tournament despite many ups and downs during the season. He made the transition from Coach Montgomery (who went to the NBA) and an unfogettable 2003-04 season manageable and gave our team an opportunity to win games.

Working for Coach Johnson has been fantastic. His detail and preparation have made him one of the top coaches in the country. I feel fortunate to get a chance to learn from him every step of the way at one of the top programs in the SEC and nation. In addition, he has other great coaches around him who I've been fortunate to learn from.

5. How does the SEC conference differ from the PAC-10 in terms of style of play, quality of teams, etc?
The SEC is competitive from top to bottom and teams are a little more athletic than in the Pac-10. The SEC is split into East and West (LSU is in the West) which differs from the Pac-10. Style of play is probably a little more physical than the Pac-10, but that changes from year to year. Both conferences have great coaches and continue to gain national recognition when it comes to March Madness.

6. How important is the off-season at the D-1 level?
The off-season is critical to the development of a D-1 program. From a player's perspective, the time in the gym working on skills is the number one priority. Playing the game 5-on-5 is also important, but in the sense you try to work on your weaknesses and improve. Conditioning and resistance training are very important as well to improve your physical body and mental toughness. From a student's perspective, the summer is a great time to get extra coursework in before the season. From a coach's perspective, recruiting is probably the biggest item on the agenda. Preparing for year's to come and the next season take up most of the time during the off-season.


7. Who is the best teammate you’ve had and why?

The best college teammate I had was Matt Lottich. Matt and I arrived on Stanford's campus in 2000 as freshman. Matt was the ultimate competitor - he would do anything to win. He was unselfish, a great shooter, worked hard on his game, pushed me to be better, and was a great person off the court.

I have had GREAT teammates at every level of competition. A special shout out to all my Blue Jay teammates from 8th grade to a State Championship (the first of many more to come). We had some great times both on and off the court.

8. Who was the best player you had to guard and why?

The best player I had to guard was Casey Jacobsen - my college teammate. Casey, a 2003 1st Rd NBA Draft Pick, was relentless when I was guarding him. He could shoot the deep (very deep) three (when I thought he was to far out, he'd shoot it and make it every time in practice), moved well off of screens (changed pace well), and was strong enough to get in the lane off the dribble (he used his shoulders well).

Other great players I've been fortunate to defend:
Josh Childress - Stanford, 1st Rd NBA Draft Pick, Olympiacos in Greece
Andre Iguodala - Arizona, 1st Rd NBA Draft Pick, Philadelphia 76ers
Luke Walton - Arizona, 2nd Rd NBA Draft Pick, Los Angeles Lakers
Luke Jackson - Oregon, 1st Rd NBA Draft Pick, NBADL
Brandon Roy - Washington, 1st Rd NBA Draft Pick, Portland Trailblazers
Arron Afflalo - UCLA, 1st Rd NBA Draft Pick, Denver Nuggets


9. What are your best memories playing in Cokely?
The reunion we had there was a blast - I guess that's the most recent.
Winning our final game in 1998 at Cokely (senior night) before heading into playoffs was another special night.
The first time we scored 100 points in a game at Cokely.
Practice!
The Fans!
Coach Nusbaum going crazy on the sideline : )


10. What advice do you have for the BlueJays as they prepare for the season?
Do your best to learn your role, be the best at your role, and give everything you can for the TEAM!
Go Blue Jays!

Pre-Season Workouts Begin Sept. 15th

The BlueJay Basketball program will begin their 8 weeks of pre-season workouts Sept. 15th @ 3:10. Players need to meet in the gym. Workouts will be held Monday-Thursday on regular school days with the ending time being 4:45. They will continue through Nov. 5th.

Any high school athlete not participating in a fall sport is welcome to attend. South Valley Jr. High and Liberty Jr. High freshmen are welcome. According to MSHSAA rules, 8th graders are not allowed to participate in workouts.

Sessions will focus on improving areas such as speed, agility, and strength. Athletes will need to bring both basketball and running shoes.

Why He's No. 1

Charley Walters: There's a Reason Tiger Woods Looks Buff
Pioneer Press
Updated: 08/15/2009 11:11:05 PM CDT

Justin Conzemius has been around athletes for most of his life. He was captain of the 1995 Gophers football team as a linebacker and strong safety. It takes something special to impress him.
He saw something special Thursday. Conzemius, 36, a physical fitness nut who works in marketing for General Mills, stopped by his suburban Minneapolis health club for his daily 5:10 a.m. workout. There was another guy already working out before Conzemius arrived.
It was Tiger Woods, the No. 1 sports figure in the world.
"He was working on an exercise ball by himself, first doing some hard core stretching," Conzemius said. "Then he did some super high-repetition wrist curls, sets of 25 to 30 reps. He was just ripping them off really fast. It was like he was activating his muscles for his day of golf."
Conzemius said Woods, 33, finished his workout at 6 a.m. At 8:35 a.m., he teed off at Hazeltine National, then, in the sun and heat and humidity, shot a 5-under-par 67 to take the first-round lead in the PGA Championship. He has kept the lead going into today's final round.
"He was wearing a Stanford baseball cap and sleeveless shirt with his Nike gear while working out," Conzemius said. "There were TVs in the small room, and guys on ESPN were talking about the possibility of him having a bad back and maybe not playing. But he never even looked at the TVs, just kept on working out. I don't think he even knew they were talking about him."
Conzemius never bothered to say hello to Woods. He didn't want to interrupt him.
"He was getting ready for a big day," Conzemius said. "He's in there at 5 a.m. It was pretty neat seeing him there. You see him working out like that and you quickly understand why he's No. 1."

WESTON JOINS CARDINAL SQUAD

Monday afternoon saw Coach Holley’s latest recruit become a William Jewell Cardinal as he signed his letter of intent. Chris Weston, the ’07 starting point guard for the Jays, has committed to come back to Liberty to complete his collegiate career. Chris, along with his parents, teammates, coaches, and WJC faculty, is transferring from North Arkansas JUCO and Maple Woods. He will be a sophomore and have three seasons to be a Cardinal.
Why did you choose WJC?
CW: After leaving North Ark, I was back in Liberty and would come to Jewell to play in their open gyms. I expressed interest in trying to play here and I had some good talks with Coach Holley. One thing led to another and here I am.
What’s it going to be like playing with Nick Larson again?
CW: It’s going to be a lot of fun. Nick and I had success in high school and I wanted to play with him in college. He went to a couple of schools and I explored options to join him. I’m just real happy that we’re here together.
What’s one emotion you’re feeling now?
CW: I’m very anxious. I’m ready to go…ready to get started and go prove myself at this level.
What are your goals for yourself?
CW: I want to start. I know I have a lot of work to do, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to earn the spot. Whether it’s play great defense, make a three, set a pick, I’ll do my best.
What are your team goals this season?
CW: I want to make it a long way in the national tourney. I watched their tournament games and I think we have the tools to make it further this next season. I hope we can pack the Mabee Center for our games this season. We’re going to be fun to watch so I hope people will come to support us.
What are you going to major in?
CW: I’m going to major in business. I’ve got all my classes set up. The people here have been great in helping me get organized with my courses.
Anything else you’d like to add?
CW: It’s going to be great to play in Liberty again. Not only is it going to be nice to play in front of my family and friends, just playing in my hometown, where I had a great high school experience, is going to be great.

ADAMS CHOOSES #4 TO HONOR WEP

It was a short summer for BlueJay graduate Shaun Adams. He left for college on June 27th to begin workouts and start classes. He’s enjoying the life of a Division 1 student/athlete. He is very proud of his new collegiate jersey number, #4, which he selected to remember and honor former teammate Barrett Wepler.


How are workouts going?
Workouts are going really well, I can already feel a difference on how strong I am getting. The lifting portions of workouts are extremely tough but good for me. The conditioning is there for me too. The workouts we did in high school were probably just as difficult so it wasn't as bad for me. In fact, I was the only incoming player not to throw up on the first day.

What’s your workout schedule?
My workout schedule is M-F except for Wed. Each morning at 7 am we condition until about 7:40 and then lift until 8:30. At nights we have open gym almost every night followed by a study table, making it a long day. The weekends are pretty much to us to get in the gym and work on ball handling and lots of shots in the gym.

You’re taking a couple of classes now. Are they a little tougher than HS courses?
Classes are really hard up here. Especially coming from high school it is a lot more intense, you are expected to read something every night for the upcoming class.

Tell us about your new collegiate number and the significance of it.
Well I couldn't get my high school number,# 33, so I knew the right choice for me was # 4. It still has a huge meaning in my life even to this day, I know he is still looking down, and I have told other people the story and how he should be at a college of this academic and athletic caliber right now, so I think it is very fitting. I know from talking to Coach Stirtz and the rest of the staff, that it still has a huge meaning. Wep always needs to be remembered and honored and this was a way for me to do that. My parents both really liked the choice of the number and I know it will help me on the court both athletically and spiritually.

Anything else you’d like to share?
Overall, it’s been a great 4 weeks for me so far. I am playing really well in open gyms and in the summer league we are in. My teammates here are really accepting and the freshman class is really doing well. Look for Loyola to be a surprise team in the Horizon league this year.

JOE PRICE NAMED JV COACH

Joe Price has been named the new Junior Varsity coach for the BlueJay Basketball program. Coach Price has been a very successful junior high coach for the past 7 years at the 8th and 9th grade levels.

"Our program is excited to have Coach Price as a member of the high school coaching staff," states Coach Stirtz. "His loyality to the program, emphasis on the fundamentals of the game, and his ability get the most out of his players earned him the job. Having watched Coach Price's teams practice and play games over the years, his teams are at an advantage because of his teaching style and attention to detail."

Let's get to know Coach Price:

Hometown: Skidmore, Missouri
College/Major:Graduated from Northwest Missouri State/K-12 Physical eduction/Health
Collegiate playing experience: 2 years at Central Methodist College-team made national tournament, 2 years at Northwest Missouri State-team made national tournament both years.
Teaching assignment: Warren Hills Elementary K-5 Health
Coaching experience: 1 Year assistant Varsity coach South Nodaway. 7 Years Coaching 8th/9th grade for Liberty
What made you want to be a JV coach: Getting to work with more advanced basketball players for such a successful program and working with a staff that will help me develop and become a better coach.
Outlook for this upcoming season: To continue the success of the JV program while helping to develop the junior varsity athletes into varsity athletes.
Family: Wife- Dena, Son- J.J., 2 1/2 years old; Son-Deacon 1 years old.

2nd Annual Wepler Golf Tourney a Big Success

On July 13th, Staley Farms golf course hosted the 2nd annual Wepler Memorial Golf Tournament. Organized by former BlueJays Michael Noland and Eric Adams, the tournament saw almost 20 teams compete for the 4 person scramble low score and prizes on certain holes. But more importantly, the participants donated their time and money for a wonderful cause. Funds generated by the tournament and silent auction will benefit cardiomyopathy awareness and the Wepler Scholarship Fund.
“I really want to thank the golfers who make this possible. It’s an extra special day to remember and honor Barrett and Jennifer. I also want to thank everyone who helped today and especially our sponsors,” remarked Michael Noland.
Players enjoyed cooler temperatures, under July conditions, and a golf course which was in great shape.
“It was a privilege to be able to play in the tournament,” stated participant Jim Cooper. “It was a great day to be on the course. The best part of the event was the opportunity to honor Jennifer and Barrett, and with everyone’s involvement this scholarship will benefit worthy individuals of Liberty High School.”
List of sponsors: Northland Pain Consultants and Professional Care; Los Compas Restaurant; Patton & Associates; Kirkland & Woods, P.C.; Noland Law Firm, LLC; Alliance Radiology-Liberty Division; Underground Environmental Services; Citizens Bank & Trust; Kearney Trust Bank; McDonald’s; Commerce Bank; The Brown Family; The Dale Family; PriceChopper; Spencer Financial; Dice Photography; The Dish Pizza; EarthScapes of Liberty; State Farm Insurance, Dennis Cordray; and Ferguson Properties. Thank you.

Coach Weis Accepts Raytown Position

Liberty Junior Varsity basketball coach Brandon Weis has accepted an offer from Raytown High School to become their next head coach. Weis, who's been in the Liberty district since 2000, has been the JV coach for the last 7 years.
For more information on the story, look for the latest edition of the BlueJay Bounce newsletter in the upcoming days. If you don't receive the Bounce, email:
rostirtz@liberty.k12.mo.us
cmccabe@liberty.k12.mo.us

Team Camp

The Liberty Men's Basketball program will take 10 players down to Norman, Oklahoma on Friday morning to participate in the teams annual Varsity Summer Team Camp. This will be the Blue Jays second visit to Norman for this event, with the first coming in 2006.

Most recently, Team Camp has seen Liberty visit Creighton in 2007 as well as KU in 2008.

This year's trip to Norman will pit the Blue Jays up against a high level of competition that will provide an early test for 2009-2010.

Make sure to check back regularly on the twitter feed for updates about how things are going in Sooner Nation.

Weight room

Thanks to generous financial contributions from Liberty High School's athletic department, Liberty Booster Club and the Men's Basketball Program, the team has moved into some new territory.

With hard work from Liberty Public School's maintenance team, PROSTAR sports has setup new racks and weights for the Men's basketball program in the main gymnasium.

Check the attached pictures to see where the Blue Jays are spending part of their off-season program!

GO JAYS!

Camp pictures!

More camp pictures...

Keep checking back, we'll have more as the week goes on!

Camp

Day one of camp was a huge success for the Blue Jays! We had over 150 campers for grades K-9 and couldn't of been any happier with their attitude and effort!

Take a look at what we caught at camp today!

GO BLUE JAYS!

Camp update

The Liberty Men's Basketball program is halfway through its first week of summer camp and so far so good for the Blue Jays.

The Jays have over 130 players registered for the three camps that they are offering this week. The 10th-12th grade Team Camp, Shooting Camp and Point Guard/Big Man camp have been well attended and there has been a lot of hard work that has gone into the first week of summer so far.

We're looking forward to the rest of this week and then the youth camps next week! If you have any questions about camps, please don't hesitate to contact one of your Blue Jay Coaches.

Go Blue Jays!

2009 Metro Sports Hy-Vee Shootout

Head Coach Roger Stirtz and the Liberty Men's Basketball program are excited to announce they will participate in the 2009 Hy-Vee Shootout at Avila University, presented by Metro Sports.

The 2009 game, which will take place on December 19th at 11:30am, will match Liberty against perennial Kansas power Blue Valley West High School.

The last time that Liberty faced a team from Blue Valley was in the 2008 shootout when the Jays faced the Huskies of Blue Valley Northwest. That game saw the Jays hold BVNW to 27% shooting and walk away with a 49-33 win at the Hy-Vee Shootout.

Last season's schedule saw the Jays post a 23-6 record with the 6 losses coming to teams with a combined record of 132-15. The Jays played against a State Champion (Fayetteville), two State runner ups (Grandview, Kearney) and a Third Place team (Columbia Rockbridge).

Always playing a tough schedule, the Jays are looking forward to the challenges of the 2009-2010 schedule!

GO JAYS!

Kevin Starr & Tyler Sullivant

Also on May 11th, seniors Tyler Sullivant and Kevin Starr both signed National Letters of Intent to continue their collegiate playing careers.

Instead of continuing on the court, both Tyler and Kevin will continue on the field as both signed to play baseball at the next level.

Tyler signed to pitch at Ft. Scott Community College while Kevin has signed to play at Iowa Western Community College.

We look forward to watching you guys play at the next level.

Continue to make us proud!

Shaun Adams

On Monday, May 11th, senior Shaun Adams signed his National Letter of Intent with the Loyola Chicago Men's Basketball program.

We are excited and proud of Shaun and look forward to following his progress at the NCAA Division-1 level!

Loyola Adds Shaun Adams to the Men's Basketball program for 2009-2010

Good luck Shaun, you'll do great!

Camps

As the school year comes to a close, don't forget that camp season is about to heat up!

Don't miss out on these opportunities offered by the Liberty Men's Basketball Program this summer!

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact one of the Blue Jay Coaches by email, or call, 816.736.6836

SHOOTING CAMP Grades 7-12, May 26-29 @ LHS, 12:00pm-1:30pm
This will be the 5th year for the Blue Jay shooting camp and it continues to improve each year. The focus of these 6 hours of shooting is individual attention on the fundamentals of shooting. During the camp, shooters will be taught: proper fundamentals, the breakdown of the shot, how to get open, how to learn from their own shot and teach themselves, how to grade a shot. They will also have their shot analyzed (written form by a HS coach), have their shot videotaped (Day 1 and Day 4) and be sent a DVD of them shooting, and be taught how to practice shooting correctly in order to be a great shooter. Information learned during camp will be collected in the shooter’s notebook.

POINT GUARD/POST MAN CAMP Grades 7-12, May 26-29 @ LHS, 1:30pm-3:00pm
This is the 3rd year of the Point Guard/Post Man Camp. The High School coaching staff is looking forward to teaching specific position skills that are essential for success at the point guard and post man positions. The role of the point guard is one of the most valuable on the team. He is one of the big keys to success. In our camp the point guard will learn: advanced ball handling drills (focused on speed, control and court awareness); passing skills (using each hand with a focus on accuracy and timing); leadership skills (being vocal, gaining respect of your teammates, becoming an extension of your coach); leading the fast break (seeing the floor, using traffic, finding numbers); shooting off the dribble; understanding game situations; feed the post; delay game strategies and how to get to the free-throw line.
The post men will learn: post moves (fundamentals of post offense, gaining position, going over both shoulders to shoot); footwork and agility drills; post passing; rebounding and rebounding position techniques (offense and defense); running the floor (finishing on the break, shooting the trail jumper); being a great screener; developing range on the jump shot, how to get to the free throw line; shooting more consistently from the free throw line.
Information learned during camp will be collected in their notebook.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT/TEAM CAMPS
Grades K-2 -- June 1-4 -- 9:00am-10:30am -- SVMS

Grades 3-5 -- June 1-4 -- 10:45am-12:30pm -- SVMS

Grades 6-9 -- June 1-4 -- 1:00pm-3:00pm -- SVMS

Grades 10-12 -- May 26-29 -- 9:00am-11:00am -- LHS

These camps offer players a fun, learning environment to improve their skill levels. All aspects of the sport are taught. With the older ages, actual Blue Jay plays, strategies, and philosophies are taught giving the players an advantage going into their next season.

NOTES
· All camps are $40 which make them the best value in the Metro.
· All listed grades are for the 09-10 school year.
· Ways to register: 1) At your school 2) Walk-up registration 3) By mail

You can pre-register or sign up the day of the camp.

Any questions, please contact one of the Blue Jay Coaches!

Welcome!

Welcome to the Official blog of the Liberty High School Men's Basketball team.

It is our hope that this blog will provide you with up to date details about what's happening with one of the most successful programs in the state of Missouri.

Make sure to check back daily for updates!!

Go Blue Jays!