Pictures from the WJC Tourney

These are two of the great pictures taken by Jeff Billings, Marty Williams, and Jack Smith of KCSC Sports. Above, Liberty's Brandon Chapman gets fouled in the act of shooting, makes the shot and the free-throw to complete a huge old fashioned three-point play.

You can view these and other outstanding pictures at http://www.kcscsports.net/

Jays Go Down in Defeat to Bulldogs

The Jays struggled in the championship game against Grandview in the William Jewell College tournament losing 54-38. The BlueJays had a disappointing display of offense shooting only 32% from the field and making only 1 of 15 three point attempts. Leading scorers for the Jays were Isaiah Norfleet with 13 points and Jordan Lewis with 11.

Denton Koon and Lewis earned All-Tournament Team honors. Norfleet, who led the Jays in scoring two out of the three games, also played well.

Up next is a three game week beginning with road games to Blue Springs and Lee's Summit North on Tuesday and Friday. On Wednesday Liberty hosts Park Hill South.

Jays Advance to Title Game

The Liberty BlueJays advanced to the championship game of the WJC Tourney with a 59-57 win over Park Hill. Leading scorers were Denton Koon with 17 points and Jordan Lewis with 15. Koon also grabbed 11 rebounds. Austin Weese and Ben Hansen combined for 17 timely points. But it was Junior Brandon Chapman's old fashion three point play that put the Jays up late in the game. Then the Trojans made a remarkable 3 pointer to tie the game with 17 seconds left. With 6 seconds left Chapman found an open Hansen who was fouled and he made both free throws to give the Jays the edge.
In the championship game, the Jays will face Grandview at 9pm on Thursday, Dec. 30th. Go Jays.

BlueJays Sink Vikings

The Liberty BlueJays battled Shawnee Mission West in the 10:30am game of the Hy-Vee Shootout at Avila University. Liberty won 68-47. The Jays led from the beginning going up 7-0 and then 16-6 by the end of the first quarter. Jordan Lewis' opening three pointers helped get the Jays rolling on the offensive end but it an intense defense that was the main difference in the game. The BlueJays went on to lead by 14 at halftime thanks to Denton Koon's 10 first half points. The third quarter belonged to Isaiah Norfleet as he scored 9 points in the quarter. Koon finished with 20 points, Norfleet with 13, Lewis with 11. Austin Weese and Kyle Rutliff each added 8 points.

"The staff was pleased with our defensive execution this morning," mentioned Coach Phil Simpson. "Our players have had the opportunity to focus on defense for the 97% of the last three practices and our performance showed the positive attitude, maturity, and leadership skills they possess."

In a surprise ceremony immediately after the game, Denton Koon was awarded the Hy-Vee Scholar/Athlete scholarship for his excellence in the classroom and on the court. Congrats and well deserved!

Up next for the Jays: Blue Spring South at Cokely on Tuesday, Dec.21st.

Blue Jay Basketball News

Updates from the Liberty Basketball Program

• The Jays will face St. Pius in the first round of the William Jewell Tournament. Game time is set for 7:30pm on Monday, Dec. 27th.


• The Freshman team defeated Platte County 61-7 last night.


• The Freshman host Liberty North at LHS Friday night at 7pm.

• For the past 17 years BlueJay basketball players have donated a Saturday morning to give back to their community as helpers in the Mayor's Christmas Tree Food Drive. Players assisted in moving and delivering close to 500 boxes of food. Pictured above is Sam G. loading a box.

• Up next for the Varsity Jays is the Hy-Vee Shootout at Avila University. Liberty plays SM West at 10:30am.

Freshmen Jays Win Championship

The LJHS Freshmen won the championship game of the Park Hill tournament Friday night by defeating Park Hill South 45-44. The Jays started out a little slow and by got down 9-12 at the end of the first quarter but they responded well in the 2nd quarter. Brady Newland hit a baseline jumper and 2 3's in about a 90 second span and we were up 27-20 at half. Liberty led by about 5 for the rest of the game until the last 3 minutes. The Jays got down by 1 with about 90 seconds left and were forced to trap on defense for the first time all game. It resulted in a turnover for PHS with 50 seconds left. A play designed with multiple options was called and Reece Frizzell got the ball inside and scored to put them up 1 with 15 seconds left. The BlueJays ran the same defense again and tipped the pass on the double team. They ran the ball down and PHS had to foul with 3 seconds left, clinching the game.
"We put forth a solid effort, and I really think we will grow from this experience", mentioned Coach Rouse. "I was very impressed with the effort we put forth. It was a great test for us".

Jays 'Find a Way'

The opening of conference play could not have been more exciting as the Jays hosted the Lee's Summit North Broncos at Cokely Fieldhouse. With LSN scoring the first 8 points of the game it looked like the Jays could be in for a long night. However, they bounced back strong and actually had a 3 point lead after the 1st quarter thanks in part to Jordan Lewis' 9 points. It was back and forth during the 2nd but LHS held on to a 1 point lead at halftime. Isaiah Norfleet hit a layup at the buzzer giving the Jays the slight edge. During the 2nd half the consistent BlueJays played better on both ends of the floor pushing their lead to 9 points. But the Broncos wouldn't go away for long. They stepped up the defensive pressure and forced the Jays to take some quick shots. This helped them regain the lead in the 4th quarter. However, Denton Koon saved his best basketball for the end and along with Brandon Chapman taking a big charge late in the game, the BlueJays prevailed 66-63. Lewis led the team in scoring with 26, followed by Koon with 16, and Norfleet with 12. "I'm satisfied with the win tonight primarily because we showed some heart and effort this evening. This is not the easiest way to begin a season with 3 games at Kickapoo and one day of practice before an extremely tough conference opponent but I need to acknowledge the determination of our players and credit them for a nice performance," remarked Coach Stirtz. Next up for the Jays is Lee's Summit on Tuesday, Dec. 14th.

Kickapoo Classic

The Liberty BlueJays had a good opening weekend of the 2010 basketball season by winning two out of three games at the Springfield Kickapoo Classic.
The Jays began play with a matchup against Springdale Har-ber. The Wildcats had already played 3 games so they had the first game 'jitters' out of the way. But that didn't phase the Jays as they raced to a 44-27 lead at halftime. They extended to 27 points during the second half and finished with a 82-59 final. Denton Koon and Jordan Lewis each had 18 points and Isaiah Norfleet had 12. Each member of the team scored in the game.
Friday night's game against Fayetteville, Ark. was a big test. With the largest lead of the game being 5 points, it was a back and forth battle. Down 1 with 10 seconds to play, the Jays had their chance but ended up losing 57-59. Again, the top 3 scorers were Koon, 20 pts; Lewis, 16 pts; and Norfleet, 13 pts.
Next the BlueJays faced St. Louis Imagine College Prep in a Saturday afternoon finale. They rebounded from a bitter defeat the night before by dominating the first quarter 23-13. However, the Bears bounced back and cut the lead to 2 by halftime. But the opening play in the 3rd quarter, a dunk by Koon, spurred on the Jays and they continued to execute well in the 2nd half and win 69-52. A huge performance by Kyle Rutliff, 16 points, and Lewis, 23 points helped the cause.
Lewis was selected for the All-Tournament Team for his outstanding play.
The Jays have no time to rest as they open up conference play at Cokely Fieldhouse on Tuesday night against one of the best teams in the Metro, Lee's Summit North. Tip-off is scheduled for 7pm.

Tip-Off Dinner Moves Outdoors

The Blue Jay Basketball program annually begins the season with a "Tip-Off" dinner and this year it took place in a slightly different format. Steve, Traci and Denton Koon hosted a bonfire and cookout Sunday evening and it was enjoyed by all the players and staff.
Kyle Rutliff, a Junior guard, stated, "The dinner was a perfect way to get the season going. Hanging around the fire was a great bonding experience and it gave us time to hangout outside of the basketball court."
Malcolm Mustin, a Junior forward, said, "It was a fun time. It helps our team chemistry and team bonding. There was a lot of fun interaction between the guys around the fire and then playing games once we moved inside."
The Jays get the season started Tuesday with a Sophomore game at Rockhurst. The Varsity Jays travel to Springfield on Thursday to play in the Kickapoo Classic over the weekend. Check the blog/twitter for updates.

Jays/Lady Jays Host Successful Scrimmage

The boy's and girl's basketball programs hosted their annual Blue-White Scrimmage Friday evening at Cokely Fieldhouse. A great crowd turned out for a preview of the 2010 teams.
Games began with the Sophomore boys under the direction of Coach Brandon Smith. Junior Varsity Coach Kevin Baker had his players go next. Both teams excuted well offensively, played hard defense, and took care of the basketball.
After the JV game, the boys team out-shot the girls team in the 3 point contest. The winning team of Kyle Rutliff, Jordan Lewis, Denton Koon, and Ben Hansen captured the traveling trophy. They are pictured in the same order above.
Next up was the varsity squad. The Blue team battled back from an early and large deficit to force an 18-18 tie. Coach Simpson summed up his comments. "As a coaching staff, we were pleased with some of the results, however, there's a lot of room for improvement. Some of our intentions were good, but the execution on both ends of the floor needs to get to the next level quickly."
The night ended with over 100 Blue Jay t-shirts being won by fans for making a free-throw.
The Jays would like to thank all the fans who came out to Cokely to watch. Go JAYS!

Blue/White Scrimmage Details

The Blue Jay and Lady Jay Basketball programs will hold their pre-season scrimmages on Friday, Nov 19th in Cokely Fieldhouse. It will be a great time to view this season's new squads. There will be a parent meeting for each program beginning at 6pm. Listed below are the scrimmage schedules. Make sure to practice your Free-Throw skills as you'll have an opportunity to win a Blue Jay t-shirt for a $1 shot.

6:00pm Parent meetings
7:00pm Sophomore boys
7:10pm Junior Varsity Girls
7:25pm Junior Varsity Boys
3 pt shootout: Girls vs Boys
8:00pm Varsity Girls
8:20pm Varsity Boys
Make a FT for $1; Win a T-Shirt!!

High School Basketball Player Meeting

There will be a boys basketball meeting for any Sophomore-Senior interested trying out for the team on Tuesday, Oct 26th @ 3pm in the gym. If you’re currently participating in a fall sport, see Coach Stirtz.

Kickapoo Basketball Tourney

The Blue Jays' schedule for the Dec 2-3-4 Kickapoo Tournament has been released.


THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2

4:30 Springfield Glendale vs. Fayetteville (AR)

6:00 Liberty vs. Springdale (AR) Har-Ber

7:30 Kickapoo vs. St. Louis Imagination Prep



FRIDAY DECEMBER 3

4:30 Springfield Glendale vs. St. Louis Imagination Prep

6:00 Liberty vs. Fayetteville (AR)

7:30 Kickapoo vs. Springdale (AR) Har-Ber



SATURDAY DECEMBER 4

Noon Springfield Glendale vs. Springdale (AR) Har-Ber

1:30 Liberty vs. St. Louis Imagination Prep

3:00 Kickapoo vs. Fayetteville (AR)

Athletic Department to Host Recruiting Seminar

On Tuesday October 19th, LHS and LNHS are hosting a guest speaker from Dynamite Sports. This presentation will cover the recruiting process as well as the collegiate eligibility standards for all levels of competition. Attendees will also learn techniques to market themselves as well as learn how to apply for grant money at lower level NCAA schools. The event will be held in the Liberty North High School cafeteria at 7:00 PM and is geared for freshmen through seniors.

The following is a link to Dyamite Sports: http://www.thecoachescircle.com/school/38

Coach Johnson of Princeton Visits With Jays

The Liberty Basketball Program were fortunate guests of Princeton Head Coach Sydney Johnson on Monday afternoon. Coach Johnson, in town to visit future signee and current Blue Jay senior Denton Koon, attended a workout and spoke to the team.

As the only three year captain in the history of Princeton basketball, he obviously addressed leadership skills. Coach Johnson’s belief in ‘Interactive Leadership’ involves every member of the program/team being locked into the goals and purposes of the team. This requires effective communication from the youngest players on the team, to veterans, to captains and other leaders. This also channels in the opposite direction.

In addition, Coach Johnson spoke to a level of energy, that if high enough, will result in a return of performance tenfold by those surrounding you which would include teammates and coaches.

New District for Jays

The Missouri State High School Athletic Association recently announced district pairings for the '10-'11 season. It can be viewed at the following website:

http://www.mshsaa.org/Activities/ClassAndDistrictAssignments.aspx?alg=5&class=5

Pre-Season Begins Monday

Pre-Season workouts for 9th-12th graders will begin Monday, Sept 13th after school. Meet in the gym for warm-ups and have both running and basketball shoes ready. The workouts, which will run Mondays-Thursdays, will be over around 4:45.

Shooting Clinic for Chinese Visitors

China loves basketball. That fact was very evident as Coach Stirtz held a short shooting clinic for twelve students from Tian Jia Bing High School in Liuyang, China. They arrived in Liberty on Thursday, August 26 and have experienced Liberty High and Liberty North schools.

"They simply love the game," remarked Coach Stirtz. "Any time they have a break in their schedule they ask for a ball so they can shoot baskets. During the little clinic, they were great listeners to what was being taught and then they did their best at practicing the new skill. It was very special to see their passion and enthusiasm for the game."

Basketball has taken China by storm. With the creation of the USA Olympic Dream Team in '92, the world was introduced to and inspired by the next level of basketball. Lately, its been Yao Ming who has taken the country's status as hero. Although, Kobe Bryant could be considered just as popular as Yao in China. To put it in perspective, there are about 300 million Americans in the US. China has 300 million people playing basketball. That's a love of the game.

"We love basketball," states Jenny, one of the exchange students. "The older generation in China plays a lot of table tennis but the young people play basketball. We love Yao, Kobe, and LeBron."

The visitors were given a BlueJay wristband, a BlueJay basketball t-shirt, and a Stat Pack/Scrapbook as gifts from the program.

Pre-Season Basketball Meeting

There will be a boys basketball pre-season meeting after school on Monday, Aug 23rd in the gym. Anyone not involved in a fall sport should attend.
Players will begin lifting weights on Tuesday, Aug 24th, after school. Pre-season workouts will begin Sept. 13th.

Koon Selects Princeton

The Liberty Basketball Program is extremely proud to announce Denton Koon has committed to Coach Sydney Johnson and Princeton University. Koon, a 6'7 senior forward, had plenty of scholarship offers from colleges across the nation but elected to verbally commit early in the recruiting process. The following is an question/answer segment with Denton.

What made Princeton so attractive to you in terms of athletics/basketball?

"Princeton's basketball program is on the rise and since the head coach (Sydney Johnson) has been there the program has done a complete turn around. Also they play a style offensively with a lot of cuts which I like and they take pride on defense in terms of holding the other team to a low total."

You have about a year before you become a Tiger but what are your basketball goals for your freshman season?

"As a freshman, I would really like to go on to an already successful team and make an impact that will help us reach the next level ( no matter what that may be) by playing a good amount of minutes."

Everyone knows that Princeton is 1st class when is comes to academics. What makes the university so impressive academically and what do you plan to major in?

"I am not 100% sure what my major will be yet, but the university itself is so impressive because (for example) you can be sitting in a classroom with a professor who has won a Nobel prize in their area of study and also you are always surrounded by some of the smartest kids your age in the world."

Summarize the top 3 reasons why you decided on Princeton.

"I decided on Princeton with 3 major reasons being the academic prestige, a up and rising basketball program, and its location. Academic prestige- I just mean when employers see that I have a degree from Princeton, it's such an advantage in the job market and just in life. Up and rising basketball program- Coach Johnson has turned things around and I truly believe that going in as a freshman I will have the opportunity to play for 4 straight Ivy League titles. Location- Not only the fact that Princeton is a 45 minute tram ride from NYC, but just the location on the east coast, where I can meet new people and come upon new outlets for my entire life."

New Jersey isn't that close to Liberty so will distance from home be something difficult for you to adjust to?

"I'm sure at first I'm going to miss my mom a little bit, but the fact that I get to use basketball to take me to a different part of the country for at least 4 years of my life is a pretty neat concept. I am excited to see the differences in life between two totally different regions of the country."

In terms of the recruiting process, you made your decision fairly early. What are the advantages to you for having the decision made?

"I believe there are a lot of advantages to making my decision early in the recruiting process. First off I just think it allows me to go into my senior with no pressure for making the decision later, and I can just enjoy myself. Also I think that this helps Princeton in their recruiting because now they have a spot locked in that they like, and can focus on getting other crucial components to help us win. Finally I think making this decision early is beneficial because I won't feel to much pressure to over perform this next season to impress some college, I know that I can just relax and play my game to the best of my abilities to help us win."

Congratulations to Denton and his family on his decision and the tremendous opportunity that awaits him.

Update on Coach Jack Part III

Jack's surgery was postponed to begin at noon today instead of the scheduled time of 9am this morning. His successful surgery lasted about 6 hours. His heart is functioning better after the procedure although the doctors were only able to perform one bypass. The other arteries doctors were hoping to operate on were too damaged, but there could be an opportunity at a later date to insert two stents. Along with better heart performance after surgery, Jack is recovering as good as possible. His family will notify us about when visitors will be welcome. He is expected to stay in the hospital for about a week, so any note or card would be much appreciated.

Update on Coach Jack Part II

I visited Jack in the hospital this evening and his spirits are good and he feels fine, however, that somewhat 'hides' his current condition. He has blockages in 6 arteries of the heart. Two are 100% blocked, another is 99% blocked, and another three have an 80% blockage. A main heart artery is open and clear which is good news. What this means is Jack will have a multiple bypass surgery on Wednesday morning. Jack will remain in the hospital for 7-10 days after surgery.
Any notes or cards for Jack can be sent via email (rostirtz@liberty.k12.mo.us) or delivered to the LHS front office in care of Coach Stirtz.
Please continue to keep Coach Jack in your thoughts and prayers.

Update on Coach Jack

Coach Jack is currently in the hospital at KU Medical Center. A team of doctors is discussing the plans for Jack's treatment for the following conditions:
1. Blocked artery of the one he had a bypass on about 15 years ago.
2. Other arteries are not operating at 100%.
3. Kidneys are not functioning as they should.

Doctors typically don't do a second bypass on the same artery but in this case they might need to and with other arteries not in the best condition, conditions are likely for a multiple bypass. The kidney issue might be a result of the dye used in Jack's stress test last Thursday.
Once more information is known, we will post it.

Coach Jack Undergoes Heart Treatment

Coach Jack, 63, has two blocked arteries on the front side of his heart. He's undergoing tests tomorrow (Thursday) at Liberty Hospital. Plans are to admit him to KU Med Center on Monday. The doctors are planning to do angioplasty and install two stents. If this works, they expect to send Jack home on Tuesday! If the stents don't work they'll have to do bypass surgery. Jack was at work today on light duty.

Please keep Coach Jack in your thoughts and prayers.

Jays Do Well in Summer League Play

The Liberty Blue Jays finished a successful summer league schedule last night winning 2 out of 3 games by the Liberty Blue and White teams. Overall, the 3 teams combined for a 25-5 record. More important than a solid win-loss perspective was the valuable experiences the players got by participating in the league.

"Our teams played well during the league, stated Coach Smith. The effort, commitment level, and team play was pleasing to the coaching staff. We thought our players got a lot of the league and performed well."

Jays Have Successful Team Camp

The Blue Jays returned to Stillwater, OK for the the Oklahoma State team camp for the 2nd time in 5 years on Friday and over the course of the weekend they played a lot of basketball...and had some fun also.

"I like attending the camp for a few reasons," stated Coach Stirtz. "It's well organized, the facilities are nice, and we're usually the only team from Missouri which allows us to play teams we never see from Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas."

After a slow start in the games on Friday (1 win, 2 losses), the Jays rallied to win their next 5 games in a row and make to the semifinal round of the tournament on Sunday. "We got a better every game we were there," mentioned Coach Simpson. "We were proud of our guys. They really stepped up each game and improved on what we asked them to do. Our offense was much more fluid and purposeful over the camp and our team defense started to come together."

"Every player made more of an impact in each game and they all gained more self-confidence in what they can bring to the team," remarked Coach Stirtz. "I've been to a number of team camps and this was one of my favorites with the players that went and what we got accomplished."

Blue Jays Host Elementary Camp

3rd-5th grade camp K-2nd grade camp

The Liberty Basketball Program hosted it's annual summer basketball camp this week. It was an awesome week of basketball with the campers. They listened well, worked hard on improving their games, played with a lot of hustle. Some of the more fun and exciting times were during the Hot Shot, Buzzer Beater, and the ever popular 'Shooting Carnival'. But nothing tops the temendous effort and fun of league games.

Our Blue Jay players and coaches would like to thank the campers for a great week of basketball. Thanks for making it one of the best camp weeks of all-time!

Also, a special thanks to Stasi Sports and Godfather's Pizza for their assistance in our camp.

Jays Complete Great Week of Camp

The Liberty Basketball Program hosted an awesome week of camp. The coaching staff was very impressed with the learning that took place and also with the campers enthusiasm, hustle, teamwork, and energy level.

Caleb Davis, a LMS 6th grader, said the following about the camp, "First of all, the best part of camp was scrimmaging. I also liked learning about the new picks in the motion offense. I think that will help me. Plus, the shooting drills we learned will benefit me."

Jacob Goodman, an 7th grader from SV, remarked, " I learned how to become a better teammate and how to be a more effective post player."

Pictured to the right are former Blue Jay All-State players Nick Larson, '07 and Shaun Adams, '09 as they spoke to the campers about what it takes to be a great player.

Thanks campers for a great week of hoops!

Adams Inks With WJC

In a signing ceremony on Tuesday in which 12 Liberty athletes signed their letter of intent to participate in college athletics, Blue Jay hoopster Bryan Adams, pictured above at the table, formally committed to William Jewell College. Joining Adams on stage from the left, WJC head coach Larry Holley and parents Mark and Julie Adams. Congratulations Bryan! Blue Jay fans look forward to following your success on and off the court at WJC.

Adams Selects WJC

The Liberty Basketball program is pleased to announce Senior post man Bryan Adams will continue his playing career at William Jewell College. The 6'7 forward chose the Cardinals over 7 other four-year schools. Adams, a two-year starter for the Jays, answered the following questions for the blog:

WHY WILLIAM JEWELL COLLEGE?

I chose WJC for a lot of reasons. First, their academics are great. Secondly, I've known their coaches and players for awhile and I'm very comfortable with them and I really like them. Finally, the opportunity to go NCAA Division II is very exciting and I'm looking forward to experiencing it with my new teammates.

WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO STUDY?

Currently I'm undecided. I had planned to study athletic training or physical therapy but WJC doesn't offer those majors so I might delay those plans and study business over the next four years and then see where I'm at.

ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO JOINING FORCES WITH FORMER JAYS NICK LARSON AND CHRIS WESTON?

Yes! It will be fun. I hope I don't spent too much time in practice banging with Nick under the basket because he'd have an advantage. But if I can beat him up and down the court, I like my chances.

WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE LIKE STAYING IN LIBERTY FOR COLLEGE?

I like Liberty. It's better than a lot of other places. WJC is 4 minutes from my house and it will be great for my parents and high school coaches to come watch our games.

Larson is looking forward to having Bryan as a teammates. He stated, "I'm excited to play with Bryan. I played with his brothers Eric and Shaun while I was in high school and they were very competitive and hard workers. Bryan will be the same way. It's always good to see local talent stay close to home to play."

Bryan will sign with WJC in a ceremony on Tuesday, May 11th at Liberty High School beginning at 3:00.

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 6-7, May 24-27 @ LHS, 5:30pm-7:00pm

This will be the 6th 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 6-7, May 24-27 @ LHS, 7:00pm-8:30pm

This is the 4th 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 7-10 -- 9:00am-10:30am -- SVMS

Grades 3-5 -- June 7-10 -- 10:45am-12:15pm -- SVMS

Grades 6-8 -- June 1-3 -- 7:00pm-9:00pm -- LJHS; June 4--8am-10am

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 10-11 school year.

· Ways to register: 1. Walk up registration; 2. Through the athletic office at LHS: http://athletics.liberty.k12.mo.us/

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

Off-Season Basketball Information

Junior High Players at South Valley and Liberty Junior High going to Liberty High School:

Check your student email for information about our off-season program. Please return it to Coach Stirtz by the end of the week.

Jack Smith Honored for Lifetime Achievement

Jack was presented the Tom Colwell Lifetime Achievement Award Thursday night at the Independence Events Center for his 44 years of service to Blue Jay athletics. The Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Association hosted the banquet. Jack sported a black tux with a blue vest and blue tie from D'Agee on the square. He was the sharpest dressed person the banquet.

Pictured above from left to right: Coach Myrick, Coach McCabe, Coach Stirtz, Coach Jack, Coach Simpson, and Coach Morley.

Congrats Jack...we're proud of you!

Banquet Honors Players and Others

2010 Seniors

Best Dressed Award Winners

The 09-10 boys basketball banquet was held last Wednesday to recognize and honor our seven outstanding seniors. Each player brought a lot to the team this season. They are a talented group, posting a combined average of 3.6 GPA. Their futures are very bright.

Also, acknowledged was program assistant, Jack Smith, who will be awarded the Tom Colwell Lifetime Achievement Award by the GKCBCA on Thursday night. In addition, Elizabeth Barmann presented a check to the Basketball Program from the proceeds of the Barrett Wepler basketball tournament. Julie Adams, mother of Jays Eric, Shaun, and Bryan, was credited for her years of service to the program.

Blue Jays Are Champions of Character

Liberty basketball players Christian Brinser and Sami Wynne were honored by the NAIA Friday night at the national basketball tournament in Municipal Auditorium. They were the representatives of LHS for the NAIA's Champions of Character program.

The NAIA Champions of Character program has established five core values that go well beyond the playing field to the daily decisions of our youth. These character values help young people — and those associated with their development — make good choices in all aspects of their life and reflect the true spirit of competition. The five core values of the program are Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Sportsmanship, and Servant Leadership. Both Christian and Sami exemplify these core values perfectly.

"The Champions of Character was a really cool experience to be a part of. I was honored to be nominated by my coaches and I couldn't have done it without my teammates. I want to thank my parents for laying down a solid foundation for how I live my life," stated Brinser.

"Christian is a well deserving recipient of this honor. He is a terrific young man, with an excellent head on his shoulders. He'll have a great educational and athletic career at Missouri and a very bright future after that. He represented himself, his family, his team, his school, and his community like a champion. Our program is extremely proud of him, " remarked Coach Stirtz.

Former Blue Jay Earns All-American Status

Nick Larson, '07 graduate of LHS, earned a 2nd team All-American honor at William Jewell College this season. Larson, who averaged 19 ppg and 10 rpg, led the Cardinals to a 3rd place finish in the conference race and then onto a tournament title. He found success this season by getting catches where he's an effective scorer. In addition, with his great instincts for rebounding the basketball he posted career highs in points and rebounds.

"The Blue Jay program is very proud of Nick. He is very passionate about the game and that love for it makes him work very hard to obtain success. WJC is very fortunate to have him. I think Nick's best years of basketball are still ahead of him and if he continues to progress, there might be an opportunity for him to make money playing the game he enjoys so much. Blue Jay basketball congratulates Nick on his award-winning season," remarks Coach Stirtz.

Koon Claims All-State Honors

Denton Koon, Junior forward for the Blue Jays, has earned Class 5 All-State honors. The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association selected Denton after he averaged 16.3 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game. The MBCA chose 15 players from across the state to be recognized. He made the All-Tournament teams at the Lebanon, William Jewell, and Liberty Tournaments. Denton was also selected First team All-Conference and All-District by conference and district coaches.

"This is an honor and I was fortunate to have such great coaches and teammates that helped put me in a position to be successful this season," stated Denton.

The Blue Jay program congratulates Denton on this tremendous honor and appreciates his efforts and the efforts of his teammates this season.

Jack Smith Wins Lifetime Achievement Award!

The Liberty Basketball Program is extremely proud to announce Jack Smith will be honored as the winner of the Tom Colwell Lifetime Acheivement Award presented by the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Association. The awards banquet, scheduled for April 10th at the Independence Events Center, is part of the Missouri/Kansas All-Star games, DiRenna awards, and All-Academic teams. The Tom Colwell award is a 'who's who' of Kansas City basketball.

Here is a list of previous winners:

2009 Tom Goddard, longtime coach at Raytown; Administrator

2008 Walt Shublom, Wyandotte HS and KCKCC

2007 Jim Draper, Blue Valley and other area HS

2006 Lee Kariker, William Jewell College

2005 Norb Schmidt, longtime KC area coach

2004 Keith Lindsay, longtime KCK involvement in the sport of basketball

2003 Lafayette Norwood, JCCC

2002 Jim Gurley, SM South HS

Jack is a graduate of Liberty High School, Class of 1967. He is currently 63 years young and has been a manager of Liberty Athletics for 44 years. He helps the boys and girls basketball teams as a manager and is a ball boy for the football team. The past four years Jack has been a program assistant for the boys basketball program. His career highlights would include the boys state championship years of 1998 and 2001 and the girls state championship year of 2007. Jack works 4 days per week at Vocational Services Incorporated. For the past 44 years he has been a assistant warehouse director at the facility. Jack extends his appreciation to the Blue Jay coaching staffs, the Meeks family, the Miller family, Mr. Blue Jay Foster Sires, Jeff Billings, Marty Williams, sister Kathy and niece Melody.

You can check out a picture collage created by Jeff and Marty of KCSC Sports Photography at http://gallery.me.com/jeffreybillings#100975

The Blue Jay program would like to invite all Liberty fans to attend the banquet to support Jack. For details about the event, please contact Coach Stirtz at rostirtz@liberty.k12.mo.us or 736.6836 by April 2nd. It will be a great night to honor Jack! Go Jays!

Blue Jays Help Set Up For National Tourney

About 13 players from the Blue Jay basketball program traveled downtown to the Municipal Auditorium Monday morning to help prepare the arena for the NAIA National Tournament. Players were assigned duties such as hanging banners and posters, moving refreshments into the media rooms, organizing tournament supplies, and building basketball goals for the interactive kids zone. After their hard work was over, the NAIA treated the team to an awesome meal at Ponak's.
The first round of games begin today and will conclude tomorrow. The feature game will be Thursday night at 6:15pm as William Jewell takes on Concordia College, the #2 seed of the tourney. It's advertised as 'the toughest tournament in America' because teams have to win 5 games in 7 days. Make your plans now to go check out some great basketball action.

All-Conference Honors

Congratulations to Denton Koon who earned First Team All-Conference this season. Koon, who averaged 17 points per game and 9 rebounds per game, was the second leading vote getter. Tony Jones, of Ray-Pec, was the conference MVP.
Also representing the Blue Jays were JT Nixon, Bryan Adams, Marshon Norfleet, and Jordan Lewis. These players earned enough votes to be All-Conference Honorable Mention.
"With as tough of conference as we play in, it's a great accomplishment for our players to be recognized in this fashion. Each player has earned this honor with their hard work, determination, and support of the total team. We are proud of them, " stated Coach Stirtz.

Wepler Basketball Tourney

3rd ANNUAL BARRETT WEPLER BASKETBALL CLASSIC

The 3rd Annual Barrett Wepler Basketball Classic will take place Friday, March 19, through Sunday, March 21, at Liberty Junior High. The tournament will have separate brackets for boys and girls in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and high school. The team fee is $175 with a three game guarantee. The purpose of the event is to honor and celebrate the memory of former Liberty Blue Jay basketball player Barrett Wepler. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Barrett Wepler Scholarship Fund. If you have any questions regarding the tournament, contact director Terry Barmann at 816-809-2953 or email barmann@nwmissouri.edu

Sophomore Team Has Memorable Season

The sophomore team had a great season this year, finishing 9-5 overall. There are many high points to remember such as beating Staley at their gym 46-40 early in the season, getting revenge on Park Hill at our place (beating them by 27 points), and handing NKC their only loss of the season by defeating them 52-40, also at our place.
The depth of the sophomore team was evident throughout the year as there were multiple games in which 10-13 guys scored points in the same game! This is a sign of a team of unselfish players, always looking to make each other better and following the Liberty motto of “WE” is greater than “ME”.
The team members made a lot of progress as basketball players this year as they bought into the program and sold themselves out each and every day. It will be exciting to see them grow and mature as they move up to the JV/Varsity levels in the future.
To finish the season, the sophs enjoyed a day of fun last Saturday by meeting up at the College Basketball Experience for some friendly competition and camaraderie, followed by quite a display of eating at CiCi’s Pizza.
Good job this year guys, and good luck in the future!

JV Jays Find Success Through a Team Effort

The Junior Varsity wrapped up its season last Friday night beating Ray Pec 50-45. They finished the season at 16-3. Liberty ended on a 9 game win streak and won 12 of their last 13 games. Each player was a major contributor in their success.

"This team truly bought in to the “Team” concept and the result was a very successful season. The growth each player made during the season has put them on the path to take the next step to the varsity level next year," mentioned Coach Price.

"As I watched our JV team play, the one characteristic a thought they represented the best was trust. In how they practiced, played in games, and interacted off the court I believe they trusted each other no matter what the situation. I think this had a big impact on their successful season. I want to congratulate Coach Price on doing an outstanding job with his team and the players for all their hard work and effort," remarked Coach Stirtz.

Blue Jays Beat #2 Team in the State

The Liberty Blue Jays capped off an exciting week of basketball by beating Ray-Pec on their home court 52-51. Jordan Lewis drained a 3 pointer with 3.5 secs left in the game to make it a memorable week. On Tuesday, the Jays beat Blue Springs South on a last second shot.

The game started off in the Blue Jays favor as they hit some early shots and played some solid defense. Marshon Norfleet, who led the Jays with 14 points, got the offense rolling. However, the Panthers rebounded by the end of the first quarter and took some momentum going into the second frame. Actually...too much momentum as they turned a 14-9 lead at the end of the first quarter into a 21-11 margin midway through the second quarter. But the Jays kept their composure and narrowed the deficit to 25-28 by halftime.

The third quarter was won by the Jays 17-11 on some good scoring by Norfleet, Denton Koon, Christian Brinser, and JT Nixon. Bryan Adams, Marcus Lucas, and Koon did a good job against Ray-Pec's big men.

In the fourth quarter the Jays started with a lead but the Panthers took advantage of an offensive dry spell by Liberty and climbed back into the lead. The Jays were down by 4 pts, 47-51 with under a minute to play but a couple of FTs by Koon cut the margin to 2 pts. After a defensive stop, the Jays called timeout to set up a play. The shot was missed but Adams tipped the ball to Koon who found a wide open Lewis on the left wing for the game winner.

The Jays shot 47% from the field while they held Ray-Pec to 37%. Liberty had only 7 turnovers in the contest and dished out 13 assists. Joining Norfleet in double digit scoring was Lewis and Koon, each with 12. Adams grabbed 8 rebounds and played excellent defense with 5 blocked shots and 2 steals. The Jays also were tough enough to take 3 charges.

The win moves the Blue Jays to 19-6 on the season.

Jays Escape With Another Buzzer Beater

With the score tied at 61 and 1.3 seconds on the clock it took a well executed sideline inbounds play, a perfect pass from Marshon Norfleet and great finish by Denton Koon, to get the victory at Blue Springs South tonight. The play can be viewed at the bottom of the blog.

The Jays' offense played extremely well in the first half scoring 30 points in the first 16 minutes of action. However, they found themselves down by a point 30-31. A solid inside game provided an offensive punch with Koon, Bryan Adams, Marcus Lucas, and Austin Weese doing the damage. "I liked our inside-out strategy tonight. The ball moved, the players moved, and our guards did an excellent job of pushing the tempo," stated assistant Coach Chris McCabe. "We're an effective offensive team when we play to our strengths."

Liberty had a productive 3rd quarter out-scoring the Jaguars 19-10 in the frame. Then early in the fourth quarter the Jays increased their lead to 11 points by attacking the rim, getting to the foul line, and a 3 point shot by JT Nixon. With a 44-55 disadvantage, the Jaguars didn't fold and forced some turnovers and quick shots by the Jays to shrink the deficit. With the score tied at 61 and under 30 secs to play, the Jays defense stepped up, forcing a tough shot by the Jags, and then getting the rebound with 1.9 secs left. The Jays called timeout and set up a 'football-type' pass play to get to beyond half court. An good pass from Weese and catch by Norfleet set up the game winning sideline play.

'Our players did an outstanding job of playing defense on South's last possession. I thought JT played a tremendous game on both ends of the floor, but especially on the defensive side," commented assistant coach Phil Simpson.

It doesn't get any easier for the Jays on Friday as they travel to Ray-Pec to face the Panthers.

610 Sports Radio to Broadcast Game

Tune into 610 Sports Radio tonight to hear the game between the Jays and Blue Springs South. Announcer Mark Miller will begin his call of the 'Game of the Week' beginning at 8:00pm. There will be an hour delay due to college basketball commitments.

District Tournament Announced

The Class 5 District 16 tournament has been announced. The Liberty Blue Jays earned the #1 seed followed by Park Hill, Oak Park, Park Hill South, Winnetonka, and St Joe Central. The Jays will play the winner of the #4/#5 game between Park Hill South and Winnetonka. The game will be on Wednesday, Feb 24th at 6pm at St Joe Central HS. The following link shows a complete bracket and you can also access other MSHSAA tournament information.

http://www.mshsaa.org/Activities/DistrictTournaments.aspx?alg=5&class=5&district=16

Blue Jay Basketball News

Updates in the week of Blue Jay Basketball

• The Blue Jay basketball team moved its record to 17-5 win a hard fought win at St Joe Central Tuesday night. Holding onto a two point lead at halftime, the Jays played better basketball in the 2nd half, especially in the fourth quarter. Liberty's defense increased their intensity and held the Indians to only 1 field goal in the last 8 mins of actions to win 47-35. Leading scorers were Koon and Lewis with 13 points each. The following is a link to an article written in the St Joe News Press: http://www.stjoenews.net/news/2010/feb/09/central-boys-wilt-late-against-liberty/


• After a shooting and weight training practice on Wednesday, the squad was broken into 4 volleyball teams. A round-robin tourney was played and the winner was the 'Flint, Michigan Topics'. Team members included: Adams, M. Norfleet, Weese, Norton, Mustin, & Clawson


• Senior night will be held this Friday, Feb. 12th vs Lee's Summit. Please arrive during the JV game, which begins at 5:30pm, because we will recognize and honor our 7 seniors immediately after the JV game concludes.


• The district seed meeting is taking place soon. Check back soon for the official results. Games will be played Monday, Feb. 22nd, Wednesday, Feb. 24th, and Friday, Feb. 26th at St. Joe Central. The Jays will most likely receive a first round bye and play in the semifinals on the 24th.