Preston Thomas, the AD at Ritter has a long history. In the 1990’s, as basketball coach at Ritter, he was lucky enough to have maybe the most talented roster ever in the city of St. Louis just happen to all enroll at little 200 student Cardinal Ritter: 7’1” Loren Woods, 6’10” Jahdi White and 6’6” Chris Carawell. The three all attended major colleges; Wake Forest, Georgetown and Duke; respectively. All three would eventually play in the NBA. They had played as 8th graders on the Eagles 14U AAU team that won the national championship and were coached by Pee Wee Leonard. Thomas hired Leonard to be his assistant and all three just happen to follow. Pee Wee eventually went to Federal Prison for stealing money out of the Midnight Basketball program he was in charge of. I know of no other area school, ever, that can make the claim of three NBA players from the same team. And Ritter played in the Class 2 state tournament. But it gets better. Woods eventually transfers to Arizona. The summer before his senior college season he was suspended for the season by the NCAA for receiving “a substantial amount of money” from a non-family member. Normally, this would mean an agent. Arizona appealed and had the suspension lowered to just the first semester. Arizona’s argument to the NCAA was this was not just anyone, but Preston Thomas, Woods high school coach and not an agent. Arizona told the NCAA that Thomas had been giving large amounts of money to Woods since HIS 8TH GRADE YEAR. MSHSAA refused to investigate this obvious violation, claiming it was too long ago. Should any of what is going on at Ritter now be surprising to anyone?
Ritter AD
- Thread starter freefall1986
- Start date
Chris Carrawell was a great college player and was eventually a second round NBA pick of the Spurs in 2000 but did not play in a regular season game in the NBA as best I can tell. Maybe I'm missing something .. Carrawell is currently an assistant at Duke under coach K.
Otherwise, quite interesting, and not real surprising as the incidents at Cardinal Ritter and the subsequent noise making and non denial denials in various interviews I've seen tonight seem very AAUish.
Otherwise, quite interesting, and not real surprising as the incidents at Cardinal Ritter and the subsequent noise making and non denial denials in various interviews I've seen tonight seem very AAUish.
True in the state quarterfinal at Hillsboro. Best example I have ever seen of the importance of coaching. Marvin Neals was the only class act Ritter has ever had. Old school. Developed players; didn't recruit them. And they fired him. Last I had heard Preston was an assistant coach for the Globetrotters. What does an assistant coach for the Globetrotters do?
They did win the state title with that group in 95 and 96. I was on the broadcast of that later game.
Blue Springs had 2 NBA players on their five man roster in 1979-80. John Sunvold and Steve Harris.
Asst coach for the Globetrotters! Now that’s a job to have! Maybe fill the bucket with confetti before each game? Make sure the ball on a string is aired up?
