Former Incarnate Word Academy standout Felicia Chester is enjoying an excellent junior season as a starting forward at DePaul University. The 6’3” Chester has been a key player for the Blue Demons, who are 17-10 entering this week’s action. Chester is averaging 9.9 points a game, which is third on the team, and 6.9 rebounds, which is second.

The road to Columbia for area large schools will begin this week as a host of district tournaments get underway around the area. The last four Class 5 state champions have come from St. Louis. Can the St. Louis area schools continue their string of state-championship dominance this year?

Lincoln Middle School of East St. Louis won the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) Seventh Grade Class 4A state championship last week in Riverton, Ill. Lincoln defeated Champaign Jefferson 40-36 in the championship game to finish with a record of 24-1. Lincoln Middle became the first school from East St. Louis ever to win an IESA state title.

Junior forward Lauren Woods scored a career-high 27 points to lead the SLU women’s team to a 71-62 victory at Fordham in Atlantic 10 action in New York on Tuesday night. The 6’0” former Belleville East standout made nine of her 11 field goal attempts, including two 3-pointers to lead the Billikens. She also made seven of 10 from the free throw line. She scored 18 of those 27 points in the second half. The 27 points was also a single-game best by a SLU women’s player this season.

It was 50 years ago that the CBC Cadets ruled the Show-Me State in high school basketball. Led by dominanting All-State center Garry Garrison and future Hall of Fame coach D.C. Wilcutt, the Cadets won their second consecutive Missouri Class L state title with a 61-49 victory over arch-rival SLUH.

The Lewis & Clark Community College men’s basketball team is enjoying another 20-victory season under the direction of former University of Illinois star Deon Thomas (pictured). The Trailblazers are currently 20-6 and ranked No. 12 in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association Division II poll. They are also in first place in the Region 24 standings.

Former Saint Louis University men’s basketball coach Brad Soderberg is settling in nicely in his new role at the helm at Lindenwood University in St. Charles. In his first season at LU, Soderberg (pictured) has the Lions on the verge of a 20-victory season and what he hopes to be a berth in the upcoming National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Tournament in March.

The McKendree Bearcats have been a model of consistency throughout the career of Hall of Fame head coach Harry Statham. Earlier this season, Statham (pictured) reached sacred coaching ground when he recorded his 1,000th career victory in 44 great years at McKendree. On Thursday night, the Bearcats reached the 20-victory plateau for the 20th time in 21 years with their 71-41 victory over Columbia College.

The honors continue to roll in for SLU senior Amanda Kemezys as she closes out her stellar collegiate career. The senior from Belleville East was recently named to the ESPN the Magazine All-District 7 women’s second team by the College Sports Information Directors of American (COSIDA). To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.3 cumulative grade point average.

Former Hazelwood Central High standout Alex Tyus has been a stalwart in the Florida Gators starting lineup for the past two seasons. The 6’8” 225-pound junior forward has been one of the Gators’ most consistent players during their 17-6 season.