Hazelwood West Girls Enjoying Postseason Honors

Despite a rough three-week period spanning late January and early February, the girls basketball team finished strong. Now, the Wildcats are enjoying some postseason awards.

Hazelwood West finished 15-10, primarily because of that stretch where it dropped six of seven games between Jan. 25 and Feb. 12. The Wildcats bounced back to win four consecutive games before falling in the Class 5 District 5 championship game, 72-40, to local powerhouse Incarnate Word Academy at De Smet High School on Feb. 26.

“I always use the barometer of if you have less than 10 losses, then that’s a very solid year,” head coach Jim Fleming told Hazelwood Patch after that title game defeat. “It’s one of those things where if we had not had that bad run, we would’ve had what you call a great year.

"I think we’re a better team than 15-10.”

Earning Suburban North all-conference first team honors is senior Shakaunna Oliver-Futrell, who led the Wildcats with averages of 16.8 points, 4.2 assists and 5.5 steals per game. She also had 32 made 3-pointers and a team-high 85 free throws. Oliver-Futrell finished second in the entire metro area in steals per game.

On the all-conference second team is junior Mia Williams, who will be Fleming’s top returning scorer next season. Williams averaged 10.5 points and led Hazelwood West with 45 made 3s. On the league’s honorable mention list is 6-foot-3 senior Chanel Gwynn-Williams, who led the Wildcats with an average of 8.8 rebounds and 96 blocks this season. Gwynn-Williams’ 3.8 blocks per game is fifth in the metro area.

Senior Ausset Culberson also earned honorable mention after averaging 7.7 points and 2.9 steals this season.