The Dream Final Four

My first entry is a blockbuster. There have been many great high school basketball teams to grace the courts of St. Louis. In this entry, I have narrowed it down to what is my Dream Final Four of St. Louis basketball.

Imagine a special Final Four featuring the 1969 Sumner Bulldogs, the 1978 DeSmet Spartans, the 1987 East St. Louis Lincoln Tigers and the 1988 Vashon Wolverines.

Who would win these epic showdowns and emerge as the best team in the history of St. Louis prep hoops? Here's a quick breakdown of these four great teams.

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1969 Sumner Bulldogs
Head Coach: John Algee

Starting Five:

Harry Rogers 6'7" (F); James Brown 6'4" (F); David Brent 7'0" (C)

Travis Brown 6'0" (G); Lawrence Weathers 5'7" (G): Bench: Marshall Rogers 6'0" (G), William Westfall 6'8" (F), Clarence Weaver 6'8" (F), Mack Rush 6'5"(F)

*A towering and talented team that won the Class L state championship with a 30-1 record. They were led by the multitalented Rogers and the dominant big man Brent. As if that weren't enough talent, the Bulldogs brought off the bench guard Marshall Rogers, who was a future NCAA scoring champion, and Westfall, who was a starter on Memphis State's 1973 NCAA Tournament runnerup team.

1978 DeSmet Spartans

Head Coach: Rich Grawer

Starting Five

Mark Dressler 6'6" (F); Steve Stipanovich 6'11" (C); Curtis Conyears 6'0" (G)Anthony Darby 6'0" (G); Michael Meara 6'2" (G): Bench; Tom Hornof 6'3" (F)John Culliton 6'3" (F); Ken Klump 6'3" (F)

*The '78 Spartans won the Missouri Class 4A state title with an umblemished 32-0 in what was the front end of back to back state championships and an area record 63-game winning streak. The Spartans were led by senior forward Mark Dressler and prep All-American center Steve Stipanovich, who would team up in college to lead Missouri to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 1980. They were a balanced team with size, quickness and depth.

1987 Lincoln Tigers

Head Coach: Bennie Lewis

Starting Five

James Harris 6'7" (F), Chris Rogers 6'7" (F), LaPhonso Ellis 6'9" (C), Mark Chambers 6'1" (G), Rodney Chavis 6'1" (G); Bench: Lawrence Bradford 6'1" (G)

*The Tigers won the IHSA Class AA state championship in what was the first of their historic run of three consecutive state titles in the state of Illinois. The Tigers featured one of the top front lines in the history of the area, led by the prep All-American Ellis. He was joined up front by 6'7" bookends Harris and Rogers, who also played Division I basketball. The Tigers defeated Chicago King for the state title.

1988 Vashon Wolverines
Head Coach: Floyd Irons

Starting Five:

Malcolm Nash 6'7" (F), Corey Warner 6'7" (F), Kenneth Simpson 6'5" (C), Sean Tunstall 6'3" (G), Glover Cody 5'10 (G); Bench: Montrell Nash 6'9" (F); Melvin Robinson 6'11" (C); Anthony Jones 5'9" (G); Mark Gant 6'2" (G); Eric Dancy 6'3" (G)

*The Wolverines won the Class 4A state championship and finished in the top five of the USA Today National High School Rankings. Vashon was big, deep and very talented. Their second unit was just as talented as many of the other top high school teams in the state. Eight of the Wolverines' top 10 played Division I basketball in college while center Kenneth Simpson was a Division II All-American in college.

Who do you think would emerge as the victor of these Dream Final Four. Give me your thoughts. If there is another team that you think should be there instead, let me know. Let the woofin' begin.