The Clayton boys’ basketball team has started the season with a 5-1 record following their third place finish at the Vianney Tournament the week of December 1.

The team started its season on November 28 at Rolla, where they won 83-56 and were lead by junior forward Christian Thomas’ 31 points and 11 rebounds while senior guard Devonte Bell added 14 points.
“Christian showed right away that he has really improved since last season,” senior captain Sumner Ahearn said.
The next week, the Hounds started tournament play against Riverview Gardens, and in a back-and-forth contest, the Hounds pulled out the win 69-63.
The win was keyed by a late three-pointer by senior guard Alex Kasnetz as well as two late free throws by Kasnetz.  Thomas still had 25 points and 16 rebounds while Bell was right behind him yet again, this time finishing with 16 points and five steals.
“Kaz [Kasnetz] really helped us win that game, he made several clutch shots,” senior center Max Goldfarb said.
The victory helped the team advance to the semifinals of the tournament to face Hazelwood Central.
“I think that the Riverview game showed us that we have a really deep team, and that will help this year,” senior forward Tommy Hummell said.
Hazelwood Central had a deep run in the playoffs last year and is an extremely talented team that gave the Hounds problems.  Clayton actually held a double digit lead early in the game before the Hawks of Hazelwood managed to roar from behind before eventually winning the game 73-60, handing the Hounds their first loss of the season.
Thomas managed 20 points in a losing cause, but struggled with foul trouble.  On the positive side, Ahearn, a three-point specialist on offense, had 10 points and dished out five assists.
“It was an even game until a three minute stretch in the third quarter in which made plays and we didn’t,” head coach Ryan Luhning said.
In the third-place match of the tournament, the Hounds handled a tricky Eureka team with what seemed like ease.  The Hounds actually trailed after the first quarter before putting together a lengthy second quarter run that left them with a seven-point halftime lead.
In the second half, both teams came out strong, but none stronger than Thomas, as he carried the team to a 77-65 win.  The three-year varsity member had 30 points by the end of the third quarter on his way to finishing with a career-high 41 points.
Thomas’ outstanding play has been rewarded as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has named him to be one of the athletes of the week for the Metro Area.  As a side note to Thomas’ play, sophomore Charlie Harned added 11 big points off the bench.  They were also Harned’s first varsity points of his career.
“Christian [Thomas] is really talented and he has turned himself into a threat at any position on the court,” Luhning said.
On the season, Thomas is averaging 29 points and 11 rebounds so far, while four-year varsity starter Bell is averaging 14 points a game.  Bell also recently recorded his 1,000th career varsity point for the Hounds, quite the accomplishment.
It will be interesting to see how teams change their game plan in an attempt to control Thomas as the season goes on.
“We will probably start seeing a lot of box-and-one, but he just can’t get frustrated and he will be able to open up opportunities for the rest of the team,” Luhning said.
The team will face several big tests in the first month of the season.
“The next game is always the biggest for us,” Luhning said.  “We cannot allow ourselves to look ahead of any team all season.”
In the Hounds’ home opener on Dec. 8, the team defeated the Lutheran South Lancers 58-44.  Once again, Thomas lead all Clayton scorers with 16 points, and Ahearn added 15, including five three-pointers.  Four of Ahearn’s five three’s came in the fourth quarter to propel the Hounds to victory.
On Thursday, Dec. 10, the Hounds played a non-conference game at MICDS.  Thomas once again led the team in points with 26, including a new facet of his game that was introduced when he started the game five for five from three-point land.  Bell added 19 as the team did a great job defensively to hold MICDS’ star senior MacPherson Moore to only 17 points and got him into foul trouble early by taking three charges from the large Moore.
“Defense is what we really need to improve, the offense will always be there,” Luhinng said.
The win meant that the team improved to 5-1 on the season.
Also, the Post-Dispatch ranked the Hounds as fourth among small schools in the Metro Area in their recent high school boys’ basketball polls.  The team will not be able to be looked ahead of.
Over winter break, the team will participate in the MICDS tournament as well.  The newly formed Clayton Crazies will be in full effect at all home games and would like to see as much orange in the stands as possible.