[su_divider top=”no” size=”4″ margin=”45″][/su_frame][/su_divider]

[su_divider top=”no” size=”4″ margin=”45″][/su_frame][/su_divider]

Charlie Mager | LUTV
February 12, 2016; 4 p.m.

Lindenwood hosted one of Missouri’s biggest high school sports match ups of 2016 in Hyland Arena.

Representatives at Chaminade College Prep. and Lindenwood University were interviewed by LUTV News on February 8 to emphasize the highly anticipated high school basketball game on Saturday, February 13 between the Chaminade Red Devils and Christian Brothers College Cadets. It was arguably the biggest sporting event at Lindenwood this year, as the Red Devils pounded the Cadets, 79-57.

Perhaps the most notable reason was the presence of Chaminade senior, Jayson Tatum, who is now the No. 2 overall recruit in the nation. After committing to Duke last summer, Tatum is guiding the Red Devils through another successful season with hopes of a state championship.

Chaminade Head Coach, Frank Bennett, stresses the importance of maintaining consistency, especially with season’s end approaching.

“The overall goal is to keep getting better every single day, and the boys have really committed themselves so we’ve seen it thus far, and for the last like two weeks of the season that’s the game plan to keep doing better, keep doing better,” Bennett said. 

To create more hype, Tatum’s father, Justin, is the head coach of the Cadets, and coached against his son in front of 4,000 spectators. Chaminade Athletic Director Tom Fernandez recognized the buildup of a father-son match up.

“With Jayson going up against his father, every time we’ve played them since the two have been going head-to-head is a big match up, and the game Saturday is a sellout and we really look forward to it,” Fernandez said.

Thousands of fans from both schools packed Hyland Arena, and Lindenwood’s Associate Athletics Director, Tom Wagganer, was smitten.

“It’s gonna be a great day we’ve got between our basketball games, our men’s team is playing really well this year, so it’s gonna be a full day of activities,” Wagner said.

Tatum looks to make his senior year his third consecutive Missouri Boys Basketball Player of the Year, as he hopes to join Chaminade alums Bradley Beal (‘11), who was also present, and David Lee (‘01) as a Chaminade legend.