WARDSVILLE - The season began as a "work in progress" for the Blair Oaks Falcons.
That's how coach Ryan Fick, in his 14th year with the Falcons, described the team in November.
A school-record 28 wins and just two defeats against out-of-state opponents later, Blair Oaks is playing in its first state semifinal game since the 2000-01 season. The Falcons have certainly progressed.
Today's Class 3 semifinal between Blair Oaks and Cardinal Ritter (23-6) will be a battle between No. 1 and No. 2 in the state rankings. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. at JQH Arena in Springfield.
The first semifinal at 6:20 p.m. matches up third-ranked Charleston (27-4) and sixth-ranked Monroe City (28-2).
The winners will play for the state championship at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at JQH Arena. There will not be a third-place game because of coronavirus concerns.
Eric Northweather, a 6-foot-9 senior, is the lone returning starter from last year's quarterfinal team. Each summer, Fick makes it a point to have conversations about leadership with his seniors.
"Early on, I don't know if he was really excited about that role," Fick said. "But we talked about how regardless of whether you want it or not, you're going to be the leader and other guys are going to watch you.
"His example has been good, but what I've seen him do better over the course of the year is that vocal leadership. He helps guys around him out and lets them know this is how we do things, this is where you need to be, this is what the expectations are."
Northweather has followed up an all-state junior season by leading the Falcons in points per game (22.8) and finishing second to his younger brother, Luke Northweather, in rebounds per game (8.1). He also distributed the ball with a team-high 84 assists through the District 9 championship game.
Eric and Luke, who averages 15.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, will have a pair of 6-7 forwards to deal with against the Cardinal Ritter Lions.
Seniors Garry Clark and Brandon Ellington are a duo of bigs the Falcons aren't tasked to match up against too often.
Opponents have clogged the lane against the Falcons in an attempt to limit Eric Northweather.
"Especially against (Father) Tolton," Northweather said. "They guarded me at 94 feet and then (in the quarterfinal against Fair Grove) they basically face guarded me everywhere I went, so it's really opened it up for Luke and Quinn (Kusgen)."
Luke Northweather has made 13-of-19 shot attempts in the last three games, averaging 13.7 points.
Kusgen, a 6-0 sophomore, has reaped the benefits outside the arc, scorching the net at a 16-of-22 clip from 3-point range in that span.
When opponents keep their attention locked in on Eric and Luke Northweather, the ball gets worked around to Kusgen and junior point guard Jake Closser for open looks.
While those four are scoring the majority of the 68.6 points per game, senior Jacob Rademan is handling a little bit of everything else after progressing from a prominent JV player last season to a varsity starter.
"He's went from the guy who kind of showed up and went about his business to a guy that his work ethic has become so much more consistent and has kind of rubbed off on all the other guys around him," Fick said. "His attitude and his ability to handle adversity has skyrocketed."
The Falcons will need that poise tonight against a Lions team with three senior starters.
Cardinal Ritter scores nearly 72 points per game, led by 6-4 junior guard Mario Fleming with 19.0 points per game.
"Just strong," Fick said of Fleming, who averages 3.5 rebounds and leads the Lions with 62 made free throws. "He has the ability to knock an open 3 down, but he's so good off the dribble and finishes through contact really well."
Clark, a senior, is second on the team with 14.4 points per game and leads the Lions in rounding with 8.6 per game. Ellington, a senior, grabs 6.1 rebounds per game and averages 7.8 points.
"We've got to keep them out of the lane," Fick said. "They get the ball in the paint so well and finish around the rim. If you're making them, hopefully settle for jumpers, it's going to be a lot of long rebounds and they rebound so well. We can't give them two, three, four opportunities every time down the floor."
Cardinal Ritter's other starting guards are sophomore Luther Burden Jr. and senior Glenn Valentine.
Burden is the team's leader in assists with 3.7 per game while scoring 10.7 points per game. Valentine averages 7.7 points and nearly 3 assists.
"He has the ball in his hands a lot, but when it leaves his hands he does a really good job of finding the open spot and spotting up and knocking down shots," Fick said of Valentine, who's made 40-of-87 from 3-point range this season.
This is Cardinal Ritter's first state semifinal appearance since winning the Class 3 title in 2014, the Lions' seventh state championship.
It's been 19 years since Blair Oaks has played in a state semifinal game. The Falcons won the Class 2A state title in 2001, defeating Cardinal Ritter 55-54 in the semifinals before winning 67-51 against Butler in the title game.
Fick has absorbed advice from Gary Verslues, the coach of that championship team, and other former and current coaches with Final Four experience, including Fatima coach Ryan Robertson.
"I leaned on him a little bit," Fick said of Robertson, who coached Fatima to a fourth-place finish in 2013. "I'm appreciative of any type of information. My dad has been to several final fours as a coach, so obviously through this whole thing I've been able to talk to him about different things."