Here's some quick notes; feel free to comment as you like:

Wilks eligible at Cincy

Darnell Wilks and the University of Cincinnati basketball team apparently were sweating out whether the former Cape Central basketball player would be eligible to play this season for the Bearcats.

Wilks, who attended Cape Central for his sophomore and junior years, attended Pioneer Christian Academy prep school near Nashville last year. He had been reclassified to graduate with the 2008 class but then decided to enroll at Cincinnati this fall.

He was cleared last week by the NCAA.

You can read the story in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

In the story, Bearcats coach Mick Cronin said: "The first couple of days he was behind. No matter how talented you are -- and believe me, he's got a world of talent - the first couple of days you've got to get the high school out of you where you just go to lay it in and you're not really intense about it and three guys block it. ... The last two days his whole arm has been above the rim. Nobody has come close to blocking his shot."

Super Mario in the news again

With Missouri's football success and Tigers coach Gary Pinkel landing some high-profile commitments from Missouri prep players such as Parkway West quarterback Blaine Gabbert, the television station KOMU is doing a series of stories on Pinkel's first big recruit: Jackson running back Mario Whitney.

I couldn't get the video to work on this Web page, but it looks like Jackson grad Tyler Profilet is reporting the story.

In the text version of the story, Mizzou running backs coach Brian Jones said: "One of his goals was to win the Heisman trophy. That's what he said to me. For one, I thought he was talented enough to do that and he would have to work really hard to achieve that. But that really stood out to me as to what his goals were in life."

While this first story talks about Whitney's high school career, a teaser promises more next week.

Stupples update

Former Dalhousie Golf Club touring pro Karen Stupples had her first top-10 finish in seven LPGA events this year in her limited schedule after giving birth to he first child this summer.

The tournament was the Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions in Alabama.

You can read some more here from the UK Press Association Web site.

She picked up $21,431, bringing her season total to $61,613.

Paradoski update

Paul Paradoski, the former Southeast Missouri State point guard who transferred to Division II Missouri-St. Louis for his senior season, missed the team's final exhibition game at Illinois State with an ankle injury.

He had scored 10 points and was UMSL's second-leading scorer in an opening exhibition at St. Louis University and had five points the next day against Missouri.

After Illinois State's win against UMSL, the Bloomington Pantagrah reported: "Missouri-St. Louis sorely needed Paul Paradoski. The senior point guard ... suffered a sprained ankle in practice Saturday and was on crutches."

* ISU's Dominitrix Johnson (of Bell City) had 11 points. You can read about the game here.

* You can also read the Pantagraph's preview of Illinois State-SEMO.

In it, ISU coach Tim Jankovich said of Southeast, while making reference to another Bell City product: "They're very athletic and have got one of the biggest human beings, I hope, that comes into this building [6-10, 300-pound freshman Will Bogan]. They play a style that's difficult to play against. It's a changing defense and a lot of helter-skelter, but there's a definite method to the madness. If you're not on your game, they can make you look really bad."

Lueders update

Vanderbilt sophomore Lauren Lueders (Saxony Lutheran) had two 3-points, two assists and no turnovers in Sunday's 68-51 win against Furman that gave the Commodores a 2-0 record.

Click on this Web site to see a game report that includes a photo and sentence on just about every player, including Lueders (No. 5).

Lueders also was part of a 3-point barrage in Vanderbilt's opening win.

Another women's basketball tidbit

The Purdue women's basketball team opened its season with a 65-62 victory against Valparaiso.

The Web site Old Gold Free Press had written of the game: "The Crusaders are not likely to put up too much of a fight in Mackey."

So, what does the Old Gold Free Press have to say about the Dec. 2 game with Southeast Missouri State, which Purdue will face after playing Duke and Temple in the Virgin Islands and then traveling to North Carlina:

"After running the Virgin Island-North Carolina gauntlet, the Boilers return to Mackey for a confidence builder against Southeast Missouri State. The Red hawks should be an easy victory."

Ready for some baseball

Former Cardinals prospect pitcher Jimmy Journell will be inducted into the Springfield/Clark County Baseball Hall of Fame in Ohio.

You can read about it here.

*Also, and last, for Cardinals fans who have spring fever already, passes are on sale for the annual Cardinals Care Winter Warmup in St. Louis in January.

The event sold out last year.

Here's the link to the story, which has more info, including how to order by phone or over the Internets.