Happy New Year to the Family

With the year coming to an end in a matter of a couple of hours. I'd like to thank all the players who played for Real Scout Express this summer and fall.

I just came across a video of our first game in Vegas. Click this link http://www.phenomallstars.com/videos.html for some reason there isn't any volume, but then again that might be my computer. Never less Real Scout Express players were given publicity throughout the country.

Mike Poole 6'6 SG 2010 St. Benedict's NJ had feature stories or mentions in over 35 different websites and newspapers this past year.

David "Pepe" Joseph 5'11 PG 2010 Zion-Lutheran FL is having a great junior year in Deerfield Beach Florida avg 25ppg, while express teammate Charles Williams 6'9 2010 is getting 12ppg and 9rpg.

Jamel Fuentes 6'1 PG 2009 Xaverian NY captured the team MVP and Academic award at the Big Apple Classic. Fuentes recently had a story in NYhoops.com

Rasheem King 6'4 SG 2009 Xaverian HS NY had a nice article in Nychoops.net and will be choosing a college this spring.

Maurice Harkless 6'6 SF 2011 Forest Hills HS NY is the best sophomore in Queens, leading the #8 ranked Rangers with avgs of 18ppg and 11rpg. Harkless is going to be a big time recruit this summer.

Carlos Salano (2009) & Lebrent Walker (2012) are together at Bayside and will hopefully turn the second half of the season around.

Brandon Rivera (2010) & Dominic Murray (2009) have led mcclancy to a 9-2 start this season capturing the Brother Arnold Tournament. Murray is one of the city's most underrated players.

Chris Thompson 6'6 (2010) Beach Channel's High School leader is developing into a solid D1 player, reminds me of Jason Hoover (Manhattan College)

Well with all of that said, you can click on the real scout links below to find out more about the players that played for "The Express" in the 2008, and we look forward to surprising more recruiters and newspaper writers in the 09.

Here are some of the story links involving RSE players in the yr 2008...


Real Scout Defeats Oceans 11
http://nychoops.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=848541


Team Breakdown Takes Breakdown Hoops Festival Title
http://76.74.252.140/production/hoopmasters/breakdownhoopsjuly18.html


Boynton Drops 37, Lance 26 in Vegas
http://www.zagsblog.com/2008/07/23/boynton-drops-37-lance-26-in-vegas/


Reebok Las Vegas Tournament Roster
http://www.proroster.com/events/3/teams/260572


Laugh Now, Lottery Later…the Next Skip to my Lou?
http://www.bouncemag.com/2008/11/07/laugh-now-lottery-laterthe-next-skip-to-my-lou/


The State of IS8
http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/content.asp?cid=854782


Mike Poole struggles at All-American Camp in Philly
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high_school/2008/07/15/2008-07-15_mike_poole_struggles_at_allamerican_camp.html


Mike Poole is ready to step up at St. Benedict's Prep
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high_school/2008/11/04/2008-11-04_mike_poole_is_ready_to_step_up_at_st_ben.html


EDDIE GRIFFIN CHALLENGE: CLASS OF 2010 GAME
http://w3.nbebasketball.com/index.php/eddie-griffin-challenge-class-of-2010-game/


Eddie Griffin Challenge Scouting Reports- New Jersey Juniors
http://blog.northstarbball.com/2008/10/30/eddie-griffin-challenge-scouting-reports-new-jersey-juniors.aspx


David Joseph
City of Palms: Day Three Rundown
http://74.125.45.132/search?q=cache:Lw7IJ832pHMJ:scouthoops.scout.com/2/823446.html+david+joseph+zion+lutheran&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us


Jamel Fuentes
http://www.fiveborosports.com/ssp/news?news_id=905


Andre Armstrong & Maurice Harkless give Forest Hills potent 1-2 punch
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high_school/2008/12/09/2008-12-09_andre_armstrong__maurice_harkless_give_f.html


Depleted Forest Hills relying on youth
http://www.fiveborosports.com/ssp/news?news_id=852


An Evening of Firsts as Loughlin Prevails
http://rivals100.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=880&CID=881933

Wroten returns, Garfield stuns nationally ranked program

Reported by indystar.com

MUNCIE, Ind. — Tony Wroten was allowed to play, and with their star sophomore in the lineup, Garfield beat one of the country's best boys basketball programs, Duncanville, Texas, 57-56 Tuesday in the T-Mobile Invitational.

Wroten, a 6-foot-5 guard considered one of the top prospects in his class nationally, scored 11 of his 19 points after halftime, and he led Garfield back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Duncanville, ranked 12th nationally by USA Today. Wroten added eight rebounds, six assists, six steals and three blocked shots.

The King County Superior Court judge who granted Wroten a temporary injunction on Dec. 17 clarified his order early Tuesday, stating that Wroten was allowed to play. That went against the Seattle School District's decision before Garfield's game Monday, when the district said Wroten could not play until he re-enrolled at Garfield. He had not had that chance yet because of snow cancellations and the district's winter break.

Without Wroten, Garfield lost 61-37 in its first-round game against Lawrence North of Indianapolis.

The district had removed Wroten from the school on Dec. 5, claiming an investigation revealed he did not live in Seattle. But the temporary injunction on Dec. 17 allowed his return to Garfield, and the injunction stated that Wroten could return to participation in school activities.

CHSAA boys' basketball rankings: Lions roar in NJ (Fiveborosports.com)

By Dylan Butler

December 29, 2008

Are we getting stale by keeping Rice atop the CHSAA boys’ basketball rankings? It’s hard to justify bumping the Raiders despite being inactive, so Mo Hicks’ boys remain No. 1. Everyone else in last week’s rankings played though. So there must be some movement, right? The answers are found below.


1. Rice (1-0) (Last week: 1)

Another week without a game for Rice, which is probably itching to return to the court. They are still eight days away from when the Raiders face St. Peter’s. Hicks surely isn’t complaining. After all, once the ball drops in Times Square, he is that much closer to fielding a complete team with the return of Durand Scott and Shane Southwell.

Next: Jan. 6 vs. St. Peter’s

2. Christ the King (6-1) (2)

Like top-ranked Rice, Christ the King enjoyed Christmas week off after a romp of depleted Long Island Lutheran on Monday. The Royals head to North Carolina to compete in the Bojangles HS Basketball Shootout, which should give the Middle Village squad a nice test.

Next: Dec. 29 vs. Pendleton @ IMG (Fla.)

3. Bishop Loughlin (5-2) (3)

In front of a hostile crowd in what was essentially a road game, Loughlin pulled off an impressive victory against Paterson Eastside (N.J.) in the Jingle Bells Jubilee at Paterson Catholic Saturday night and followed with another big win against top-seeded Linden. Brandon Frazier, Jayvaughn Pinkston and Trevon Hamlet have all had quality tournaments for the Lions, who play Plainfield (N.J.) for the title on Tuesday.

Next: Dec. 30 vs. Plainfield (N.J.)

4. St. Raymond’s (6-0) (7)

Down in Raleigh, N.C., the Ravens defeated a big and experienced North Mecklenburg (N.C.) squad to advance to the GlaxoSmithKline Holiday Invitational semifinals. It was a spectacular team effort by undefeated St. Ray’s, which used a smothering full-court press to force 26 turnovers.

Next: Dec. 29 vs. Word of God (N.C.)

5. Bishop Ford (8-0) (4)

It’s no secret that Chaz Williams is one of the most explosive guards in New York state. And the odds are very good that the Hofstra-bound senior will be the leading scorer when the final buzzer sounds. But the Falcons are undefeated because they have had solid contributions from other players, like junior Justyn McMichael, who buried four 3-pointers in a come-from-behind win against Simon Gratz (Pa.) in the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic in Binghamton.

Next: Dec. 29 vs. Jamesville-DeWitt (N.Y.)

6. Mount St. Michael (7-2) (6)

As expected, the Mount bounced back from consecutive defeats to beat Bayside in the Queens Jam Christmas Classic. Pete Aguilar continues to impress, scoring a game-high 32 points for the Mountaineers, who head to Albany for the Grimindl tournament.

Next: Dec. 29 vs. Colonie (Albany, N.Y.)

7. Xaverian (3-3) (4)

We hope at least the weather is nice because Jack Alesi can’t be enjoying the basketball in San Diego this week. His team fell to Ironwood Ridge (Ariz.) in the opener of the Max Preps Holiday Classic in a close game, but then suffered a 70-47 defeat to Leuzinger (Calif.) on Saturday. Justin Exum has played well, averaging 14.5 points per game.

Next: Dec. 29 @ Max Preps Holiday Classic

8. Holy Cross (4-2) (8)

The Knights ended a memorable 2008, which included the team’s first CHSAA Class AA intersectional title in 40 years in March, with a respectable 4-2 record. Things get increasingly difficult for Holy Cross, though, when the league season kicks into gear in the first week of January.

Next: Jan. 6 @ Bishop Loughlin

9. Archbishop Molloy (5-2) (9)

The Stanners advanced to Monday night’s final of the Holiday Hoops tournament at the Aviator Complex by beating St. Mary’s (L.I.), 63-52. As is the case with Bishop Ford, there is a perception that Molloy is a one-man team with senior scorer Russ Smith. But on Sunday, legendary coach Jack Curran also got solid contributions from Ernest Rouse, Jin Hong and LeBrandon Smith.

Next: Dec. 29 vs. Christian Brothers Academy (N.J.)

10. St. Agnes (7-1) (10)

The CHSAA Class B powerhouse was idle this week, but step back on the court Tuesday against Holy Trinity (L.I.). Can the Stags end 2008 on a high note? We’re not about to bet against them.

Next: Dec. 30 vs. Holy Trinity (L.I.)

New: None
Dropped out: one
On the bubble: St. Francis Prep (5-4) and Monsignor McClancy (9-2)

PSAL boys' basketball rankings: Nothing changes (Fiveborosports.com)

By FiveBoroSports.com

December 29, 2008

The New Year is a time for change, for everyone to make resolutions to better themselves. Our resolution is to be different; whose isn’t? But since 2009 has yet to arrive, our PSAL boys’ basketball rankings don’t have to change quite yet. In fact, it is similar to last week’s edition. And with league play resuming next week a shake-up is probably in order.
Here is how our latest PSAL boys’ basketball rankings break down:

1. Lincoln (7-3) (1)

The Railsplitters’ schedule won’t ease up at all in 2009. In January alone, they face No. 3 Boys Girls, Alabama power LeFlore and New Jersey giants Paterson Catholic and St. Benedict’s Prep. Lance Stephenson and Co. will certainly be tested.

Next: Jan. 6 @ No. 3 Boys & Girls

2. Thomas Jefferson (7-3) (2)

Keith Spellman and Joel (Air Jamaica) Wright have done their part down south, but it is the supporting cast – one of the Orange Wave’s supposed strengths – that has let Jefferson down in the Tampa Hoops Classic.

Next: Dec. 30 @ Tampa Hoops Classic (Fla.)

3. Boys & Girls (8-3) (3)

This much is clear thus far: Boys & Girls isn’t what it used to be. Losses to Thomas Jefferson, John F. Kennedy and a 25-point setback to Wheeler (Ga.) in the Beach Ball Classic have made that abundantly clear. But on their best day, the guard-oriented Kangaroos can play with anyone, too. Christ the King would attest to that.

Next: Dec. 30 @ Beach Ball Classic (S.C.)

4. Wings Academy (10-2) (4)

Kudos to the Wings for bouncing back in the Stop-DWI Holiday Classic on Monday. The Bronx squad beat Binghamton (N.Y.) by 43 after that disappointing one-point loss in the opener. Dashuan Wiggins has scored 52 points thus far and is a cinch to make the all-tournament team. But it is a shame Wings isn’t facing defending state Federation Class A champion Jamesville-Dewitt (N.Y.) tomorrow in the championship.

Next: Dec. 30 @ Stop-DWI Holiday Classic (N.Y.)

5. John F. Kennedy (8-2) (5)

It will be almost three weeks since the Knights will have played a game when JFK meets James Monroe. A winter tournament would’ve done them some good, but there is nothing wrong with plenty of practice and a few scrimmages either. Particularly, when you’re coach is someone as knowledgeable as Johnny Mathis.

Next: Jan. 6 @ James Monroe

6. Cardozo (5-0) (6)

It’s hard to tell what Ron Naclerio has in Bayside. Big men Ryan Rhoomes and Dwayne Brunson have played well and guards Reynaldo (Junior) Walters and Chris Gayot have been steady. The Judges have won all five league games – by at least 10 points – but have yet to face any of the division’s challengers. That ends next week, when ’Dozo visits heated rival Campus Magnet.

Next: Next: Jan. 5 @ Campus Magnet

7. Wadleigh (8-3) (7)

Nobody is happier with this recent heat wave then the Tigers, who coach Mike Crump undoubtedly has running in the Harlem streets after a lackluster finish to December. Wadleigh, Crump has repeatedly said, may have the most talent in Manhattan AA, but No. 9 Thurgood Marshall Academy is much tougher and plays harder. The next meeting between the longtime foes should be telling.

Next: Jan. 8 vs. Frederick Douglass Academy

8. Forest Hills (6-5) (8)

Antoine Tutt may stand just 5-feet-2, but his heart has a 7-foot wingspan. Since taking over for injured senior Tyler Clarke, Tutt has led the Rangers to five consecutive wins, keeping them in the crowded hunt for the Queens AA crown. With Clarke and fellow senior Alex Hall returning in early January, Forest Hills should be dangerous. Cardozo, you’re on notice.

Next: Jan. 6 @ Beach Channel

9. Thurgood Marshall Academy (7-3) (9)

The Panthers faired better than many of their PSAL brethren in their holiday tournament, finishing second. Abdu-Allah Torrence’s kids have gotten hot since losing to No. 7 Wadleigh Dec. 4. The next meeting, in Harlem at TMA, will decide Manhattan AA.

Next: Jan. 6 vs. Food & Finance

10. Transit Tech (6-4) (10)

After dealing with Brooklyn AA, the Express enjoyed a break in the action this week, easily winning the Nazareth Holiday tournament by dispatching of Moore Catholic, Notre Dame (N.Y.) and Cathedral Prep. Having already faced Lincoln, Jefferson and Boys & Girls – our top three – and Robeson once, the league schedule should offer a breather, too.

Next: Jan. 6 @ Canarsie

New: None
Dropped out: None
On the bubble: Thomas Edison (7-3), Robeson (3-4), Lehman (6-2), South Bronx (12-2) and George Westinghouse (11-0)

Les Schwab Invitational: Oregon teams finish out of top 3 for first time

HILLSBORO -- The Westview Wildcats went into Tuesday night's third-place game against the Mt. Vernon Knights from New York as Oregon's last hope to knock off one of the three powerhouse out-of-state teams in the Les Schwab Invitational.

For the game's opening minutes it looked as if they had a chance, but then, as they had so many times before in the tournament, the visiting Knights, ranked 18th in the nation, took their game to another level in a lopsided 87-64 victory at Liberty High School.

Westview's loss meant that for the first time in the Invitational's 13-year history, no Oregon team finished in the top three. Westview coach Pat Coons said the result was a testament to the strength of the visiting teams and the fact that Oregon teams lack some of the star power of recent years.

"They're just a notch quicker, they're a notch more explosive," he said. "How do you prepare for that? That's the question. You can't do much preparation for that with your kids because of the level of quickness." The Dominguez Dons of Compton, Calif., nipped the Fairfax Lions of Los Angeles to take home the tournament championship with a 58-56 win.

All-tournament selection Myron Green was credited with the game-winning basket in the final minute when tournament MVP Renardo Sidney blocked his layup attempt. Green finished with a team-high 22 points and Sidney had 32 points and 13 rebounds for Fairfax. Monday night the Wildcats lost to Fairfax, the ninth-ranked team in the country. Coons said playing foes as talented as Fairfax and Mt. Vernon was the best preparation his team could have heading into the conference season.

"That's the best thing we can face is to have to deal with that type of pressure and quickness," he said. "We needed to work on that." Tuesday night, the Knights' quickness and strength proved too much for the Wildcats to handle. Using a tenacious full-court press, the Knights forced the Wildcats into 17 first-half turnovers and never looked back after closing the first quarter on a 9-0 run to take a 21-12 lead. The Knights then started the second half on a 7-0 run and would extend the lead to 30 twice before clearing their bench late in the game.

Jordan Lessane led four Knights in double figures with 19 points on 8 of 12 shooting, and Vaughn Allen had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore Austin Kuemper paced the Wildcats with 17 points and five rebounds. Ian Ruder/Special to The Oregonian

T-Mobile Invitational

Lawrence North overcomes Favors

By Kyle Neddenriep
indystar.com

MUNCIE, Ind. -- Even the best high school basketball player in the country can't do much damage sitting on the bench in foul trouble.
Lawrence North took a proactive approach with 6-9 phenom Derrick Favors to claim a 58-44 victory over South Atlanta in Tuesday's championship of the T-Mobile Invitational at Ball State.


Favors, ranked as the nation's top player by one recruiting service, fouled out midway through the fourth quarter with 10 points and 12 rebounds, well below the 30 points and 21 rebounds he posted the day before against Duncanville (Texas).

In the 10 minutes Favors spent on the bench, Lawrence North (8-1) outscored South Atlanta 32-14.

"I'm sure that was a season low for him," said Lawrence North's Stephan Van Treese, who grabbed 13 rebounds to help the Wildcats to a 53-28 advantage in that category. "We wanted to be smart and use our basketball skills against him."

Lawrence North coach Jack Keefer had his team start the game in man-to-man defense but quickly settled into a 2-3 zone. South Atlanta (10-1), ranked No. 14 in the USA Today national rankings, failed to make the Wildcats come out of it, hitting just 3-for-21 from the 3-point line.
Alanzo Bass, who at 6-foot is Lawrence North's only regular under 6-4, led the Wildcats with 15 points. Bass had two 3-pointers in a 13-0 run just before halftime that coincided with Favors heading to the bench with his third foul.

"He's the guy we needed," Keefer said of Bass. "We needed him bad and he really played a key role for us."

Favors picked up his fifth foul just as South Atlanta had cut a 17-point deficit to 42-32. It was a double foul called on Favors and Dominique Ferguson as the two exchanged elbows.

"The whole game he'd been throwing little elbow shots," Ferguson said. "I got kind of tired of it."
With Favors out of the way, Lawrence North ripped off a 7-2 run to put the game out of reach.

T-Mobile Invitational (Derrick Favors)

MaxPreps.com
MUNCIE, Ind. – Senior superstar Derrick Favors (Pictured) registered a huge double-double with 30 points and 21 rebounds to lead South Atlanta (Atlanta, Ga.) to a 67-53 win over Duncanville (Texas), a team picked preseason national No. 1 by some publications, in first-day action at the T-Mobile Invitational on the campus of Ball State University on Monday.

Favors, a 6-foot-9 post regarded as one of the top five seniors in the country, connected on all 12 of his field goal attempts–including a 3-pointer–and added three steals and a pair of blocked shots.

Senior guard Nick Watkins added 14 points for the Hornets while Andre Malone contributed 11.

Duncanville suffered its fifth loss of the season and third in the last 10 days. The Panthers are loaded with five major conference recruits in the starting lineup. Perry Jones, a 6-11 junior, and Roger Franklin shared the scoring load in a losing effort with 12 points apiece.

Garfield's Tony Wroten still out of action

MUNCIE, Ind. — Garfield sophomore Tony Wroten did not make his expected season debut Monday at the T-Mobile Invitational boys basketball tournament, and without him, the Bulldogs lost 61-37 to Lawrence North of Indianapolis.

Wroten made the trip, but a school source said the Seattle School District informed the team that he could not play because he has not been re-enrolled at Garfield.

The district had removed Wroten from the school on Dec. 5, claiming an investigation revealed he did not live in Seattle. But a King County Superior Court judge granted Wroten a temporary injunction on Dec. 17, allowing his return to school.

Snow then canceled every day of school after that until Seattle schools went on winter break Dec. 22.

The source said Wroten should be allowed to play next week after re-enrolling Monday, when school resumes.

Garfield (2-1), ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 4A, fell behind 19-6 to Lawrence North and never caught up. Dominique Ferguson, a 6-foot-9 junior committed to Kentucky, scored 18 for Lawrence North, and 6-9 seniors Stephan Van Treese and Ryan Taylor combined for 18 points and 17 rebounds. Lawrence North had 50 rebounds to Garfield's 23.

De'Andre Taylor led Garfield, which shot 25 percent, with 17 points.

The Bulldogs don't get any relief with their consolation game today against Duncanville, Texas, which is ranked 12th in the USA Today Super 25.

Times staff reporter Tom Wyrwich

Picture Courtesy of Scout.com=

Fairfax (Cali)too much for Westview (Oregon)

Doug Binder
dougbinder@news.oregonian.com

HILLSBORO (Oregon) -- Two, three and then four basketballs clogged the Fairfax net during the brief halftime shoot-around, and a fifth landed on top of the others before Solomon Hill (Pictured) jumped up and punched them out.

The Lions of California, ranked ninth nationally by USA Today, filled the net routinely throughout a 72-46 boys basketball victory over Westview in a Les Schwab Invitational semifinal at Liberty High School. Westview was the last Oregon team with a chance at winning the tournament championship.

Fairfax advanced to play Dominguez of Compton, Calif., in the final at 8:30 tonight. Dominguez beat Mt. Vernon (N.Y.) 60-57 in Monday's late semifinal. Westview will play Mt. Vernon in the third-place game at 7 tonight.

Westview had enough on its plate defensively already before Fairfax guard Jordan Weathers hit three-pointers on three successive possessions in the first quarter as the Lions dashed to a 16-2 lead.

Weathers was 2 of 4 shooting the previous two games.

"You can't guard everybody (on Fairfax)," Westview coach Pat Coons said. "We talked to our kids about that. And (Weathers) goes off."

Against a Fairfax, you run the risk of leaving a good player open when you decide to double-team someone. This time, Westview was burned by it.

But the teaching lesson was something else entirely.

Coons said he was surprised to see his team play a little too passively at the start.

"At halftime, we said, 'Don't be star-struck, or on Loose, your heels, or bright-eyed, or give them too much respect" Coons said.

Westview put up a better fight in the second half, but tepid shooting throughout the game made a comeback impossible.

"In the second half we felt a lot better about attacking and being loose," Westview's Garrett Jackson said. "We started playing more our style of play in the second half."

Jackson, a 6-foot-6 junior, was particularly strong. He led Westview with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Guards Josh Hill and Hayes Garrity scored 10 points apiece.

But even when Fairfax slowed, the threat of domination always loomed.

Renardo Sidney, the Lions' 6-11 center, drove easily to the basket several times -- apparently whenever the mood struck him -- for dunks. He finished with two three-pointers and 21 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots.

"He's a huge load inside," Coons said.

Sidney did a little of everything. He made a three-quarter court bounce pass through Westview defenders to a fast-breaking teammate. He had a powerful breakaway slam worthy of Sunday's dunk competition. And his scowl is NBA-ready as well.

The Wildcats are among a handful of Oregon teams that will come out of the Les Schwab Invitational with some bruised egos, perhaps, but eager for a fresh start and talented enough to be mentioned as a potential state title contender.

"No one feels they're playing on top of their game as an Oregon team," Coons said. "We've shown flashes of playing well. We've had good games; we've had OK games. It's wide-open for everybody."

Melted snow means Portland-area teams will be able to spend more time in practice gyms, and league opponents will look a lot less imposing than Fairfax.

"What we take out of this is, 'Guys, you learn that if you don't compete, if you give too much respect and you don't lay it on the line, you're going to be embarrassed out there,'" Coons said.

Findlay gets title matchup of unbeatens with New York Rice

(Pictured: Avery Bradley)

By Rob Miech
LasVegasSun.com

As anticipated, Findlay College Prep has a Rock Holiday Classic title match against New York (N.Y.) Rice on Tuesday night at the Henderson International School.

Findlay just got a few more headaches than it had bargained for in a semifinal against Miami (Fla.) Ransom Everglades.

Ransom (7-3) often sat on the ball, taking its time to work for a good shot, and Findlay finished with a 60-32 victory to improve to 11-0.

The Pilots, ranked second in USA Today’s national Super 25 poll, had been beating their foes by an average of 37 points.

“We wanted to make them play defense,” said Ransom coach Claude Grubair. “We know how great they are, so we wanted to wear them down. I’m proud of what my guys were able to do.

“We don’t play teams of that caliber, ever, so it’s tough for us.”

Findlay coach Mike Peck said his players might have been a little frustrated with the Raiders’ deliberate style, but they mostly took it as a challenge.

“They said, ‘That’s the game plan so we’ll execute it,’ ” Peck said. “(Grubair) does a good job. He knows exactly what they have to do for success. If it took four minutes to score, so be it.”

Findlay senior forward Victor Rudd scored a team-high 12 points, forward Godwin Okonji and guard Cory Joseph had 10 apiece, and center Carlos Lopez and guard Avery Bradley both tallied 8.

“They tried to slow down the game, and we tried to get them to play faster,” said Rudd, who has narrowed his recruiting list to UNLV, Gonzaga and Arizona.

His guardian, Bill Hankins, the father of Findlay guard Willie Hankins, said that’s Rudd’s list in order of preference, but Rudd denied that.

“There isn’t a 1, 2, 3,” Rudd said. “But that’s the list, right there.”

He said he will have no trouble getting a score on his ACT test next month that is required for collegiate eligibility next fall.

The next test for Rudd and his teammates, however, will be Tuesday at 5 p.m. against Rice (3-0), which beat Lake Mary (Fla.) Prep by 29 points in the other Monday semifinal of the Classic.

“I don’t think they’re as good as they’ve been in past years,” Rudd said. “But they’re still pretty good. Durand Scott is their best player, but he’s coming off an ankle injury.

“We might try to pressure him all night.”

Scott, a 6-foot-5 swingman, will play at Miami next season.

Rice (3-0), one of the top teams in the Northeast, was one of several teams that watched UNLV practice Sunday afternoon at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The Rebels’ attention to defense, said Rice senior guard Charles Fenner, was impressive.

“Their drills and they way they executed and the way they talked, all of that helped us,” Fenner said. “That’s how we want to play in games, and that’s how we hope to play Tuesday.”

Holiday hoops tournament round-up: Ravens fall

By FiveBoroSports.com
(Pictured John Wall & C.J. Leslie)

Tyreak Johnson had 12 points and Harold McBride added eight for St. Raymond’s, which shot 30 percent from the field in a 63-43 loss to Word of God (N.C.) in the semifinals of the GlaxoSmithKline Holiday Invitational in Raleigh, N.C., on Monday night.

C.J. Leslie had 15 points for the Holy Rams and John Wall, one of the top unsigned seniors in the nation, was held to 14.

“We were not being physical and tough with the ball,” said Ravens coach Oliver Antigua, whose team trailed 36-16 after turning the ball over 12 times in the first half. “They were very athletic, very quick and they hurt us in transition. We got down (early) and couldn’t make a shot.”

The Ravens (6-1) will face Kinston (Calif.), featuring North Carolina commit Reggie Bullock (ranked eighth in the Class of 2010 by Scout.com), in the consolation bracket Tuesday at 5 p.m.

Jamesville-Dewitt 73, Bishop Ford 56: Chaz Williams had 22 points, Justyn McMichael added 13 and Lorenzo Brown had 11 for Bishop Ford, which had its eight-game winning streak snapped in the semifinals of the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic at the Broome County Arena in Binghamton, N.Y., Monday night.

The Falcons (8-1) trailed 32-27 at the half, but were outscored 22-11 in the third quarter and never recovered. Thanks to a game-high 35 points by Syracuse-bound Brandon Triche, undefeated Jamesville-Dewitt, which won the state Federation Class A title last year, advances to the championship game.

Wings Academy 87, Binghamton 34: Led by 22 points apiece by Dashaun Wiggins and Jabriel Blue, Wings (9-2) jumped out to a 22-4 lead after one quarter and had a 47-8 advantage at the half in the consolation bracket of the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic. Ronald Baker added 20 points and Steven Gomez had nine for Wings.

Wheeler (Ga.) 78, Boys & Girls 53: Lamont Samuell had 20 points and seven rebounds and Michael Taylor added 14 points and seven boards for Boys & Girls (8-3), which shot 26.8 percent from the field in a quarterfinal loss at the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Monday.

Tahj Tate had a game-high 23 points, Wake Forest-bound Ari Stewart added 15 points and North Carolina State signee Richard Howell had 12 points and 12 boards for Wheeler (6-4), which advances to the semifinals to take on Martin Luther King (Calif.) Tuesday. The Kangaroos take on Cedar Hill (Texas) in a consolation round game Tuesday at 1:45 p.m.

Clearwater (Fla.) 66, Thomas Jefferson 60: Keith Spellman scored 36 points for the Orange Wave (7-3) in the consolation bracket of the Tampa Hoops Classic at Plant HS Monday.

Christ the King 74, Pendleton IMG (Fla.) 47: Marion Smith had 14 points and nine rebounds, Ihsaan Davis had 14 points and eight boards and Corey Edwards added 11 for the Royals (7-1), who received limited minutes from Sean Johnson (flu). Christ the King takes on Bishop O’Connell (Va.), featuring North Carolina-bound junior Kendall Marshall, on Tuesday in the Bojangles High School Basketball Shootout in Waxhaw, N.C.

Notre Dame (Utica) 88, FDR 78: Pat Moore put on a show, scoring 44 points to lead Notre Dame to the third-place victory at the Nazareth Holiday Tournament Monday. Jon Leduc had 21 points and 14 assists for FDR in the loss.


Telecommunications 67, Nazareth 65: With 20 seconds remaining and he game tied at 65, Gregory Briggs came up with a steal and a layup. Nazareth got off two attempts to tie it before the buzzer but Telecomm came out on top in the fifth-place game at the Nazareth Holiday Tournament. Zach Heiss led Telecommunications with 27. Sam Cunnigham had 20 for Nazareth.

Moore Catholic 70, Automotive 64: Led by 21 points from both Tyler Stradford and David Acres, Moore took seventh place in the Nazareth Holiday Tournament, defeating the Pistons. Steven Fasano added 18 for Moore, while Jonathan Delacruz had 29 for Automotive.

St. Francis Prep 64, St. Mary’s (L.I.) 48: Robert Nacer and Arial Gomerez scored 16 points apiece as the Terriers (6-4) took home third-place honors in the Holiday Hoops tournament at the Aviator Complex Monday. Chavaughn Lewis paced the Gaels with 18.

Kamehameha-Kapalama (Hawaii) 54, St. Edmund Prep 43: Micah Christenson scored 18 points for Kapalama in the fifth-place game and Vinny Marchiano had 14 for St. Edmund (3-6).

Brooklyn Collegiate 49, Tilden 38: Dwight Gist scored 16 points and Vincent Riggens had nine for Collegiate (7-4), who finished seventh in the Holiday Hoops tournament at Aviator Complex. Taron Pascal scored 19 for the Blue Devils.

Picture Courtesy of Scout.com=

J.T. Terrell scores 52pts in Bojangles Shootout

By Langston Wertz Jr.

TODD SUMLIN – tsumlin@charlotteobserver.com

As I watched Burlington Cummings High junior J.T. Terrell score 52 points Monday against Concord at the Bojangles' Shootout, I couldn't help comparing him to North Carolina guard Wayne Ellington.

Four years ago, I saw Ellington's silky smooth jump shot and all-around game at this same tournament and thought I was watching a future college star.

Watching Terrell, whose team will play Myers Park in an 8:30 p.m. semifinal today, I think I'm watching another.

Terrell, 6-foot-3, 175 pounds and committed to Wake Forest, has a very Ellington-like jump shot and soft touch. He made seven of 12 3-point attempts. He made 18 of 25 shots overall, and he did it against a Concord (9-1) team whose record is 111-17 the past five seasons.

I also noticed Terrell handles the ball well and is extremely athletic. Starting flat-footed, he dunks with ease from under the goal.

“ …Dang, I want to go out right now and pay my $12 for what I just watched,” a gracious Concord coach Scott Brewer said. “That's the first time I've seen him, but 52 points? Jiminy Cricket! I saw Wake Forest assistant coach (Pat) Kelsey and (head coach Dino) Gaudio out here and they've got to be liking what they saw.”

Terrell drove to the basket for layups with high degrees of difficulty. He had rebound-dunks over taller players. He drove the length of the floor. He did commit seven turnovers and didn't play the greatest defense, but he put on one of the best three performances I've seen at this tournament.

The other two belong to a pair who are now playing professionally : Ivory Latta (WNBA's Atlanta Dream) and Raymond Felton (NBA's Bobcats).

I can see why the late Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser offered this kid a scholarship shortly after his freshman season.

“I've always been able to shoot it well. I started shooting when I started walking,” said Terrell, whose given name is James Thomas. His father, James “Trigger'' Terrell, is a former Charlotte 49ers star. “(Monday), I was feeling it, but we did a good job of playing within the offense.”

Terrell averages 27 points this season, but he's scored 43, 41 and 52 during in his most recent games.

“He's phenomenal,” Cummings coach George Robinson said. “Whenever we need a bucket, he gets it. He's got a way of putting the biscuit in the basket, and he's been doing that since he was a freshman. And right now he's playing with so much confidence.”

I asked Robinson if Terrell reminded him of Ellington.

“I made that observation a few years ago,” Robinson said. “I don't want to say J.T.'s got a higher ceiling than Wayne. They are comparable, but J.T. has a few more pieces to his game and, like Wayne, I think he's got a chance to be really, really special.”

Langston Wertz Jr.: 704-358-5133; lwertz@charlotteobserver.com

Tevin Baskins has been holding down CT

Greenwichtime.com

Trinity Catholic 71, Blessed Sacrament (N.Y.) 42 -- Remy Pinson drained five 3-points en route to a team-high 21 points and he also dished four assists to help the unbeaten Crusaders (4-0) advance to Monday night's final.

"Remy had a real good all-around game," Trinity Catholic coach Mike Walsh said. "In that third quarter when we took over he had 12 of our 26 points."

After the Crusaders had a 32-25 halftime lead, they broke the game open by outscoring Blessed Sacrament 26-10 in the third quarter.

Tevin Baskin collected 16 points, six steals, five rebounds and three blocked shots, Eric Jean-Guillaume had 11 points, four assists and four steals, Takari Smalls contributed 10 points and five rebounds while Ryan Adkins snatched nine rebounds for Trinity Catholic.

David Samuel scored 14 points to lead Blessed Sacrament from New Rochelle, N.Y.

Maxpreps Holiday Classic

Saturday in San Diego
Jerry Meyer
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst
SAN DIEGO - It was quarterfinals night of the Maxpreps Holiday Classic, and 2010 elite prospect Jeremy Tyler put together another dominating performance in front of his hometown crowd.

San Diego 71, West Valley (Calif.) 59

With a one point lead at the half, San Diego steadily took control of the game in the second half. Leading the way throughout was Tyler, who put up some impressive numbers.

Jeremy Tyler- Coming off a 40-point-plus performance Friday night, Tyler came up one point short of 40 points on Saturday night. Neither a box and one defense or a vicious head butt from Joe Burton could slow him down. In short, Tyler is playing like a No. 1 ranked prospect that everyone tagged him to be when he first hit the national scene as an eighth grader. Think Amare Stoudemire when contemplating Tyler's potential.

Ready to play from the get-go, Tyler scored his team's first 11 points, and then maintained steady production throughout finishing with 39 points on 17-23 shooting, 1-5 from three, 4-4 from the line, ten rebounds, three blocks and three turnovers.

Playing well above the rim, Tyler also scored on a number of impressive turn around jumpers at a variety of distances from the basket. And perhaps his most impressive feat of the game was keeping his cool despite the physical play of Joe Burton . If Tyler brings this type of approach to Louisville, he will be a truly special player for the Cardinals.

Eric Lawton - Although very slim of build, Lawton is a thoroughbred as a scoring lead guard. He can get a little sloppy with his game, but he is always a threat to a play. San Diego State got a talented guard who should elevate the program.

He finished with 23 points on 10-18 shooting, 2-6 from three, 0-2 from the line, two assists, four turnovers.

Joe Burton - Playing with a nasty edge against Tyler, Burton displayed at times his high skill level. He has a variety of moves, a soft touch and an exceptional feel for passing the ball. His physical conditioning, however, is a major concern. He looks heavier than he did during the summer and just couldn't keep up with an athlete like Tyler. If he can get his body where it needs to be at Oregon State, he could be a productive player in the Pac-10.

He finished with 14 points on 6-16 shooting, 0-3 from three, 2-2 from the line, three rebounds, two assists, one turnover.

Bellevue (Wash.) 57, Windward (Calif.) 48

2010 Bellevue prospect Aaron Bright scored 18 points as did Michigan signee Darius Morris of Windward. The key to the win for Bellevue was the support Bright got from forward Colton Christian , who scored a game high 20 points. Strong and athletic, Christian played like a low to mid-major prospect in this game.

Aaron Bright - A stocky lead guard who is strong with the ball, Bright is a lethal shooter as well with his quick release jumper. Bright projects as a high major prospect who makes good decisions, gets his team into the offense and then can come off screens away from the ball as a scorer. He has a game similar to that of former Washington State standout Derrick Low.

Washington State, Oregon State and San Diego are recruiting Bright, but his top three schools are Arizona, Gonzaga and Stanford. He also has an offer from Eastern Washington.

Darius Morris - Still developing physically, Morris projects as a combo guard with size who might very well spend more time at the shooting guard than the point guard when he gets to Michigan. Morris doesn't have high major "blow by" point guard speed and is a little too right hand dominant, but he shoots the ball well, has a knack for scoring and has potential post up game.

Anthony Stover - The UCLA signee is extremely limited offensively (scored four points), but is a prolific shot blocker. On occasion he executed solid footwork in the post, but couldn't finish with any touch. UCLA will be getting a high level defender, though.

Eisenhower (Calif.) 77, Rocklin (Calif.) 66

A one point game turned into a 20 point game during the third quarter as Creighton signee Andrew Bock spearheaded a three-point barrage by Eisenhower. Bock also got plenty of help from senior shooter Nicholas Carter , who scored 22 points on six three-pointers.

Andrew Bock - Plain and simple, the thin point guard dominated the game with his poised ball handling, precision passing and timely three-point shooting. Creighton is getting a good one. Bock has all the markings of a winner with a great feel for the game. He will need to bulk up physically (came up short on some shots in traffic), but everything else is there.

Bock finished with 25 points on 10-19 shooting, 4-8 from three, 1-2 from the line, five rebounds, five assists, three turnovers.

Brendan Lane - The UCLA signee put up good numbers against the undersized Eisenhower squad, but he spent the pivotal third quarter at the top of the key outside of the action on offense. When he went inside, he was unstoppable. Lane has a soft touch inside and is a three-point shooting threat.

Defensively, he rebounded well but didn't block a shot. UCLA is getting a skilled four-man who can give them a lot of quality minutes if he continues to develop strength and toughness.

Lane finished with 22 points on 10-13 shooting, 1-2 from three, 1-2 from the line, 12 rebounds and four turnovers.

Bishop O'Dowd (Calif.) 62, Newark (Calif.) 55, OT

After blowing out nationally ranked St. Anthony's (N.J.) in its first round game, Bishop O'Dowd had to scrap from behind to tie the game up in the last minute of regulation and send it into overtime. The man of the hour for Bishop O'Dowd was 6-foot-6 freshman Brandon Ashley who made several crucial plays down the stretch on his way to being the games top scorer and rebounder with 18 points and nine rebounds.

Brandon Ashley - The freshman is long and athletic and has a great feel for position on the court. He chased down rebounds outside his area, playing with an impressive motor. His skill level with the ball is impressive as well. A slick left handed finish along with a spin move off a high post drive were a couple of his highlights during his teams run to tie the game in regulation. A definite high major prospect, Ashley could conceivably turn into an elite prospect down the road.

Richard Longruss - Ashley isn't the only freshman standout for Bishop O'Dowd. In fact Ashley isn't the only 6-foot-6 freshman standout. Longruss, who is also a 6-foot-6 freshman, is a small forward with an impressive handle and feel for passing the ball. He scored around the basket tonight, and although he didn't shoot it from outside, the word from the coaching staff is that he has an impressive stroke. Also a high major prospect, Longruss is a name to remember.

Miscellaneous
Abdul Gaddy had a big game for Bellarmine Prep in a loser's bracket game against Pasadena High School. With Bellarmine trailing by as much as 13 points late in the third quarter, Gaddy led the comeback with some key buckets late in the game to give his team a 65-60 overtime win. Gaddy's bucket with one minute left in regulation gave Bellarmine its first lead since the very beginning of the game. Then in the final minute of overtime he hit the game winning shot with an off balance three-pointer off the dribble just as the shot clock expired.

Gaddy finished with 28 points on 11-21 shooting, 3-7 from three, 1-4 from the line, six rebounds, three steals, three assists and five turnovers.

A streaky shooter, Gaddy had moments when his high arcing jumper looked automatic, and then he also had stretches where he couldn't find the rim.

Bottom line, though, is that he controlled the game and is developing physical strength. Pasadena had some athletic guards who got into him defensively, but Gaddy was still able to get wherever he wanted to get on the floor. Gaddy continues to strengthen his position as the No. 2 ranked point guard in the country.

Steven Adams, the 2010 post player for Pasadena, was not as inspiring with his play as Gaddy was. Adams floated out around the three-point line most of the game, and then when he did get post touches, he looked to pass first. Granted Adams is a quality passer, but his team needed him to establish himself in the post especially after San Jose State signee Joe Henson fouled out of the game early in the fourth quarter. Very skilled with the ball, Adams motor, athleticism and physique are big question marks right now.

He finished with nine points on 4-11 shooting, 1-6 from three, 2-4 from the line.

Terrence Boyd hopes to gain his eligibility next week next week after transferring to San Diego High School. His top five is comprised of UConn, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Kentucky and Oregon State. Now that he has taken the SAT, he will take some official visits in the spring.

Les Schwab Invitational: Day 2 recap

Boug Binder
Oregonlive.com

HILLSBORO -- Mike Moser has been stamped as "UCLA-bound" and has been discovering what that means ever since signing his letter of intent last month.

On Saturday at the Les Schwab Invitational, it meant facing Fairfax High School of Los Angeles, ranked No. 9 nationally by USA Today and eager to see what the Grant standout was all about.

And an even bigger name was also waiting.

Renardo Sidney Jr., at 6-foot-11, 259 pounds, is the biggest attraction in the tournament, literally and figuratively. And he took it to Grant with 22 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for a 70-59 victory in a quarterfinal game.

Sidney has not signed yet, but UCLA is on his short list, and many believe he is a one-and-done talent who could potentially be considered the No. 1 pick of the 2010 NBA draft.

Sidney hadn't heard of Moser before Saturday's game.

"When (coaches) told me, I was like, 'OK, let's see what 'UCLA-bound' can do,' " Sidney said.

Moser, a slender 6-8 forward, is still coming to grips with what being a future Bruin means in the here and now. Should he try to carry his team? Should he trust his teammates?

Against Fairfax, the pressure to perform was palpable. Moser made 6 of 19 shots and finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Too often, Moser's desire to bring his team a big victory came at the expense of the Generals running sound offense.

"Not enough ball movement, not enough running our sets to create better shot opportunities," Grant coach Tony Broadous said.

Broadous likes Moser's desire. But he also knew that in order to pull off a shocker, Grant needed a perfect team game.

The Generals, reigning Class 6A champions, did a lot of things right. And an electric minute, which included two steals and Moser dunks, drew Grant within 50-45 with 1:20 left in the third quarter.

Sidney ended Grant's 9-0 run with a thunderous dunk of his own.

"I knew if we were up heading into the fourth (quarter) that's when we'd start taking over," Sidney said. "That's when they start giving me the ball more, so I knew we'd come out with the victory."

Grant needed a few more Fairfax misses, but the Lions made 12 of 17 field goals in the second half (70.6) percent.

The Generals needed to make free throws but made just 11 of 20.

"They were a good team but they're beatable," Grant point guard Kenneth Acker said. "We have to come out with more intensity because we didn't play that good in the beginning, missed a couple shots, went down by eight and (Fairfax) kept that lead the whole game."

The most impressive part of Sidney's game might have been his seven assists -- two more than Grant had as a team.

He also bowled over Moser in the lane on one possession. The hard fall to the floor aggravated a sore back that Moser has been dealing with.

"I'd love to play with (Sidney)," said Moser when asked about the possibility of becoming teammates at UCLA. "It's easier playing with him than against him."

Fairfax has two more players being recruited by Pacific-10 Conference schools.

Solomon Hill, a strong 6-6 forward, took over briefly in the second quarter and finished with 12 points and eight rebounds. Lance Bailey scored 13 points and had three assists before leaving the game with a cut finger.

As for Moser, he met briefly with a UCLA assistant coach, donned a UCLA ballcap and spoke briefly about taking other players' best shots.

"Definitely, that's how it's going to be," he said. "I'm getting used to it."

Lamar's basketball education (St. Benedict's Lamar Patterson)

By MIKE GROSS, Assistant Sports Editor
Lancasteronline.com

It was an informal workout, really just an open gym, in the middle of the summer. Not the sort of session from which basketball conclusions can usually be drawn.

But this was Lamar Patterson's first taste of life at high-school basketball's elite level. He learned something. So did his future coach.

Patterson, one of the best players in the Lancaster-Lebanon League for McCaskey as a sophomore and junior, had already decided to enroll at St. Benedict's Prep, a Benedictine school in Newark, N.J. that has become a national hoop power.

This would be the first time he'd run with his future teammates.

"It was a very laid-back workout for us," St. Benedict's coach Dan Hurley said. "He only got halfway through it."

Patterson started cramping, and had to sit down, sweating and gasping and embarrassed.

"These guys were doing it like it was nothing," Patterson said.

Hurley wasn't surprised by that. He was surprised, and impressed, by what happened next.

"I imagine he was embarrassed, but I talked to him, and he said that he knew this was exactly what he needed," Hurley said.

"We've had kids do that before, and I never hear from them again. I wasn't disappointed. I was more pleased with his reaction."

Patterson verbally committed to take a scholarship from the University of Pittsburgh early in his junior year. But by the end of that year Patterson, a 6-foot-5 swingman, was struggling with his shot, his game, and seemingly to stay out of his own way.

McCaskey won a fourth straight L-L League title, but lost in the first round of the District Three playoffs.

"Lamar's mind-set in coming here was to embrace the things he needed to do to prepare for a place like Pittsburgh," Hurley said.

"I imagine the experience is the most difficult thing he's had to do in his life, but the experience is going to prepare him."

St. Benedict's is a 600-student, all-male boarding school. Hurley is a former Seton Hall point guard.
You may remember his brother, former Duke point guard Bobby Hurley.

Hurley's father, Bob, runs the longtime national power St. Anthony's in Jersey City. He's probably America's best-known high school coach.

Dan Hurley is 182-17 in his eighth season at St. Benedict's. He's 136-7 from year three on, 51-2 the last two years.

Hurley says he was offered the head-coaching job at Siena last year, and the job of associate head coach at Pitt the year before that.

He turned them down, he said, "Because I like being at a place like this, where the kids are at an age when you can help them, before they think they know everything."

He helps them by pushing them. Practices near the three-hour mark. The players are up in the morning by 7 a.m., in school until 3 p.m., at practice until 6 p.m., and in study hall from about 7:15-10 p.m.

"There's no, or very little, TV time, or video games or talking on the cell phone, or interaction with females," Hurley said.

From about 10-10:45 p.m., Hurley said, "they probably question why they came to St. Benedict's. Then they go to bed, get up and do it again."

The 10-11 a.m. hour is ostensibly free time, but Patterson said when he gets back to his room, "I usually go straight to bed."

The Grey Bees have a 15-player roster, but only 11 dress for games. Hurley said this year, all 11 will be Division I scholarship players.

They will play games this season in Florida, Puerto Rico, California, Massachusetts and, on Jan. 10, against Trinity in the Harrisburg Hoopfest.

"We try to create, or replicate, a Division I basketball program," Hurley said.

"This year, we could probably play with some of the D-1 colleges in New Jersey."

Patterson has wanted this, or something like it, for a while.

His mother, Loreen, said Thursday that unlike Lamar's relatively laid-back brother Perry, who played quarterback at Syracuse, Lamar "always said, this is what I want, and he tries to grab at it, like 'I want it now.' "

Which is why the grass has always been greener ... somewhere.

"He was always bugging me to transfer," Loreen said. "First it was Germantown Academy. Then he wanted to go live with [an AAU teammate] and play for Pennsbury [a District One public school]."

Mom resisted. She wanted Lamar to graduate from McCaskey, like her other sons. She wanted to see him score his 1,000th high-school point there.

"His brothers ganged up on me," Loreen said.

The Pattersons insist none of this should be read as dissatisfaction with McCaskey.

"I felt I needed it," Lamar said. "I knew how hard you have to work in college."

"It's nothing against [the McCaskey coaches], nothing like that," Loreen said. "He just thought [St. Benedict's] would be a good fit for him."

It hasn't been easy. Patterson simply wasn't in good enough shape to play at St. Benedict's level when he got there. He's lost 18 pounds since.

"The game's still the game," Lamar said. "But everything's 110 percent here, all the time. I like it now."

The operative word there, one guesses, is "now."

"He probably thinks I'm the devil," Hurley said.
Patterson isn't starting, but he is playing 20-25 minutes a game, for a 3-0 team ranked fourth in the country by USA Today.

He's had one double-figure scoring game, 10 points, in a defeat of Provine (Miss.) in last weekend's Marshall County Hoopfest in Benton, Ky.

"We envision him being one of our leading scorers and most productive players, but it's taken time," Hurley said.

"The first hurdle is conditioning. He has outstanding feel for the game and a very nice skill package, but we're just now getting to see it.

"He's a very talented guy. The game comes easy to him, maybe too easy. He didn't understand how hard you have to compete."

Patterson owns up to that.

"I know now," he said.

Mike Gross is assistant sports editor of the Sunday News. E-mail him at mgross@lnpnews.com .

Mock Draft for 2009 (Draftexpress.com)

2009 1st Round Mock - Full Mock

1- Thunder
Blake Griffin PF/C
Age: 19, 6'10", 239 lbs.
Oklahoma , Sophomore

2- Timberwolves
James Harden SG
Age: 19, 6'5", 218 lbs.
Arizona State , Sophomore

3- Wizards
Hasheem Thabeet C
Age: 21, 7'3", 260 lbs.
Connecticut , Junior

4- Kings
Stephen Curry PG/SG
Age: 20, 6'3", 185 lbs.
Davidson , Junior

5- Warriors
Jrue Holiday PG/SG
Age: 18, 6'4", 200 lbs.
UCLA , Freshman

6- Clippers
Jordan Hill PF
Age: 21, 6'10", 235 lbs.
Arizona , Junior

7- Grizzlies
Earl Clark SF/PF
Age: 20, 6'9", 200 lbs.
Louisville , Junior

8- Bobcats
Brandon Jennings PG
Age: 19, 6'1", 170 lbs.
Lottomatica Roma , International

9- Pacers
B.J. Mullens C
Age: , 7'0", 260 lbs.
Ohio State , Freshman

10- Raptors
Demar DeRozan SG/SF
Age: 19, 6'7", 207 lbs.
USC , Freshman

11- Knicks
Ty Lawson PG
Age: 21, 5'11", 175 lbs.
North Carolina , Junior

12- 76ers
Kyle Singler SF/PF
Age: 20, 6'9", 210 lbs.
Duke , Sophomore

13- Bulls
Chase Budinger SG/SF
Age: 20, 6'7", 190 lbs.
Arizona , Junior

14- Jazz
Gani Lawal PF/C
Age: 20, 6'8", 233 lbs.
Georgia Tech , Sophomore

15- Bucks
Patrick Mills PG
Age: 20, 6'0", 175 lbs.
Saint Mary's , Sophomore

16- Nets
Andrew Ogilvy C
Age: 20, 7'0", 240 lbs.
Vanderbilt , Sophomore

17- Heat
Darren Collison PG
Age: 21, 6'1", 165 lbs.
UCLA , Senior

18- Pistons
Patrick Patterson PF
Age: 19, 6'8", 223 lbs.
Kentucky , Sophomore

19- Mavericks
DeJuan Blair PF/C
Age: 19, 6'7", 265 lbs.
Pittsburgh , Sophomore

20- Suns
Eric Maynor PG
Age: 21, 6'2", 165 lbs.
VCU , Senior

21- Nuggets
Jonny Flynn PG
Age: 19, 6'0", 172 lbs.
Syracuse , Sophomore

22- Trailblazers
Willie Warren SG
Age: 19, 6'4", 200 lbs.
Oklahoma , Freshman

23- Hawks
Tyler Hansbrough PF
Age: 23, 6'9", 230 lbs.
North Carolina , Senior

24- Spurs
Damion James PF
Age: 21, 6'7", 225 lbs.
Texas , Junior

25- Rockets
Jerome Jordan C
Age: 22, 7'0", 235 lbs.
Tulsa , Junior

26- Hornets
Tyler Smith SF/PF
Age: 22, 6'7", 210 lbs.
Tennessee , Junior

27- Magic
Sam Young SF/PF
Age: 23, 6'6", 210 lbs.
Pittsburgh , Senior

28- Lakers
Terrence Williams SG/SF
Age: 21, 6'5", 207 lbs.
Louisville , Senior

29- Cavaliers
Omri Casspi SF/PF
Age: 20, 6'8", 220 lbs.
Maccabi Tel Aviv , International

30- Celtics
Vladimir Dasic SF/PF
Age: 20, 6'9", 225 lbs.
KK Buducnost Podgorica , International

Draftexpress.com=

Day 1: The Les Schwab Invitational (Oregon)

Oregonlive.com

HILLSBORO -- Michael Holton Jr.'s performance Friday was one of the best of the first round in the Les Schwab Invitational at Liberty High School.

Beyond the 20 points, six rebounds and five assists in Sunset's 56-49 victory over Lake Oswego, Holton's biggest contribution might have been organizing his teammates for practice while the Apollos were shut out of the practice gym for nearly two weeks by snow.

Between a Dec. 12 home victory over Lincoln and Friday's Les Schwab opener, Sunset had just one full practice due to school closures caused by winter storms and icy roads.

"We were pulling everyone together and going to the athletic club across the street (from Sunset)," Holton said. "We had mini-practices there as many days as we could."

Even so, Holton and others worried that too many days of lounging at home on the couch would lead to sloppy play.

But Sunset (4-0) arrived ready, hustling to more rebounds than the taller Lakers, 41-27. The Apollos don't have much size. The only player on the roster taller than 6-foot-3 is freshman Landen Lucas.

"We're probably one of the smallest teams in the state," said Holton, who is listed at 6-1.

The Apollos' defense stopped Lake Oswego early and fueled a 14-4 lead. Then they were consistently able to get shots to go down when they needed them.

"That early energy defensively was key, and (our) commitment to rebounding," Sunset coach Todd Sherwood said.

Lake Oswego (4-2), with two big players inside -- Max Jacobsen (6-7) and Billy Reader (6-8 1/2) -- shot 31 percent in the first half.

"They're scrappy and they played hard," Lake Oswego coach Mark Shoff said of the Apollos. "We didn't show up with much effort."

The Lakers, who played three games at a tournament in Red Bluff, Calif., haven't been able to practice much the past two weeks, either.

"We're all in the same boat in that," Shoff said. Holton, who has taken Sunset's point guard reins from Co-Player of the Year Garrett Sim, has been preparing for his lead role.

Against Lake Oswego, he showed off his uncanny knack for making shots after contact, whether off-balance, falling backward, or into creases of daylight between the limbs of taller players.

"He adjusts to contact better than most players I've ever seen," Sherwood said.

Holton's younger brother, Anthony, finished with nine points and eight rebounds. Sunset moves on to a second-round game against rival Westview.

Reader led Lake Oswego with 13 points and six rebounds.

Westview 64, Tigard 56 : Garrett Jackson scored 19 points to lead the Wildcats in the 9 a.m. game. The Wildcats jumped out to a 15-2 first-quarter advantage and held off the Tigers from there. Austin Kuemper added 13 points and nine rebounds.

Jalen Caoile scored 18 points and had nine assists and two steals to lead Tigard.


Jesuit 50, Canby 38 : The Crusaders broke open a close game in the fourth quarter. Kyle Wiltjer scored 15 points to lead Jesuit, which forced Canby into 24 turnovers.

Cody Hickey scored 19 points and had seven rebounds and four steals to lead the Cougars.

Grant 64, Sheldon 46 : Mike Moser scored 18 points and blocked three shots for the reigning Class 6A champion Generals, who had a 43-22 rebounding advantage against the Irish of Eugene. Dominique Giles came off the bench for 13 points and 15 rebounds for Grant. Kenneth Acker added 13 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

Mt. Vernon (N.Y.) 57, Beaverton 47 : Sherrod Wright scored 23 points to go with seven rebounds, and the Knights took advantage of 26 offensive rebounds and 26 Beaverton turnovers to pull out the victory. Mt. Vernon jumped to a 23-4 lead in the first quarter before Beaverton woke up and outscored the Knights 18-2 in the second quarter.

Beaverton's 6-foot-10 center, Jordan Railey, recorded nine blocked shots to go with eight points and five rebounds. Deangelo Davis scored 12 points to lead the Beavers.


Fairfax (Calif.) 58, Central Catholic 49 : Standout center Renardo Sidney went to work in the second half, using his 6-10 size to muscle inside and help his team push past the upset-minded Rams.

Sidney finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots. Fairfax shot 66.7 percent from the field in the second half after going into the break at 28-28.

The Rams, who had a 12-5 lead early, made 9 of 21 three-point shots. Nate Carr had three of them and finished with a team-high 13 points.

Jefferson 68, South Medford 62 : Terrence Jones and Alex Johnson made four free throws in the final 8.9 seconds to preserve the win for the Democrats, who led by double digits in the first half.

Jones scored 19 points and had five rebounds and five blocked shots for the Democrats. E.J. Singler had 18 points, 10 rebounds and three steals for the Panthers, who got within 56-55 on Josh Havird's free throws. Mike Brassel, a 5-7 sophomore, took charges on back-to-back Jefferson possessions to help South Medford pull close.

Dominguez (Calif.) 67, Columbia River (Wash.) 45 : Myron Green scored 21 points and Dominguez of Compton, Calif. shot 54.9 percent for the game in an easy win.=

TMA @ NHSCA Holiday Festival

Written By: Abdul Torrence

Thurgood Marshall Academy is competing in the National High School Coaches Association in Salisbury, MD. Tonight TMA faced off against Washington HS from Maryland and started out shorthanded leadinf 20-12 at the end of the first quarter.

TMA lost the lead as the Panthers scored only 11 points in the second quarter as the traveled fatigues the panthers and took energy from their legs. Antoine Hackman picked up three fouls in the first half which saddled the panthers and took away a another impact player.

Washington went up five points in the second quarter as the panther scrambled tried to apply pressure on defense. A basket by Khalid Vaughn brought the deficit to three points and allowed the panthers to set their defense as their 3-2 zone was not effective versus Washington's three point shooters.

TMA went man to man and caught a steal by Trevor Dillard with seven seconds and pushed the ball to Shane Woney who scored a lay up to bring the deficit to one point closing the half.

As the second half started TMA needed a spark and it was provided seniors Trevor Dillard and Jason Givens the full court pressure of the Panthers forced turnovers and took the lead in the game.

The lead ballooned to ten as Givens converted two fast break dunks that wowed the crowd. The eventually put Washington HS away with a score 78-54. Givens led all scorers with 26 points 10 rebounds and 4 blocks and Trevor add 14 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds. TMA's record has now climbed to 6-2 overall for the season.

Funsport Junior Pros All-Star Highlights

Written by: Tippy Mcternan

In addition to the Final Four of the Junior Pros Fall 2008 season, last Sunday's action at Jefferson High School included a pair of All-Star games for the top 7th and 8th grade players in the tournament.

Jason Boswell (LI Lightning) took MVP honors in the 8th-grade game, scoring 20 points with 7 assists while leading his Orange squad to a 90-85 victory over the White team. Also starring for the Orange were Shaquille Davis (Assassins) with 20 points, Jonathan Severe (Lightning) with 14 points and 9 rebounds, and championship game MVP Jordan Washington (Panthers) with 8 points and 12 boards. For the White, Isaiah Louis (Assassins) was the Sportsmanship winner with a game-high 24 points, Chris Regus (C-3 Elite) had 18 points and 6 rebounds, and Ethan Telfair (Assassins) recorded a game-high 6 assists.

The 7th-grade game saw the Navy team hold off Sky Blue 78-73 behind MVP Isaiah Wilkerson (Assassins) with 27 points and 16 rebounds, Tyrone Johnson (Brooklyn Ballers-B) with 5 three's among his 17 points and 5 assists, and  Taquan Givens (Gauchos) with 12 points and 5 assists. Sky Blue received 5 three's and 20 points from Sportsmanship winner Malachi Richardson (Gauchos), while Gaucho teammate Chris Robinson added 13 points and Chris Davis (Underrated) added 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Prior to the game, Chris Davis received a special custom-made trophy (with his name and uniform number on the figurine) for being selected as Academic MVP for the Junior Pros 2008 Fall Season. Others honored on the All-Academic First Team, all with averages of 92 or better, were Matthew Xie (C-3 Elite), Elijah Torres (NJ Pirates), Jashanti Allen (Starrett City) and Chaz Watler (Brooklyn Ballers-A).

Selected to the All-Tournament First Team were Jordan Washington (Panthers), Jonathan Severe (LI Lightning), Jaq-uan Lynch (New Heights-Red), Terrance Samuels (Brooklyn Ballers-A) and Shaquille Davis (Assassins).

No. 13 UCLA rolls past Wyoming 113-62

By JOHN NADEL
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Roll scored 18 of his career-high 25 points in the first half, and No. 13 UCLA overwhelmed outmanned Wyoming 113-62 on Tuesday night for its fifth straight victory.

Roll, a 6-foot-5 junior making his second start in place of the injured Josh Shipp, surpassed his previous career high of 17 points by making the fourth of his five 3-pointers with 3 seconds left in the half, giving the Bruins a 59-34 lead.

Shipp, a senior who has started 110 games in his career, is sidelined with a sprained ligament in his left thumb, but it hasn't hurt the Bruins (9-2). Roll filled in with 16 points in a 76-59 victory over Mercer last Saturday night in his first start in almost two years.

Roll was 9-of-13 from the field, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range, before coming out of the game for good with 6:57 remaining. He was 6-of-7, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, against Mercer.

Darren Collison added 19 points and seven assists for UCLA, while freshman Malcolm Lee scored a career-high 16 points, freshman Drew Gordon had career-highs of 14 points and 11 rebounds and Alfred Aboya added 12 points.

Sean Ogirri led Wyoming (9-2) with 14 points — all in the first half. Tyson Johnson added 11 points and Brandon Ewing and Mikhail Linskens had 10 each for the Cowboys, whose 9-1 start was their best since they won 11 of their first 12 games in 1990-91.

But they entered having played a soft schedule, beating Cal State Bakersfield, Prairie View A&M, Johnson & Wales, Texas State, Denver, Loyola Marymount, Northern Iowa, Western State and Sacramento State and losing to Boise State.

UCLA shot 60.3 percent to Wyoming's 53.5 percent, and the Bruins forced Wyoming into a season-high 29 turnovers while committing only 10.

The Cowboys certainly weren't intimidated at the beginning of their first game against a ranked team this season, making their first seven shots for a 16-12 lead. Ogirri had eight points on two 3-pointers and another basket.

That only seemed to make UCLA angry. Roll scored six points and Collison and Gordon added four each during a 20-5 run that gave the Bruins a 32-21 lead, and they led the rest of the way.

It was 32-25 when the Bruins broke the game open, outscoring the Cowboys 27-9 to finish the first half for their 25-point lead. Roll made three 3-pointers for nine points, Lee added eight and Collison had six during the run.

UCLA shot 21-of-33 (63.6 percent) in the first half including 8-of-12 from 3-point range. Wyoming went 13-of-25 including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, but the Cowboys were 6-of-18 after their hot start.

The Bruins' domination continued at the beginning of the second half, with Roll scoring the first five points and Aboya the next three to make it 67-34.

CHSAA boys' basketball round-up: McClancy wins

Courtesy of FiveBoroSports.com

The red-hot Monsignor McClancy boys’ basketball team has made it eight wins in its last nine games, defeating Mount St. Michael, 79-67, at Mount on Tuesday afternoon in a CHSAA Class A league game.

Dominic Murray led the way for the Crusaders, who improved to 9-2 on the season, with 22 points. Randall Sanabria added 19 points, Keith Brooks had 17, Brandon Rivera had 14 and Anthoni Brown added 11 for McClancy, which next faces St. Edmund in an A-South match-up Jan. 6 in Brooklyn.

Pete Aguilar had 19 points, Will Williams added 18 and Gary Acquah had 11 for Mount (5-2), which was outscored, 16-6, in the second quarter.

Holy Cross 77, St. Joseph by the Sea 51: Eric Klingsberg scored a game-high 23 points, Joe Monahan added 17, Bryant Fidele had nine and Jahleel Felix had eight for Holy Cross (4-2), which led 25-6 after the first quarter in a non-league game Tuesday. Anthony Cipriano led Sea (4-2) with 14 points.

St. Francis Prep 66, Richmond Hill 51: Bobby Nacer had 13 points, Robert Blazicevic had 12 and Chris Fesler added 11 for St. Francis Prep (4-3), which snapped a two-game losing streak in a non-league game Monday. Daniel Madison scored a game-high 17 points for Richmond Hill.

The evolution of iconic basketball shoes

Houston Newspaper
Written by Lynn Crook
www.chron.com

For die-hard basketball fanatics, Michael Jordan’s jersey number — 23 — is an iconic symbol of His Airness’ gravity-defying dunks and ability to come through in the clutch to win nail-biting games.

For others, the 23rd anniversary of the Air Jordan sneaker — celebrated this year with a very limited release of a new collectible shoe on Tuesday — is a time to reflect on the collision of sports, fashion and marketing.

Oh, and to make some serious money on eBay.

People are lining up around the country to buy the new Air Jordan XX3 Premier, the 23rd anniversary edition of the Air Jordan sneaker. Only 23 stores in 23 cities are getting the Varsity red-and-black shoes, a nod to the colors of Jordan’s Chicago Bulls.

Those stores only get 23 pairs. And only one shop in Texas has them: Active Athlete on Cullen Boulevard, which Nike chose because of its 20-year relationship with the outlet.

If you haven’t been in line since the weekend, chances are you won’t have the privilege of plunking down $230 for a pair of kicks.

A couple dozen sneaker collectors have been camped out since Saturday, braving the bitter cold and grousing about the predictions of freezing rain overnight. Active Athlete’s owner, Paul Seernani, says he’s trying to keep the guys comfortable, handing out water and hot chocolate, but Nike has firm rules about when the 23rd version of the Air Jordan can go on sale.

Not until today. That’s Dec. 23, another Jordan jersey reference, for those who haven’t picked up on the theme. Of course, they aren’t selling the shoes for $23. You have to add a zero to that.

“I got a call this morning from a man in Oklahoma who offered me $1,000 if I saved him a pair, but I just can’t do that. It’s not fair to these guys,” Seernani said Monday afternoon, motioning to the line of sleeping bags and chairs that had formed outside his south Houston store, which is sandwiched between a Fiesta and a Family
Dollar.

Who on Earth cares this much about shoes?

Julian Galvan Jr. and his brother Jeremy do. They paid $100 for the No. 10 spot in line.

“There are people who love Jordan and there are people who love sneakers. I proudly call myself a sneakerhead,” said Jeremy. He figures it will be worth the bragging rights of owning one of only 529 pairs of the ultimate Air Jordan kicks.

After all, the H-Town Sneaker Summit is next week at Meridian Houston, where sneaker freaks show off their rare finds.

The Air Jordan XX3 Premier — with MJ’s signature laser-etched across the toe and his thumb print imbedded on the tongue — are already being advertised online for as much as $3,500.

For Deno and Deveno Hairston it’s not about the money.

The father-son duo from San Antonio jumped in the car with blankets and sleeping bags and bombed down Interstate 10 to Houston Sunday morning when they heard the line hadn’t reached 23 people.

“I just collect them with my dad,” Deveno said. “Jordan changed the game of basketball. I grew up watching him. He doesn’t even play anymore, and look at all these people here.”

Deno has been collecting Air Jordans for 23 years and has every pair, but he had written off this last installment because of the extremely limited release.

“I’m a big Jordan fan, and have every single shoe, but I know this would be tough to get,” he says.

Deno and his son managed to snag the 13th and 14th spots in line.

Giving to charity
Only the first 18 people in line are guaranteed shoes. Seernani says he’s auctioning off the rest and giving the proceeds to charity.

“We don’t want the money. Want to give it back, and we think it’s the right time of year to do it,” he says.

The first Air Jordan sneaker debuted in 1985, igniting a fashion fury and vaulting Michael Jordan into the stratosphere of stardom. The word “Nike” became shorthand for the lucrative marriage of sports, fashion and endorsements.

The shoes were banned by the NBA for violating the “uniformity of the uniform.” Basketball shoes to that point usually had been all-white. Jordan played in the sneakers with his name on them anyway, racking up fines of $5,000 per game. Actor/movie director Spike Lee later got in on the commercial action as fast-talking Mars Blackmon, igniting a cult following for Nike’s advertising.

They’ll stay clean

“It’s a significant shoe and being offered in such limited quantity, it’s probably going to be one of the pinnacle collectible pieces of footwear,” Josiah Lake, footwear product director for the Jordan brand, said.

"The last thing these guys want to do after standing in line, waiting for it, is step out in it and get it dirty.”

Wearing them is exactly what Emmanuel Macedo will do if he’s lucky enough to snag a size 9 or 10, he says.

If only bigger sizes are available when it’s his turn, he plans to sell his pair on eBay for exponentially more.

I already looked and some people are offering $2,000 on the Internet,” he said.

lynn.cook@chron.com

Lance Stephenson's Life on the Road

By ADAM FISHER
Naplesnews.com

FORT MYERS — It’s a scene you’re more likely to find in a commercially named professional arena rather than a cozy high school gymnasium.

The final horn sounds, the game is over, and before he can leave the court, the star player is swarmed by throngs of autograph-seekers. Cameras and recorders are shoved in his face as he does his best to answer questions while signing everything handed to him by fans.

In the locker room, the coach wants to address the team but is forced to wait almost 20 minutes while the star fights his way through the crowd.

Very few high school basketball players receive such treatment. For Lance Stephenson, it’s just another game and the attention that comes with being the best player in one of the world’s most recognizable cities.

“It’s not a distraction,” said Stephenson, the top-ranked player in the nation from Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. “I’m used to it. I’ve been playing since I was little.”

Stephenson, who at 6-foot-6 can play guard or forward, showed Monday why he’s considered the best player in the country by HoopScoop.com and a top 10 senior by most recruiting services. He had 26 points and 12 rebounds in Lincoln’s 81-67 victory over Philadelphia-Roman Catholic in the Bank of America City of Palms Classic at Bishop Verot.

In what has been referred to as one of the most talented high school basketball tournaments ever assembled, Stephenson is the biggest name. He comes from the same school that produced NBA point guards Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair, was dubbed “Born Ready” by the regulars at Manhattan’s famed Rucker Park and played in an ESPN-televised game just two weeks ago.

Stephenson started making national headlines long before he led Lincoln to three straight New York City championships. In 2003, the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram named the Coney Island, N.Y., native the best seventh-grader in the country.

A year later, a video showed an eighth-grade Stephenson battling top high school player O.J. Mayo, now with the Memphis Grizzlies. The clips made Stephenson a YouTube sensation.

Since leading the Railsplitters to three straight city titles and two state titles in his first three years, the buzz around Stephenson has been amplified. He has his own Web site as a junior (www.bornready.tv), which produced a documentary on his entire season.

Stephenson also turned some heads when he hinted that he might play professional basketball in Europe next season until he is eligible for the 2010 NBA Draft. He has since said he won’t go overseas and is considering Kansas, Memphis, St. John’s and Southern California as college choices.

All the attention hasn’t seemed to faze his team, though.

“Nah,” said coach Dwayne Morton when asked if it was a distraction. “We’re used to it, too.”

In Monday’s fifth-place bracket game, Stephenson showed how easy he can score when he wants to. Heeding his coach’s advice to save energy early, he didn’t score until 1:12 left in the first quarter. He missed four of his first five shots and didn’t have a field goal until 40 seconds remained in the period.

Stephenson hit nine of his next 15 attempts. He is averaging 29.7 points a game in the City of Palms — less than his 34 a game average this season.

Roman Catholic’s Maalik Wayns, Rivals.com’s fourth-best senior point guard who is committed to Villanova, scored 27 points to lead the Cahillites.

While Stephenson doesn’t mind the focus on his game, several incidents this year have taken the attention off the court. He was suspended from school for five days in January for fighting with a teammate. In October, Stephenson was arrested on sexual assault charges after a classmate accused him of grabbing her inappropriately at school.

Despite the misdemeanor charges, Morton said Stephenson has grown up this season and is putting his off-the-court issues behind him.

“He’s definitely maturing,” Morton said. “He’s learning how to respond to different situations.”

Growing up has helped him on the court. Known as a stellar offensive talent and not much else most his career, Stephenson said he’s worked on improving his defense.

In Monday’s game, Stephenson guided his team to victory even when he wasn’t scoring. His six assists tied for the game-high with teammate Darwin Ellis, and he also had five offensive rebounds and two steals.

“I played better defensively,” said Stephenson, who called Monday his best game of the tournament. “There are some tough teams here. We just have to play hard and get ready for when we go back (to New York).”

Tony Wroten is back on the Court

Written by Nathan Blue with help from Maxpreps.com & EspnRise

Tony Wroten has won a temporary injuction against Garfield High School. Wroten one of the nations top sophomores will be allowed to play basketball this season.

While there is a hearing date set for January 21st. The family is also pursuing a lawsuit against his Seattle School District.

Garfield expelled Wroten claiming that surveillance showed that he lived in Renton and not Seattle .

Wroten has been out of school since Dec. 5 and hasn't played a game for the Bulldogs.

Oak Hill wins "Iolani Classic" behind 40 from Mo-Mo

Written BY: Wes Nakama
honoluadvertiser.com

OAK HILL 74, MONTROSE 62, 2 OT: Momo Jones scored 40 points, including a 27-foot 3-pointer as time expired in the first overtime, as the Warriors outlasted the Mustangs for the championship in double overtime.

Jones made eight 3-pointers and scored 13 of his team's 15 points in one stretch as Oak Hill turned a 29-24 second period deficit into a 42-34 third-quarter lead. But Montrose Christian rallied back and eventually tied the game, sending into overtime at 49-49.

Mouph Yarou sank a free throw to put the Mustangs up, 56-53, with seven seconds remaining in the first overtime, but Jones — a 6-foot senior guard — sped upcourt and launched a rainbow from 27 feet out on the right wing that swished through the net as time expired.

The Warriors then outscored Montrose Christian 18-6 in the second overtime.=

Big time Tyler shows skills on Maui that may take him to NBA

By STARR BEGLEY, For The Maui News
The Maui News / AMANDA COWAN photo

LAHAINA- Jeremy Tyler has been creating a stir about his size from the start.

The San Diego High School junior weighed in at a whopping 11 pounds and measured almost 2 1/2 feet at birth, and agrees that the idea that he and his size-18 feet are still growing is ''scary.''

The Cavers star, now a quarter-inch shy of 7 feet, helped his team place second in the Maui Christmas Classic - San Diego lost 56-51 to Marist (Ga.) on Monday at the Lahaina Civic Center in the final, but Tyler had 19 points, 17 rebounds and 12 blocked shots.

He's among the most talented high school juniors in the country - rivals.com's fourth-ranked power forward and ninth-ranked overall player - and has made a verbal commitment to Louisville.

''Coach (Rick) Pitino is one of the greatest coaches to me,'' Tyler said. ''Wherever I want to get, he'll help me get there. He has a really good program, a lot of experience coaching and I think he can teach me a lot. It all boiled down to Louisville. It was a perfect fit.'' Many schools showed interest.
''Every school except Duke sent a letter or made a phone call,'' said Cavers coach Kenny Roy.

''Everyone wanted Jeremy Tyler.''

Said Christmas Classic organizer and former Maui Interscholastic League coach Sky Nelson: ''He's definitely the best pro-level prospect from high school that's ever played here on Maui.''

Some have speculated that Tyler, who is averaging 35 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocks per game, may head to the NBA after one year in college.

''The media and scouts have watched Jeremy develop over the years and seen his maturity,'' Roy said. ''They call him a 'one year and done.' ''

Tyler, however, isn't getting ahead of himself.

''That's a life decision,'' he said. ''If the opportunity is there, most of the time that kind of opportunity comes once in a lifetime. So me, my family and my coaches need to make that decision if it comes up.''

For now, he's getting the chance to see the Valley Isle.

''I've really enjoyed myself here on Maui,'' he said. ''I've never seen such a beautiful sight. I've never been in such clear water. I hope I'm back soon.''

Tyler has been drawing attention from more than just coaches. At one point, he had television crews following him at home, school and the court for a documentary.

Add that to all the recruiters, and the Cavers have the potential for debilitating distraction. His teammates, though, view it all as a positive.

''With Jeremy getting all this media attention, more colleges come and look at him as well as us, what we do as a team,'' said junior teammate Martin Thomas. ''As a team we have to behave better and make better decisions because more people are looking at us because of who we have.''

Xavier Roy, a sophomore and the coach's son, said he has learned a lot from being Tyler's teammate.

''Having Jeremy on the team helped me during freshman year to build up and develop for who I am now,'' he said.

Kenny Roy is in his fourth year at San Diego - the Cavers have won league championships each of the last three seasons and averaged better than 21 wins. San Diego was 23-4 last season.

''At this particular time, we've seen our team from the number-one team in the county to the fifth in the state and the 30th in the country,'' Kenny Roy said. ''So, we're not only locally recognized, state recognized, we've become a nationally recognized high school basketball team.''

Tyler has been playing for the San Diego varsity since he was a freshman.

''Jeremy took the team on his shoulders and we've been riding ever since,'' Roy said.

NBA dreams were not what prompted Tyler to first pick up a basketball - it was being too tall to do anything else.

''I started in 6th, 7th grade,'' he said. ''I got serious in the 8th grade. By 9th, 10th grade, I was rated the number-one player in the nation. So for kids that have dreams to play, I say to work hard and they can achieve their dreams like I am.''

When asked about the pressure that comes with his talent, Tyler seemed focused on making the best of it.

''It affects me in a positive way,'' he said. ''It makes me a better player and stronger person. Whatever they're saying that I'm not doing right, I'm either going to work harder to do everything perfect, or just don't listen to the negative and accept all the positive.''

Roy sees Tyler maturing and advancing at a steady pace.

''His athleticism is his strength,'' Roy said. ''He's a super athlete. His weakness is that he still has to mature more on the basketball court. Once he develops that, he'll be an unstoppable player.''

Tyler has dealt with issues much bigger than basketball.

In July, his cousin Todd Doxey, a football player at the University of Oregon, died in a swimming accident. Tattooed on Tyler's upper chest is the phrase, ''God is on my side'' flanked by the initials ''T'' and ''D.''

'' 'God is on my side' were his last words,'' said Tyler. ''This was the biggest thing that's ever happened to me. It changed me a lot. Made me realize how short life is and how you need to cherish and live every day to the fullest.''