Shootout Still Has Plenty of Talent
TRENTON, N.J. – I had a chance to get up to the Primetime Shootout, a big-time high school tournament featuring some of the best high school teams and players in the country this past weekend. Every year the tournament is held in Trenton, New Jersey at the Sovereign Bank Arena.
You are talking about a tournament that has featured players like Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dejuan Wagner, Sebastian Telfair just to name a few over the past couple of years. So it’s safe to say that there is usually plenty of talent at this event.
Although there was a huge snowstorm which cancelled the last day of the tournament, there was enough time to see some of the best talent in the country in the first three days.
On Thursday I was able to see Bloomfield Tech, ranked No. 1 in the state of New Jersey and No. 17 in the nation, take on Trenton Central High School. Bloomfield Tech won with ease behind the play of DeSean Butler (headed to West Virginia) and Casiem Drummond (off to Villanova).
On Friday, I had the pleasure of watching legendary coach Bob Hurley, Sr. lead his St. Anthony team, ranked No. 2 in New Jersey and 25th in the country, to a victory over Riverdale Baptist from Upper Marlboro, Maryland. St. Anthony’s was one of the most efficient and disciplined teams in the tournament.
The ball movement was extraordinary and the defensive intensity was phenomenal. The Jersey City players all handed the ball to the referees and never complained after a call, a testament to the leadership of Bob Hurley, Sr. The Friars are a young team led by 6’3 junior Miles Beatty and sophomores Michael Rosario and Travon Wodall. These young talents will spell trouble for Jersey as well as the rest of the country for the next two years.
On Saturday, I saw the best player in the tournament in 6’5 sophomore Tyreke Evans, from American Christian in Ashton, PA. Evans is ranked by many as the No. 1 sophomore in the country, and did not disappoint. Again, the hometown Trenton High School Tornadoes were victimized as Evans garnered MVP honors for the game with 28 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals.
The ease at which he dominated the game was somewhat unsettling. At one point in the third quarter, he gave a Trenton defender a left to right crossover and pull up jumper that brought the Trenton crowd to its feet. He also had a one-handed jam in which he picked the ball up off the floor with one hand and flushed it in, reminiscent of the great Dr. J if I may say so.
Going slightly off topic for a minute, I, a former Villanova basketball player, couldn’t get tickets to the Villanova vs. UConn game at the Wachovia Center on Monday because it was sold out. I even called the basketball office and the secretary told me she was sorry but there was nothing she could do for me. I turn on the television to watch the game, and who do I see behind the Nova bench? None other than Tyreke Evans. Hey, I would have gladly given up my seat for him after the performance he put on in Trenton.
I was also impressed by another sophomore on American Christian in 6’6 forward Nasir Robinson. He was very adept with the ball, a good passer and great finisher. He finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds. They also had a 7’0 junior center, Hamida Rahman, who was a beast. Look for this team to be one of the best teams in the country for the next two years. Mark my words!
On Saturday I also saw the greatest offensive clinic I have ever seen. If you wanted to learn the basic fundamentals of basketball, De La Salle, a team from Concord, California gave a free lesson.
Running a variation of the Princeton offense, the Spartans from De La Salle performed surgery on Mount Vernon (NY) High School. To say I felt sorry for the Knights from Mt. Vernon is an understatement.
The Spartans screened, moved, and backdoor-cut the Knights into submission. The Spartans were the most patient team of the tournament, resetting their offense sometimes three or four times in one possession. It was all summed up when Mt. Vernon head coach Bob Cimmino said, “All we can do is thank God we have a shot clock in New York.”
Needless to say, many of the De La Salle players are already being recruited by Princeton. Lincoln Gunn, a 6’4 senior, has already committed, and other players on the team are being heavily courted.
Also among the participants was the No. 1 high school team in the country, Oak Hill Academy. They played St. Benedict’s Prep from Newark, New Jersey, coached by Danny Hurley. DeMatha Catholic, the No. 3 team in country, edged Linden High School out of Linden, New Jersey 51-48.
