Southern California All-Stars Trample TOC Field
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – As is usually the case, the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions was an excellent tournament. The 13th edition of it was far from unlucky, as the Triangle area in North Carolina welcomed a wealth of talent for one of the spring’s best tournaments.
The loaded Southern California All-Stars continued their roll this spring, as they bulldozed their way to the 17-under title. They won several games by virtue of the mercy rule, including their 83-62 title game victory over the New Jersey-based Playaz on Sunday. USC commit Malik Story led the winners with 17 points, while elite rising junior Brandon Jennings had 16, Duke commit Taylor King had 14 and tournament MVP Kevin Love had 13. Anthony Nelson capped a solid weekend for the Playaz with 20 points in the losing effort.
Other final results went as follows:
- After two overtime periods, a free throw by Dashan Harris gave California-based Rising Stars of America an 80-79 win over the Indiana-based Blessed IJN in the 17-under Select final. Harris finished with 25 points, with several clutch baskets in regulation and the first overtime. Eshaunte Jones had 20 points in the losing effort.
- Garner Road took home the 17-under shootout with a 67-62 comeback win over the South Texas Spurs. Shootout MVP Brock Young led the way with 23 points, while Landon Tatum capped a solid tournament with 17 points to lead the Spurs.
- In the 16-under championship, the Carolina Raptors dominated the second half, outscoring the Georgia Stars 40-15 to turn a seven-point halftime deficit into a 66-48 win. MVP DeMarquis Bost led the Raptors with 23 points to cap an excellent weekend. Al-Farouq Aminu led the Stars with 13 points in defeat.
- The New York Panthers held off Meanstreets in a closely contested 16-under select final, as they took home a 72-71 win. Melquan Bolding led the Panthers with a game-high 24 points and Josh Watkins added 23, while Meanstreets got 15 points from Kevin Dillard.
- The 15-under championship went to Indiana Elite, which took control in the second half in a 64-44 decision over Texas Select.
Tournament Notes
- Want an example of a team that deserved a better fate? Three teams in one 17-under pool tied at 2-1, so the tie-breakers went into effect. The odd team out, the North Carolina Gaters, actually defeated the top seed out of that pool, the Atlanta-based Worldwide Renegades, head-to-head in one of the last games of pool play.
- News of the unfortunate passing of former NFL running back Craig “Ironhead” Heyward saddened us late Saturday night when we found out. There is some significance of it for this tournament, as Heyward’s son Cameron, a rising senior at Peachtree Ridge High School in Atlanta, was playing for the Pittsburgh Jots this weekend. Our thoughts and prayers are with Cameron and the entire family.
Player Notes: Class of 2007
Martavius Adams (6’8″ PF, Milledgeville (GA) Baldwin HS) He just keeps looking better each time out. He rebounded and ran the floor, and also scored on a post move, all in a game dominated by his team’s guards. While we don’t project him to be a star, he looks like he’ll be a solid player at the next level. High-major prospect.
Cole Aldrich (6’11” C, Bloomington (MN) Jefferson HS) He has a big body, but at times that seems to be the main thing he has going for him, although he will battle inside. He missed his share of close field goal attempts and also looked a step slow. High-major prospect has committed to Kansas.
Chris Allen (6’4″ PG-SG, Norcross (GA) Meadow Creek HS) He created a lot of buzz with his performance on Friday night, which we didn’t see but were not surprised to hear about. When he’s on the court, he makes things happen at both ends as a legitimate combo guard, though more of a shooting guard. He shot the ball well over the weekend, using good shot selection along the way. High-major/big-time prospect has committed to Michigan State.
Tim Ambrose (6’1″ PG-SG, Centereach (NY) Our Savior New American School) You know what you’re getting with him: a solidly built, athletic scorer. He knows how to put the ball in the hole and has a college-ready body. A senior in 2006, this high-major minus prospect is likely to attend prep school next year.
Kyle Austin (6’7″ SF-PF, Pasadena (CA) High) He quietly had a nice weekend playing for the loaded Southern California All-Stars. An athletic combo forward, he has a good frame and generally scored close to the basket, going for 17 in one game and 12 in another, adding 11 in the title game. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Ryan Bacon (6’8″ PF, Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s) Had a breakout weekend with several solid performances. Athletic with a good body, he shows a little combo forward ability but seems more at home at power forward with the occasional short jumper. He was the most consistent frontcourt scorer his team had all weekend. High-major minus prospect.
Mike Beasley (6’8″ SF-PF, Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy) In a couple of games, he was again a non-factor, but he really came out aggressively on Sunday morning and did all he could to keep his team in a game they eventually lost. He went for 30 points in that game with a number of post scores, both on moves down on the box and where he got the ball just outside the paint and went in to finish. High-major prospect.
DeJuan Blair (6’7″ PF, Pittsburgh (PA) Schenley HS) He had a solid weekend that undoubtedly helped his stock. Possessing a big body, he rebounded well and ran the floor, and didn’t just score on the low post at the offensive end. For good measure, he showed some ball skills better than those of your average power forward. High-major prospect.
DeMarquis Bost (6’2″ SG, Concord (NC) High) Very athletic wing really shot the ball well to lead his team to the title. He has a good stroke and good range on the shot, going for 15 points in a pool play game in addition to his big game in the final.
Justin Brownlee (6’7″ SF, Tifton (GA) Tift County HS) Active forward has a good frame and had a nice weekend helping his team advance in the playoffs. Though he looks to be more of a scorer, including in transition, he did knock down a few three-pointers. He went for 21 points in one playoff game.
Chase Buford (6’3″ SG, San Antonio (TX) Alamo Heights HS) He showed some clutch shooting over the weekend, hitting a buzzer-beating three-pointer to win one game and keeping his team in a championship game with late three-pointers. He made shots catching and shooting and a couple where he stopped and popped. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Justin Burrell (6’8″ SF-PF, Bronx (NY) Our Savior Lutheran HS) One of the more impressive forwards we saw, he’s active, very athletic and has a solid body. We saw him go for 20 in one game and look like he could play both forward spots. High-major prospect.
Ceola Clark (6’2″ SG, Gurnee (IL) Warren HS) In his team’s comeback win on Friday, he went for 22 points thanks largely to some great shooting, as he made five three-pointers. Mid-major prospect has had a good spring.
Gary Dairese (6’1″ PG-SG, Elkhart (IN) Concord HS) Well-built guard looks to be more of a scorer, and he does that well as evidenced by his 20 points per game average over the weekend. He looks to be more of a scorer than a shooter, though he did knock down a couple of jumpers along the way.
Calvin Daniels (6’3″ SG, Danville (NC) New Horizon Prep) Fearless going to the basket, he got his share of driving baskets in going for 16 points against a team with several good inside players. He has a good frame and also knocked down a couple of three-pointers. High-major minus prospect.
Devin Ebanks (6’8″ SF, Lenoir (NC) Patterson School) Thin athlete can really score the ball and did exactly that all weekend, as he was the second-leading scorer in the tournament with over 27 points per game. He mainly scored on drives and mid-range jumpers, and as he fills out, we can be sure he’ll just get better. High-major/big-time prospect.
Chris Gamble (6’7″ PF, Meridian (MS) High) Looks like a power forward who will score facing the basket, as he hit a few mid-range jumpers and has a good frame.
Eric Gordon (6’3″ SG, Indianapolis (IN) North Central HS) The top scorer in the tournament, he scored 49 points in one game and averaged just under 30 for the tournament – and he made it all look easy. In their final game, he went for 28 points and that surprised us, but it just means he can quietly put the points up as well as get noticed when doing so. He’s quick and explosive, hit a couple of three-pointers and found ways to score. Big-time prospect has committed to Illinois.
Malcolm Grant (6’0″ PG, Brooklyn (NY) Robeson HS) It was a tale of two games for him. In one game, the three-pointers were falling and he scored 17 points in a win; in the other, he struggled with just two points in a tournament-ending loss. High-major prospect has committed to Villanova.
Rashard Green (6’3″ SG, West Babylon (NY) Bridgton Academy) Danny’s younger brother impressed with a 20-point outing in pool play. The lefty is well-built, athletic and scored off the dribble and shooting it, a little like his brother. High-major minus prospect.
Daniel Hackett (6’5″ SG, Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco HS) Had another solid weekend without huge numbers, really showing that he adapts his game well to his teammates. He’s capable of putting up big numbers, but instead blends in and plays well around what his teammates can do. This weekend, he shot it well and finished the break a few times. High-major prospect has committed to USC.
Jonathan Hall (6’5″ SF, Miami (FL) Senior HS) Not a great athlete, he’s simply a scorer who has also looked like he can disappear at times. He had a few good moments early in a game we saw, but finished with just eight points. A current senior, prep school appears to be in his future.
J.J. Hickson (6’9″ PF, Marietta (GA) Wheeler HS) We continue to like how he just goes to work inside, using his solid body and athleticism very well at both ends. He’s active and just plays the game, and while he looked good with 19 points in their last pool play game, he had just five in their playoff loss. High-major/big-time prospect.
Senario Hillman (6’1″ PG-SG, Irwington (GA) Wilkinson County HS) Athletic lefty can really score the ball, as he drives aggressively to the basket and finishes well. He seems to be at his best when he stays in constant motion, both with and without the ball. He was one of the top ten scorers at the tournament, and we saw him go for 25 in one game. High-major prospect has committed to Alabama.
Blake Hoffarber (6’4″ SG, Minnetonka (MN) Hopkins HS) The lefty shooter is not bashful and knocked down several shots from long range in an early game. He also added in a mid-range shot off the dribble to keep the defense a little honest and has a decent frame, but clearly his role at the next level will be to shoot the ball. High-major minus prospect.
R.L. Horton (6’1″ PG, Jackson (MS) Lanier HS) Nice point guard has above-average quickness and can really score the ball, as evidenced by his 30-point outing on Friday night.
Antonio Jardine (6’2″ SG, Philadelphia (PA) St. John Neumann HS) A scorer who plays with a lot of confidence, he reached double figures several times but wasn’t quite at his best. He had 19 points in a quarterfinal win, his best game of the weekend. High-major prospect has committed to Syracuse.
Ravern Johnson (6’7″ SF, Coahoma (MS) County HS) Thin wing really shot it well in going for 26 points against a talented Atlanta Celtics team. He made five three-pointers and also hit a nice runner off the dribble, and he blocked a couple of shots at the defensive end. High-major prospect has committed to Mississippi State.
Trumain Johnson (6’2″ PG, Kingwood (TX) High) A steady floor leader with good size, he did a nice job of running his team. He handled the ball well and still managed to get a few shots of his own, going for 14 points in one game we saw.
Eshaunte Jones (6’4″ SG, Ft. Wayne (IN) Northside HS) The third-leading scorer at just under 27 points per game, Jones really shot the ball well on Sunday. He went for 30 points in the semifinals, helped by seven three-pointers, then added 20 in their final game. High-major prospect.
DeAndre Jordan (6’11” C, Houston (TX) Episcopal HS) Has a developing body and looks like he’s starting to become the kind of player he has the potential to be. He went for 23 in a game we saw and generally was in command inside at both ends. Big-time prospect.
Jeff Jordan (6’2″ PG, Wilmette (IL) Loyola Academy) We’ll say this about him: he has looked better every time we’ve seen him this spring. The lefty has good size for the point guard spot and is showing more quickness, and he can score on drives (including with his right hand) and score from long range, though he’s a pass-first guard. Mid-major prospect.
Taylor King (6’7″ SF, Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei HS) He played his role very well on the loaded championship team, showing his non-scoring offensive skills and shooting it well. He consistently scored in double figures, getting shots in flow and finishing the break a few times. We don’t project him to be a star at the next level, as he’s not that athletic and can’t reliably create his own shot. High-major minus prospect has committed to Duke, and should be a nice role player there.
Kelvin Lester (6’0″ PG, Memphis (TN) Wooddale HS) Lefty point guard has a slight frame and good quickness. He knocked down a couple of mid-range jump shots in addition to using his quickness. Mid-major prospect.
Johnnie Lett (6’9″ PF, Mobile (AL) Rains HS) An athletic post player with good size, he had a quietly good showing. He scored some post baskets when he got the ball and generally looked good. High-major prospect.
Jon Leur (6’10” PF-C, Orono (MN) High) Thin forward has a little length and looks to be a high-post player, as he didn’t go inside for offense much. He knocked down a three-pointer and showed some decent ball skills, but wasn’t a huge post presence.
Kevin Love (6’9″ PF, Lake Oswego (OR) High) Another major event, another championship for him. We continue to be impressed as much by his feel for the game as we do his size and skills, because that’s what makes everything complete. He was just solid all weekend long, owning the inside when he was there and doing well facing the hoop. Big-time prospect.
Trevor Mbakwe (6’8″ PF, St. Paul (MN) Sibley HS) Well-built post player is an especially nice player to have on your team if you already have scorers. He’s an enforcer who really rebounds and battles inside, and he did that this weekend. On offense, he’s a capable scorer but didn’t score much since he had scorers around him. High-major prospect.
Anthony McClain (7’0″ C, Ft. Washington (MD) National Christian Academy) Long and with a good body that still needs to mature a little more, he’s already a good presence on the boards and knows how to use his length. Once his body matures, look out! High-major prospect.
Maurice Miller (6’2″ PG-SG, Memphis (TN) Raleigh Egypt HS) He brought the ball up the floor often for his team, but might be more of a shooting guard as he did look to score often. He has a decent frame and is quick, but not a jet.
Al Nolen (6’2″ PG, Minneapolis (MN) Henry HS) Solid, unspectacular floor leader simply runs the show, as we didn’t see him look to score often. He’s not overly quick but can drive and dish, and seems to take good care of the ball. High-major minus/mid-major plus prospect has committed to Minnesota.
Torry Pellums (6’7″ SF, Birmingham (AL) Central Park HS) Athletic forward has a good body and is very active. He didn’t look overly skilled, but was around the ball and got out in transition often. High-major minus/high-major prospect.
Jamaine Peterson (6’5″ SF, Brooklyn (NY) Notre Dame Prep) Well-built wing isn’t afraid to post up and use his body inside. He’s a good, not great, athlete who didn’t appear especially skilled at the offensive end, though he went for 17 points. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Herb Pope (6’8″ SF, Aliquippa (PA) High) Very active and skilled, Pope is a plus athlete who can take over games at times. He helped lead his team into Sunday and went for 15 in a pool play game we saw. Big-time prospect.
Gerald Robinson (6’0″ PG, Nashville (TN) Martin Luther King HS) Quick point guard is a little slight, but that didn’t stop him from a good showing. He’s a capable floor leader and also went for 17 in a game we saw.
Jamar Samuels (6’6″ SF, Washington (DC) Archbishop Carroll HS) He’s long and a nice athlete, but overall the jury is out on just how good a basketball player he is. With his physical tools, he should be very good, but he hasn’t always been a big factor. We saw him go for 13 points in one game this weekend. High-major minus prospect.
Josh Simmons (6’6″ SF, Houston (TX) Westfield HS) Nice wing player is a good, not great, athlete with some good fundamental abilities. He showed a good handle for his size, and though he didn’t score much, appears to have the tools to score a few points from the wing. Mid-major plus/high-major minus prospect.
Chris Smith (6’2″ SG, Lakewood (NJ) St. Benedict’s) An athletic scorer, he hit for double digits in four games that we know of, but had just 10 in their championship game loss. He is further cementing himself as a shooting guard, and a mid-major prospect.
Dominique Sutton (6’6″ SF, Lenoir (NC) Patterson School) Athletic wing had a nice weekend scoring the ball in the low double digits, mixing in mid-range shots with drives and fast break finishes.
Landon Tatum (6’0″ PG, San Antonio (TX) O’Connor HS) Well-built scoring point guard was impressive all weekend long. He’s not jet-quick, but will use his strength and find gaps to get to the basket and he shot the ball well. We saw him go for 22 in a pool play game and 17 in the final. High-major minus prospect.
Darnell Taylor (6’11” C, Marietta (GA) IMG Academy) He has a big body but moves it reasonably well and also showed some good footwork. For good measure, he’s also quick off his feet for that size, and we saw him get a couple of good post baskets.
Herbert Terry (6’6″ SF, Ft. Wayne (IN) Southside HS) Well-built forward came out aggressive in the games we saw, going for 13 in one and 12 in another. His jumpers off the dribble were going, and when that happens he’s in good shape. High-major minus prospect is a current senior who might still play in college next season, though prep school is a possibility.
Johnny Thomas (6’4″ SG, Greensboro (NC) Day HS) A well-built athlete, he’s a nice wing player who went for 19 points in one game we saw, including four three-pointers. High-major minus/high-major prospect.
Michael Thompson (6’0″ PG-SG, Chicago (IL) Lincoln Park HS) The best performance we saw Friday night was his 32-point game against the New York Panthers. Simply put, he was terrific in leading his team back from a deficit to win the game, as he’s tough, scored on drives and from long range. He was the fifth-leading scorer in the 17-under division. High-major prospect.
Julian Vaughn (6’10” PF-C, Reston (VA) South Lakes HS) Lefty post player has a good body and played well. He rebounded well and scored in flow as a role player, and he’s a plus athlete for the post. High-major prospect.
Brian Walsh (6’4″ SG-SF, Moon (PA) Township HS) Heady, versatile wing really did several things for his team and didn’t score in just one way en route to 17 points against a good Meanstreets team in a game we saw. Besides his scoring, he can handle and pass the ball, and could play a variety of roles at the next level. High-major minus/mid-major plus prospect.
Brandon Walters (6’9″ PF, Brooklyn (NY) Lincoln HS) This tournament was like his spring: he didn’t play well. But there’s an explanation: he’s on a team full of guards and they like to score, so he doesn’t get many touches, which he needs since he can score on the post. He hasn’t been great on the glass and isn’t a shot-blocker. Still, we think he’s a high-major/high-major minus prospect whose talents are hidden on his team.
Alexis Wangmene (6’8″ PF, San Antonio (TX) Central Catholic HS) Well-built post player really got better as the weekend went along. At times, he owned the boards and also blocked some shots, while he scored using post moves and strength. We also liked how he ran the floor and showed some above-average ball skills for his size, and he’s a plus athlete for the power forward spot. High-major prospect.
Marco Warren (5’11” PG, Gainesville (GA) High) Quick penetrating guard impressed with his ability to get through the defense to make things happen. He scored 25 in one game through drives, mid-range shots and three-pointers. High-major minus/high-major prospect.
Brock Young (5’11” PG, Raleigh (NC) Broughton HS) Well-built floor leader is tough and likes to drive to the basket. When he does that, he’ll get his chances to score even against the big boys, while also getting chances to create for teammates. High-major prospect.
Others from the Class of 2007 we liked:
Teeng Akol (6’11” C, Centereach (NY) Our Savior New American School)
Jeff Allen (6’7″ PF, Chatham (VA) Hargrave Military Academy)
Mitchell Anderson (6’5″ SF, Chicago (IL) CHAS)
Rashad Bishop (6’6″ SF, Jersey City (NJ) St. Benedict’s)
G.W. Boon (6’4″ SG-SF, Harvest (AL) Sparkman HS)
Ben Botts (6’0″ PG, Muncie (IN) Central HS)
Bryan Bouchie (6’9″ PF, Washington (IN) High)
Kamyron Brown (6’1″ PG, Santa Ana (CA) Mater Hei HS)
Omar Carter (6’5″ SG-SF, Charlotte (NC) Christian HS)
Mario Cisneros (6’10” C, Chadbourn (NC) West Columbus HS)
Evan Field (6’8″ PF, Durham (NC) Academy)
Darnell Gant (6’9″ SF-PF, Los Angeles (CA) Crenshaw HS)
Richie Gordon (6’7″ PF, Atlanta (GA) Lakeside HS)
Spencer Greenway (6’5″ SG, Raleigh (NC) Cardinal Gibbons HS)
Jerry Hampton (6’9″ PF, Memphis (TN) Booker T. Washington HS)
Ryan Harp (6’5″ SG-SF, Abilene (TX) Cooper HS)
Walter Hill (6’5″ SF, Gainesville (GA) East Hall HS)
Idris Hilliard (6’7″ SF-PF, Roselle (NJ) Hun School)
Matt Howard (6’7″ PF, Connersville (IN) High)
JaJuan Johnson (6’10” PF-C, Indianapolis (IN) Franklin Central HS)
Jeff Jones (6’4″ SG, Drexel Hill (PA) Monsignor Bonner HS)
David Kennedy (6’6″ SG-SF, Pittsburgh (PA) Schenley HS)
Corey Lambert (6’2″ SG, Birmingham (AL) Central Park HS)
Andrew Lang (6’8″ SF-PF, Marietta (GA) Wheeler HS)
Robert Lumpkins (6’4″ SG, Washington (DC) H.D. Woodson HS)
Brian McMikle (5’11” PG, Ft. Washington (MD) National Christian Academy)
Anthony Nelson (6’2″ SG, Plainfield (NJ) High)
Quincy Owens (6’8″ PF, Cincinnati (OH) Harmony Prep)
Zach Payton (6’4″ PG-SG, Laurinburg (NC) Institute)
Corey Raji (6’6″ SF, Westwood (NJ) High)
Jon Reed (6’6″ SF, RVP (CA) Peninsula HS)
Scott Saunders (6’9″ PF, Nashville (TN) Battleground Academy)
Jamal Washington (5’10” PG, Durham (NC) Southern Durham HS)
Stay tuned, as there was plenty of underclassman talent on hand as well. Player notes from the classes of 2008 and 2009 will follow this separately.
