Tournament Of Champions - Pool Play
The Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions is ready to move into championship action Saturday Night in Raleigh-Durham and Chapel Hill, and a number of squads looked poised to make a run at the tournament crown. Emerging from the pool play action were sixteen pool champions who will comprise the National Championship field. Here were the pool winners at the Tournament of Champions:
Pool A - Indiana Elite
Pool B - Atlanta Celtics
Pool C - King of the Court
Pool D - Southeast Elite
Pool E - DC Assault
Pool F - Playaz Basketball
Pool G - Florida Rams
Pool H - Team Georgia Elite
Pool I - New England Playaz
Pool J - (Tie) Lamar Odom I-Can All-Stars / Westchester Hawks / Illinois Bobcats
Pool K - Illinois Wolves
Pool L - Juice All-Stars
Pool M - Grassroots Canada
Pool N - Carolina Raptors
Pool O - Baltimore Stars
Pool P - (Tie) Spiece Indy Heat / Pittsburgh Team Adidas / National Christian
In the Tournament of Champions format, the 16-pool winners compete for the National bracket crown, while the runners-up will go head to head for the Select bracket title. We'll have a wrap-up of the play at the Tournament of Champions tomorrow evening.
Here are some of the top individual Pool Play performances:
6-foot-4 Elliott Williams was on fire for the Mike Miller M33M squad; he hit for 24 & 29 in two games today. He absolutely exploded on opponents off the dribble, and set it up with a consistent outside jumper.
Another guy who hit the daily-double was Mississippi State commit 6-foot-6 Scotty Hopson from the Mid-State Ballerz who had 35 points in the morning, then came back to get 36 later in the day. He was knocking down the three when we watched, as well as throwing it down on the baseline drive.
Indiana commit 6-foot-4 Eshaunte Jones was hot this afternoon for the Blessed IJN squad going off for 31 points; including five from beyond the arc. He can really open up a lot of space for big men with his jumper.
6-foot-6 Terrelle Pryor looked like he should choose basketball over football this afternoon (we expect him to go the other way), as he was truly a man among boys scoring 27 and 21 in back to back outings for the Adidas Team Pittsburgh squad. He just exploded to hoop and threw it down in traffic, hit pull-up jumper and dominated the glass.
Brandon Jennings looked like himself, scoring 28 points while we watched him earlier. He knocked down a couple NBA threes, but really got the crowd buzzing with a windmill slam to finish a little shake n' bake drive.
Michigan State commits 6-foot-8 Delvon Roe and 6-foot Korie Lucious had 21 and 20 points respectively for King of Court. They arrived a little late, but showed what they could do Saturday morning.
The Florida Rams 6-foot-5 wing man Rayford Shipman went off for 29 in the morning action Saturday versus Fort Sooy No Limit. He hit 4-threes and scored in a variety of ways off the dribble. When his shot falls he's among best wings in class.
6-foot-9 junior Derrick Favors continued to impress us with his explosive game around the hoop scoring 24 points for the Atlanta Celtics this afternoon. He even hit one from beyond arc, but a couple thunderous slams is what the crowd reacted to.
6-foot-4 Melquon Bolding of the New York Panthers went off for 25 points versus the Michigan Hurricanes. He hit 3-threes and was a terror in transition off the dribble.
6-foot-1 combo guard Lonnie Hayes of the Queen City Prophets was on fire in the morning action at the TOC, he went off for 36 points hitting 4-threes and blowing by folks off the dribble. He should be a mid-major priority.
6-foot-1 Cashmere Wright from the Hoop Planet squad had 32 and 23 points in back-to-back outings on Saturday. He is an explosive scorer off the dribble who can finish in traffic with regularity.
Another prospect that had fans really paying attention tonight was 7-foot Tyler Zeller from the Indiana Elite. The extremely mobile big man outran his defender all night long to score 20 points and pull down an unofficial 12 boards. He runs harder end to end than any other big man in the class!
The New England Playaz got a real boost from 6-foot-6 prep school wing man Nate Miles who scored 26 points in the morning action. He is a gifted ball handler who has a real nose for the hoop off the dribble.
6-foot-2 diaper dandy P'Shon Howard from the King of Court squad has back to back twenty-point outings versus 17-Under competition. He really shot it well, scoring 26 and 20 points in Saturday action.
The Carolina Raptors were led by their dynamic backcourt duo of 6-foot Damier Pitts and 6-foot-3 DeMarquis Bost. Pitts had 25 in the opener, while Bost knocked down 26 points in this afternoon's game. They both showed why they are getting some high major looks.
6-foot-6 Jordan Hamilton had a big outing for the Lamar Odom I-Can All-Stars going off for 31 points including 4-threes in Saturday afternoon action. He proved he has the ability to score from outside the arc, as well as off the dribble. He's rising this spring!
In 16-under action, 6-foot-8 David Loubeau had a huge outing scoring 32 points versus the Canada Cadets. He has a good set of hands and bounce around the hoop.
Dominic Cheeks, a 6-foot-6 wing man from the Playaz Basketball Club, was on fire in the morning session going off for 38 points. He hit 4-threes and was just as impressive taking it to the hoop.
The Ohio Basketball Club's 6-foot-3 wing man Orlando Williams scored 30 points versus Southeast Elite. He had seven bombs from beyond the arc.
Top Ten rated freshman 6-foot-7 Jereme Richmond had a solid 25 point outing for RisingStars JG. The smooth combo forward is getting better and better facing hoop.
6-foot-4 Glen Rice Jr. had an excellent outing for the Georgia Stars scoring 27 points versus the Carolina Celtics. He is extremely quick off the dribble and has the ability to knock down jumper from deep.
Isaiah Philmore, 6-foot-7 power forward from the Delaware Sharpshooters, was as consistent as anyone in the 16-division, scoring 28, 26, and 21 points in three pool play outings. He has solid skills to score from 15-feet on in.
We will be bringing you a wrap-up of the championship games, as well as a look at tournament leaders later tomorrow night; right here at "Generation Next".
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