Rose City Showcase: Lyles bounces back

BEAVERTON, Ore. – Trey Lyles isn't used to dealing with disappointment.

MaxPreps.com's National Freshman of the Year in 2010-11, the 6-foot-9, 210-pound Indianapolis native averaged over 18 points per game at Arsenal Tech last winter to earn All-City honors. He verbally committed to Tom Crean's Indiana Hoosiers before ever playing a high school game.

But last Sunday following a mini-camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., Lyles was left off USA Basketball's 12-player national developmental team set to compete in Cancun, Mexico at the FIBA Americas Championship later this month. Club teammate and fellow Hoosier verbal James Blackmon also missed out on making the roster.

Lyles and Blackmon bounced back Friday in suburban Portland with double-digit scoring efforts, leading Spiece Indy Heat to a 67-52 over the hometown Inner-City Players in the opener of the Rose City Showcase.

"They called me right away and wanted to know when they could get back on the road and play some ball, so I thought that was encouraging," Spiece coach Reynardo Bluiett said.

A middle school phenom who former Arsenal Tech coach Frank Kendrick proclaimed "could be a No. 1 pick in the (NBA) draft," Lyles isn't sulking about his shortcoming in Colorado Springs. In fact, he handled questions regarding the decision like a seasoned veteran.

"It was a good experience," Lyles said. "We had college-like practices and really worked hard. Now I know what I need to do when I go back in October and hopefully make the team next time around."

Lyles still has a chance to make USA Basketball's under-17 team, which will compete in the FIBA World Championship next summer in Lithuania.

"That's the one I want," Lyles said.

"I was a little surprised (Blackmon and Lyles didn't make the team), but it's a chance for them to grow," Bluiett said. "They will bounce back and get better because of that."

California Supreme's long and short

Standouts for California Supreme on Friday included 6-11 Emmanual Ndumanya and 5-9 Max Guercy.

Ndumanya is a native of Nigeria who was forced to sit out at Serra (Gardena, Calif.) last season due to transfer rules. He has one of the more impressive builds in the 2013 class. Not much of a threat to score at this point, there are still plenty of reasons to be intrigued.

Guercy is a known commodity in Southern California after posting 15.6 points and 3.3 assists per game as a junior at Alemany (Mission Hills). But the fact that he is built more like a scat-back probably isn't helping his recruitment. The point guard doesn't have any offers, but Tennessee, Washington State, Pepperdine, Cal Poly and California-Davis are in contact.

Daddy Ugbede, a 6-6 rising senior forward, and Torren Jones, a 6-8 rising junior from Basha (Chandler, Ariz.), also turned in solid performances for California Supreme in a win over the New England Playaz.

Chatman makes an impression

Around the same time Damon Stoudamire was tearing up Portland's high school scene at Wilson, Canaan Chatman was doing the same at Benson Tech.

Chatman is now head coach for the Portland-based Inner-City Players, Rose City Showcase hosts and Friday losers to Spiece Indy Heat.

ICP's most prized prospect just may be Chatman's son, Kameron. The 6-4 rising sophomore at Jefferson (Portland) has a knack for putting the ball in the bucket and the look of someone in the midst of a massive growth spurt.

According to Kameron, he has grown four inches in the last year and been told he could reach 6-8.

While he has heard tales of his father's basketball talent and athletic ability that eventually carried him to Oregon State and the University of Portland, Kameron believes there is one area he has a clear edge over his father.

"I'm a much better shooter than he was," said the younger Chatman, who is already hearing from several Pac-12 schools – including California and Stanford – as well as San Francisco.

Also

* Highly-touted 7-footer Kaleb Tarczewski of St. Mark's (Southborough, Mass.) made the trip to the Pacific Northwest but did not play Friday night due to a sprained ankle that will keep him out of action for a week and a half.