Cancer Research Classic: Simeon stays perfect against Miller Grove

WHEELING, W.Va. – Jabari Parker, the son of a former NBA player and the nation's top junior, was courted for autographs after he helped No. 1 Simeon (Chicago) remain undefeated Saturday with a 59-56 victory over Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.) at the Cancer Research Classic.

Instead of shooing away the pen-pushing youngsters, Parker stood firm, took photos and signed his name. He even set aside his post-game meal of rigatoni to satisfy the fans.

"I don’t mind," Parker said. "The way I see it, I may never get to see them again."

Parker, whose father Sonny played six years in the NBA for the Golden State Warriors (1976-82), had his mind set on keeping the No. 1 Wolverines undefeated.

He had 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots without a turnover against Miller Grove.

There was extra motivation on the other end of the court, where Miller Grove (6-5) was thinking about getting a big victory. The three-time defending Class AAAA state champions lost all three games the City of Palms Classic before Christmas.

"We knew they wanted to beat us because that was the only way they would get back on the national scene and in the national rankings," Parker said. "We just had to come in and play hard."

Parker, who wears No. 22 in honor of his father, is being recruited by the likes of Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, North Carolina and Ohio State – among others.

Simeon also produced NBA MVP Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls and has won back-to-back Class 4A state titles in Illinois.

Against 6-foot-9 Tony Parker and Miller Grove, Jabari Parker made all six of his free throw attempts, but missed 12 of 18 shot attempts.

Simeon (13-0) held a 15-point halftime lead, but Miller Grove battled back behind its own Parker. Miller Grove’s Parker had 20 points and 12 rebounds on 6 of 10 shooting – not enough shots for the team’s best player.

For Simeon’s Parker, help came from Kendrick Nunn with 19 points and five rebounds.

When Parker had to score, on many occasions, the 6-8, 220-pounder opted for the runner or short jumper and struggled getting to the basket, something he acknowledged is an area of weakness.

"I need to get in the weight room," he said. "There are a lot of guys stronger than me. And, I have to work on making tough shots. That’s why I have to get stronger."

He has another year to work on his game, but has his sights set on something this year – an undefeated season. The official decision on his college choice won’t be coming too soon.

"We’ve never won a national title," Parker said of Simeon, one of the most-storied prep programs in the country. "That’s our biggest goal."

Gill St. Bernard's (Gladstone, N.J.) 76
No. 5 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 73 (OT)

Gill St. Bernard's went 13 of 30 from 3-point range and overcame a late rally in regulation against defending California Division I state champion Mater Dei to earn a 76-73 win in overtime at the Cancer Research Classic on Saturday afternoon.

The  Monarchs (13-2) rallied from a seven-point deficit with 2:16 remaining and got a 3-pointer from Katin Reinhardt with 18.5 seconds left to force overtime.

However, a Jon Schreer 3-pointer for the first points of overtime gave the Knights (5-2) the lead for good.

Bucknell recruit Dominic Hoffman finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds to lead the otherwise undersized Knights. The 6-foot-7 center also have five blocked shots.

Mater Dei came into the game No. 5 in the Xcellent 25 and received at least 20 points from its big three – Reinhardt, Xavier Johnson and Stanley Johnson – but got just eight points from five others.

Xavier Johnson, a 6-7 senior wing who is headed to Colorado, finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds.
Reinhardt had 21 and Stanley Johnson 20.

Alex Mitola had 20 points for Gill St. Bernard's and Jaren Sina added 19 points and 10 assists.

No. 3 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) 62
No. 10 Neumann & Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) 47

Jairus Lyles and BeeJay Anya had 17 points apiece and No. 3 DeMatha set the shooting percentage record for the Cancer Research Classic in a 62-47 victory over Neumann-Goretti.

Anya added seven rebounds and seven blocked shots to his total, while Ja'Quan Newton scored 16 points to pace Neumann-Goretti. Newton, a sophomore point guard, already has received college offers from Georgetown, Miami (Fla.), Rutgers, St. Joseph's, Temple and Villanova.

Anya is averaging 13.1 points, 11 rebounds and 6.2 blocks, while also shooting 71 percent from the floor.

The unbeaten Stags (12-0) shot 60.5 percent (26-43), which included a 13 of 20 performance in the second half to pull away.

No. 9 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) 54
Whitney Young (Chicago) 44

Gonzaga junior Kris Jenkins had 21 points and seven rebounds in the final contest of the six-game Cancer Research Classic to lead the Purple Eagles past Whitney Young.

Jenkins, a 6-5 power forward who has received college offers from Rutgers, Virginia Tech and Miami (Fla.), was 8 of 12 from the floor and added a pair of steals.

Point guard Nate Britt, a junior who already has committed to the University of North Carolina, had only three points, three steals and one assist. He was 1 of 10 from the floor.

Tavon Blackman picked up the slack in the backcourt with five assists.

Whitney Young’s Jahlil Okafor, a 6-10 sophomore, had 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Jordan Abdur-Ra'oof had 10 points for Gonzaga (12-0) and Paul White scored 12 for Whitney Young (6-4).

St. Raymond Boys (Bronx, N.Y.) 68
Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 61

Temple University recruit Daniel Dingle had 21 points and 15 rebounds in his first game back after a nine-day layoff to lead St. Raymond Boys (Bronx, N.Y.) to an upset of Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.).

Dingle, a a 6-foot-6 senior small forward who is expected to play the three for the Owls, had a shoulder injury and admitted he was a little sluggish.

He didn't score in the second half, but had five rebounds while St. Raymond's other prized recruit, Nkereuwem Okoro – headed to Iowa State – had nine of his points and four rebounds in the second half. The Ravens improved to 5-4.

Paul VI point guard Tilman Dunbar led the Panthers (12-2) with a superb all-around floor game. The Navy recruit had nine points, eight assists, six rebounds and two steals. Patrick Holloway and Coleman Johnson had 16 points apiece.

St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia) 71
Wheeling Park (Wheeling, W.Va.) 49

Speedy Morris coached former NBA player Doug Overton at La Salle University.

This year he's coaching Overton's son Miles at St. Joseph's Prep.

Miles Overton had 19 points, four assists, three rebounds and no turnovers as the Hawks (8-2) made short work of West Virginia's top-ranked Class AAA team, Wheeling Park, in a 71-49 victory at the Wheeling Jesuit University McDonough Center.

The Hawks led the Patriots (6-2) by a 21-8 count after the first quarter and were never truly threatened.

Stephen Vasturia, a 6-4 junior guard who has given Notre Dame a verbal commitment, finished with 24 points and six rebounds against a sluggish Wheeling Park defense.

The Hawks had only five turnovers against the Patriots, whose typical high-pressure defense was nowhere to be found while facing the disciplined Hawks.

Gene Williams had 17 points for St. Joseph's. Boo Lathon finished with 14 points and Errin Baynes 10 for the Patriots. 

Rich Stevens is the assistant sports editor of the Charleston Daily Mail. He may be reached at richstevens@dailymail.com