By Dave Krider
MaxPreps.com
Only time will tell, but Indiana’s next two Mr. Basketballs and two or three future state team champions may have been showcased during the annual power-packed Circle City Classic Challenge of Champions Saturday at Indianapolis Southport.
Indiana’s premier player – Deshaun Thomas – actually is only a junior and he’s one of the best in the nation. The 6-foot-7 swingman, who spends most of his time in the backcourt, was high scorer during the six-game set with 31 points, but his Fort Wayne Bishop Luers team lost to towering Indianapolis Lawrence North, 69-57, in the marquee contest.
Thomas, who has made a commitment to Ohio State University, shoots lethal left-handed thunderbolts from beyond the 3-point line and they seem to just explode into the basket. Tight guarding did force him into shooting only 10-of-29 from the field, though he was perfect on six free throw attempts. He shot 5-of-12 from 3-point range. Luers, the defending Class 2A state champion which starts five underclassmen, had no other player in double figures.
Lawrence North, possibly the tallest team in the country from players 1-12, dominated the boards, 51-31, and shot .556 (30-54) from the field. Six-foot-nine junior Dominique Ferguson earned game MVP honors by scoring 19 points (8-of-11 from the field). Senior Stephan Van Treese (6-9) and sophomore Ryan Taylor (6-5) each grabbed 12 rebounds and 6-7 junior Justin Martin scored 14 points. The Wildcats get pressed a lot because of their size, but when they break the press with long passes, it’s Dunksville all the way!
Marion nipped young and talented Indianapolis Howe, 74-72, in the day’s most exciting contest as 6-6 senior Scott Wood hit a floater in the lane and added a free throw for the winning margin with 31.2 seconds left. The North Carolina State signee, who is a strong Mr. Basketball candidate, earned MVP honors with 28 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field and 10-of-10 from the free throw line. Mikel Brigham, a 6-5 senior, added 20 points and 16 rebounds. Andre Hampton, an outstanding 6-2 junior, scored 28 points for Howe, which is eagerly awaiting the eligibility of two transfers: 6-11 sophomore Isaiah Hill and 6-9 junior Jordan Manuel.
Indianapolis North Central proved that it also will be a state-title contender with a 90-70 rout of previously unbeaten Lafayette Jefferson. Justin Reid, a 6-8 senior, had 19 points and 14 rebounds to earn MVP honors. Super freshman D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, who is built like a mini-LeBron James (6-3, 210), was high scorer with 22 points. Junior guard Jesse Berry, who earlier had a 50-point game for Lafayette, got into early foul trouble and was held to eight points.
In other games, MVP Torrey Nibbs, a sophomore guard, scored 20 points to lead Brownsburg to a 64-55 victory over Indianapolis Perry Meridian and freshman guard Kellen Thomas claimed MVP honors with 15 points as Southport defeated Hauser, 70-49.
In the only girls game, three-time Class 2A defending state champion Indianapolis Heritage Christian defeated Hamilton Southeastern, 55-49, as University of Connecticut recruit Kelly Faris had 18 points, nine rebounds and four steals to take home the MVP award. Miami of Ohio recruit Courtney Osborn scored 25 points for the losers.
Basketball Notes
* Talent-laden Duncanville (Texas) defeated New York’s premier team, Brooklyn Lincoln, 77-57, before a crowd of 3,500 and a national TV audience to raise its record to 7-2. Seniors Shawn Williams and Roger Franklin scored 20 and 17 points, respectively, to overcome Lance Stephenson’s 32 for the losers…Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) defeated Chicago Whitney Young, 74-64, behind the scoring of guards Lamont Jones (29) and Doron Lamb (27).
* Six-foot-four senior John Jenkins exploded for 57 points – breaking his recent school record of 55 – as Station Camp (Gallatin, Tenn.) defeated Harpeth, 76-65…DaShonte Riley used his 6-11 height to pull down 19 rebounds and spark Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.) to an 80-56 rout of Ann Arbor Pioneer…Carmel (Ind.) has a promising 6-10 freshman, A.J. Hammons…Angelo Chol, a 6-8 sophomore, blocked a San Diego Section-tying 19 shots, but Hoover (San Diego, Calif.) lost to city foe Lincoln, 73-67.
* The great guard duel continues before standing-room crowds in the Miami, Fla., area as Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest nipped Plantation American Heritage, 74-72, in a battle of unbeatens. Junior Brandon Knight had 35 points (including the winning free throws with 13.4 seconds left) and nine assists for the winners, while senior Kenny Boynton had 32 points for the losers after overcoming early foul trouble. Ed Waite, a 6-5 senior, overcame illness to add 18 points and 12 rebounds for Pine Crest. Attendance was listed at 1,500 and more than 500 people were turned away.
* In Las Vegas (Nev.) Bonanza poured in 40 fourth-quarter points and had seven players score in double figures, yet lost a wild 115-107 contest to city foe Desert Pines…White Station (Memphis, Tenn.) junior guard Joe Jackson pumped in 42 points during an 84-67 victory over city foe Kirby…Workman (City of Industry, Calif.) has an outstanding backcourt. In his debut, transfer Cezar Guerrero scored 38 points during an 80-61 victory over South Hills and junior Bobby Miles added 27 points. They combined for 15 rebounds.
* Tony Wroten is, perhaps, the No. 1 sophomore in the country, but currently he has been banned from Garfield (Seattle, Wash.) due to residency rules. He played at Garfield last year, but the district changed its residency rules this year. He lives in Renton, so his family has rented an apartment one block from the school. A district investigator claims he does not live at the Seattle address and the Garfield students are up in arms. Over 100 students walked three miles in 30-degree weather to the district office in protest. Here’s hoping Tony gets out of court and back on the court very soon.
* Dominic Cheek, a 6-6 senior, has made a commitment to Villanova University. Cheek played a major role last year as St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) went undefeated and won the national championship. He also considered Kansas, Memphis, Pittsburgh and Rutgers…Merrillville (Ind.) coach Jim East posted his 600th victory with a 70-54 verdict against city foe Andrean.
* Two nationally-ranked California girls powerhouses tangled for the Iolani Classic championship in Honolulu, Hawaii, with Long Beach Poly defeating San Francisco Sacred Heart Cathedral, 51-36. Senior Monique Oliver led the champs with 16 points to earn MVP honors…Takia Brooks, a 5-7 junior, had 46 points, 11 steals and 10 rebounds as Lourdes (Miami, Fla.) routed city foe Killian, 80-24.
Football Notes
* In California, two San Diego Section records were broken during championship playoff games over the weekend. Escondido’s Ricky Seale finished the year with 2,679 rushing yards to break an 18-year-old record, but his team lost to La Costa Canyon, 45-28, in the Division I finale…Valley Center receiver James Johnson finished with a career record of 2,932 yards following a 31-20 victory over Madison in the Division IV title game.
* Steelton-Highspire senior Jeremiah Young finished his career with a Pennsylvania state rushing record of 9,027 yards…Breathitt County junior Channing Fugate (6-2, 225) ran for 3,053 yards this year – the fifth player to surpass that mark in Kentucky history – and he has a shot next year at the state career record, which is 8,224 yards…River Ridge John Curtis throttled record-setting quarterback Dez Duron during a 35-14 victory over Shreveport Evangel Christian to win Louisiana’s Class 2A state title.
* Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) senior quarterback Garrett Gilbert has been named Gatorade National Football Player of the Year. Gilbert led the Cavaliers to a 56-22 victory over Friendswood in the Class 4A state semifinals last week and now has thrown for 51 touchdowns and rushed for 21. Lake Travis has a 15-0 record and has won its last 29 games. Friendswood coach Steve Van Meter told the Austin American Statesman, “He’s the best high school quarterback I’ve ever seen (in 28 years). He’s a big, strong kid with a great feel for the game and he’s going to be a great one (in college).”
* Celina (Texas) ended Liberty Hill’s 38-game winning streak with a 40-12 victory in the Class 3A-Division II state semifinals…In Florida, Jacksonville Bolles won its record ninth state championship with a 49-20 rout of Miami Gulliver Prep in the Class 2A finale. Coach Corky Rogers also set a state record with his eighth title. Bolles (14-0) took a 49-7 lead into the fourth quarter, forcing the use of a running clock….St. Margaret’s (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) defeated Twentynine Palms, 17-3, to win an Orange County-record 42nd consecutive game.
* Miami Northwestern defeated Miramar, 42-23, before an estimated crowd of 14,000 in Florida’s Class 6A state semifinals. The Bulls, who have won 43 of their last 44 games, sacked standout quarterback Eugene Smith six times with a blitzing defense…Peoria (Ariz.) senior Jamal Miles (5-10, 175) has made a commitment to Arizona State. He ran for 2,168 yards and 29 touchdowns this year…Chaparral (Scottsdale, Ariz.) offensive tackle Taylor Lewan (6-6, 270) has made a commitment to the University of Michigan.
* Louisville St. Xavier senior running back Deuce Finch cleaned up the major honors this year in Kentucky. The 5-10, 205-pounder, who rushed for 1,397 yards and 30 touchdowns, won the Paul Hornung Award and was named Mr. Football – both symbols of being the state’s No. 1 senior. Finch actually lives across the Ohio River in New Albany, Ind…Mr. Football awards went to Apple Valley defensive back Varmah Sonie in Minnesota and to Rock Hill South Pointe’s Stephon Gilmore in South Carolina. Sonie had 18 interceptions and 10 touchdowns on returns during his career.
Cross Country Notes
* Jordan Hasay, the 2005 champion, defeated two other former champions to win the annual Foot Locker national girls championship in San Diego, Calif. The outstanding senior from Mission Prep (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) was clocked in 17:22. Defending champion Ashley Brasovan (Wellington, Fla.) finished second in 17:25, while 2006 champion Kathy Kroeger (Independence, Thompson Station, Tenn.) placed sixth in 17:42…Kroeger, who is No. 1 in her class, won the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award for girls. The boys award went to Brett Leibowitz, a football and basketball player from the Meadows School in Las Vegas, Nev.
The Foot Locker boys champion was Sherwood (Silver Spring, Md.) senior Solomon Haile, who was clocked in 15:15 to finish the year undefeated. It marked the first time in nine races that he didn’t break the course record. Kodiak (Alaska) standout Trevor Dunbar was a distant runner-up in 15:22…North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.) sensation Futsum Zeinasellassie was the highest-finishing freshman in meet history, placing seventh in 15:40.
Potpourri
* Florida residents Alex Domijan (Wesley Chapel) and Lauren Embree (Marco Island) won the 18-and-under championships with six straight-set victories during the prestigious Eddie Herr International Tennis Tournament in Bradenton, Fla. The 6-foot-6 Domijan defeated Julen Uriguen of Guatemala, 6-3, 6-4, to win the boys title. Embree won the girls crown with an easy 6-0, 6-1 triumph over Great Britain’s Heather Watson.
* Todd Fitz-Gerald, who guided 31-2 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) to the national baseball championship last spring, has been named National Coach of the Year by the National Baseball Coaches Association and Co-National Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association…Sacred Heart Academy (Louisville, Ky.) – riding an 83-game winning streak – has been crowned national field hockey champion by TopOfTheCircle.com.
