Evans leads Team Final to Showcase title
Championships
Gold Division
Team Final 68, Georgia Blazers 52
Tyreke Evans (Chester, Pa.) scored 22 points in a variety of ways to lead Team Final to the 17U Super Showcase Gold Championship. 6-8 Lance Gouldbourne (Brooklyn, N.Y.) helped the cause with 16 points for Team Final. He is athletic combo forward who shoots threes. The Georgia Blazers were paced by Xavier Gibson (Dothan, Ala.) and Jarvis Jones (Columbus, Ga.) with 10 points.
Silver Division
Tennessee YOMCA Tigers 96, National Christian Academy 86
6-3 junior John Jenkins (Hendersonville, Tenn.) led Tennessee YOMCA with 31 points. He made five 3-pointers and was 12-of-14 from the free line in the final. 5-10 junior Taverus Jefferson (Hermitage, Tenn.) added 23 points in the win. National Christian was led by 28 points from 6-8 Dante Taylor (Fort Washington, Md.).
Bronze Division
Shining Stars Callahan 74, Apex Force 58
Copper Division
NY Gauchos 60, Central Jersey Hawks 54
Iron Division
Connecticut Basketball Club 79, Fast Track Future 67
Team-by-team notebook
Alabama Challenge: This program is loaded with some the best players from the state of Alabama. 6-3 PG Andrew Steele (Birminghman, Ala.) is the brother of former Alabama great Ronald Steele. Ronald Steele is very athletic, pushes the ball in transition, scores when he needs to and plays hard on every possession to help his team win. 6-0 PG Ronald Nored (Homewood, Ala) is a catalyst who makes things happen both offensively and defensively. 6-5 Nick Williams (Mobile, Ala.) who is committed to Marquette shoots it well from outside. JaMychal Green (Montgomery, Ala.) is a tremendous shot blocker who scores in the low post. He is really playing well this summer.
BABC: This team received coverage during the 16U Showcase and played up in the 17U event. 5-9 Phil Pressey (Ashburnham, Mass.) continues to impress at a young age. He is a member of the class of 2010. He always prides himself on making good decisions with the ball while scoring and he has the uncanny ability of knowing when to pass and when to score. Malik Smith (Boston) can shoot the ball extremely well from deep range in this event.
Blessed INJ: This team made it to the round of 16. They were led by 6-4 PG Eshaunte Jones (Ft. Wayne, Ind.). 6-10 Miles Plumlee (Warsaw, Ind.) is committed to Stanford. He is a smart player who can face the goal as well as play inside. His brother, Mason, is a good athlete who shoots well all the way out to the 3-point line.
Georgia Blazers: At 6-10 Xavier Gibson (Dothan, Ala.) is a long athletic post player who blocks shots and runs the floor. He is learning how to score with his back to the basket. Andre Young (Columbus, GA) is a smart, steady quick with the ball point guard. He scored 35 points in the semifinals against the Westchester Hawks.
Georgia Stars: The dynamic duo of Tony Woods (Rome, Ga) and Al-Farouq Aminu (Atlanta) were impressive once again in this event. The future Demon Deacons controlled the glass at both ends of the floor and helped their team to the round of eight before falling to Team Final. Tony is a great athlete who is getting better offensively each time he steps on the floor. He has good size and can face the basket and score in a number of ways.
Howard Pulley: The inside-outside attack of future Wisconsin Badgers Jordan Taylor (Bloomington, Minn.) and Jared Berggren (Zimmerman, Minn.) performed well. They were also helped by outstanding play from 6-7 junior Royce White (Minneapolis, Minn.), a combo forward with skills.
Louisana Select: Leading his team to the Elite 8, Greg Monroe (Gretna, La.) has the ability to take over a game at anytime he wishes. He is blessed with tremendous athletic ability. The extremely skilled left hander can score from just about any place on the floor. He finishes in transition as well as anyone in the country.
Martin Bros. Select:6-5 G Matt Gatens (Iowa City, Iowa) is a strong shooting guard who is crafty and finds his way to the basket to finish inside. He is a good leader who does all the little things to make his team better. L.A. Pomlee (Davenport, Iowa) was a strong low post presence for his team throughout the week.
Rising Stars, JG 17U Gold: Cully Payne (Burlington, Ill.) led his team to impressive victory over Team Final in pool play. He is a tough, strong point guard who competes on every possession as if it is the last one. He is committed to DePaul.
Team Final: 6-5 Tyreke Evans (Chester, Pa.) displayed why he is one of the top rated prospects in the class of 2008. The big-time guard has the ability to take over games with his scoring and his size and strength make him difficult to guard because he can break the defense down and shoots it well with range. Nasir Robinson (Chester, Pa.) is a strong, powerful guard who gets to the basket in the halfcourt and scores in transition.
The Family: Dashonte Riley (Detroit) is a long athletic big time talent who blocks shots and is offensively skilled. His go-to move is a jump hook over his left shoulder or a turnaround jump shot. However, he needs to play more aggressive.
Westchester Hawks: The Jones boys lead the Hawks. Mookie Jones (Peekskill, N.Y.) is a strong wing who can score from the three point line, slashes to the basket and is gifted athletically. He uses the dribble to create space for open shots very well. Versatile forward Kevin Jones (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) is physically strong who is always working and really understands how to play both inside and on the perimeter. He is a relentless worker on both ends.
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