SoCalHoops High School News

1999 Nike Las Vegas Easter Classic
Starts Tomorrow--(March 30, 1999)

The 15th Annual Las Vegas Easter Classic, sponsored by Nike and run by Mae Fisher and Pat Inch, gets underway tomorrow in Las Vegas.  As with most of the better Vegas tournaments, this one will be played at various sites in and around town, including Durango High School, Silverado, Western, UNLV (North & South Gyms), Cimmaron High, Cheyenne High, and Palo Verde.

There are some very good 16U and 17U teams, including TPI-ABC (Dart Stamps' group) which should (we don't have the rosters so all of this is a guess) feature some of the usual suspects who have played with TPI in the past, including Jason McKinney (5'-10" Fr. PG) from Westchester, Keith Everidge (6'-3" Fr. SG/SF) from Westchester, possibly E.J. Harris (6'-2" Jr. PG) from Crenshaw,   Tommy Johnson (6'-4" Jr. G) Crenshaw HS, Chad Bell (6'-11" So. C) Westchester HS, Teddy Fletcher (5'-9" So. PG) Inglewood HS, Steve McMaryion (6'-4" Jr. G) Palisades HS, and possibly Jason Morrissette (6'-4" Jr. SG) Fairfax. But without the official rosters, we just don't know right now.

Belmont Shore is also bringing two teams, an older and a younger team and players who may be on it (again we're not entirely sure) will be Travon Bryant (6'-8" Jr. PF) Long Beach Jordan, Wesley Stokes (5'-11" Jr. PG) Long Beach Poly, Tito Maddox (6’-4" Sr. PG) Compton, David Gale (5'-11" Fr. PG) Buckley, Chris Alexander (6’-3" So.SG)  Price HS, Jeremiah Barnes (5’-3" Fr. PG) Rowland HS, Ryan Mollins (6’-5" Jr. SG/SF) Loyola HS, Jamaal Barnes (6'-2" So. SG) Rowland HS (Rowland Heights), Jamaal Williams (6’-6" So. F) Centennial HS, Ellis Myles (6’-7" Jr. F) Compton HS, Leroy Dawson (5'-11" Sr. PG) Compton,  Dijon Thompson (6’-5" So. F) Redondo Union HS.  Again, until all of these guys show up, it's pretty much a guessing game, but most of these guys will make some or all of the Belmont Shore games. The Monsters of the Midway should feature Adam Drell (6'-6" Jr. F) from Chatsworth, while the Inland team will probably be the same group of guys that Elvert "Koolaid" Perry has been bringing out to the RSL, including a possible guest appearance from Avery Queen (5’-7" Jr. PG) the blindingly fast point from Maine Central Institute (Pittsfield, ME) whose family lives in San Bernardino where Inland is based.

We'd also expect to see Inland bringing with them Jemar Davis (5’-10" Fr. PG) from Pacific HS (San Bernardino), Leon Rosborough (6’-0" Fr. SG)
Canyon Springs HS (Moreno Valley), Jason Burrell (6’-2" So. SG) from Etiwanda HS (Rancho Cucamonga), Antoine McGee (6’-2" Fr. PG/SG) from Mercersburg Prep (PA), Michael Hall (6’-3" Jr. SG/SF) Pacific HS (San Bernardino), maybe even Wayne Tinsley (6’-6" Jr. F) who is attending
Salisbury Prep (MA) who so far hasn't made it out to Rockfish.  Definitely look for Lawrence Carrier (6’-7" Fr. F) from Redlands HS, Brandon Jones (6’-8" So. F/C) Canyon Springs HS (Moreno Valley) and super phenom 8th grader Richard Cobbs (6’-5" 8th F) who will attend Canyon Springs HS (Moreno Valley) next season.

Pat Barrett is also bringing several SCA teams, but we have no idea who is playing on their rosters as of now, although we'd expect to see Harrison Schaen (6'-8" 8th grade F) playing for at least one of the SCA teams, along with his 14U National Champ teammates.  Hooptown (in the 16U bracket) will probably be the same team that played at the Double Pump Shootout and if they're not too deep, they at least have an outstanding guard play from Alex Cabagnot (6'-0" So. PG) Eagle Rock, Christian Gopez (6'-0" Jr. F) Bell-Jeff, and Ryan Arceo (5'-11' So. PG) Chaminade.

Other teams in the 17U division who should be familiar will be QBL, which is basically the Artesia High School team (without Jason Kapono who is currently in Michigan for the Magic Roundball Classic which he will attend with his family), and they should feature Andre Hazel (5'-10" Jr. PG),  Marcus Crane (6'-3" So. SG),  Malcohm Heron (6'-5" So. F), Jon Steffanson (6'-5" Fr. F),  Apolinar "Amaury" Fernandez (6'-9" So. F), Ryan Reyes (6'-2: So. PG), Jack Martinez (6'-8" So. F), Jamal James (6'-2" So. SG) and Franklin Matos (6'-3" Fr. PG/SG), and we're sure they'll also show up with a few surprises as always. We have no idea who will actually be on the "Ventura" team.  The H.A.A.Y. team is from Houston, and if you don't get the chance to catch them in Vegas, you can see them at the Double Pump Spring Tournament on April 9, 10 and 11 at Cal State Dominguez Hills, and the same thing goes for Houston Hoops.  We don't know who is on the Brooklyn 17U team, but they do have a really cool website and you ought to check it out to find out more about their programs.  For those who aren't familiar with Brooklyn USA, they are a well run and very entrenched program, with quite a few players who are alumni currently playing in the NBA.  This will be a big-time team and if you get the chance to see them, don't pass it up. 

The way the tournament breaks down,  the first round appearances will be as follows:  The 12U boys will be at Cimmaron; the 13U boys will play most of their games at Palo Verde High; the 14U boys teams will be at Durango, Silverado and Western; the 15U boys will be spread out all over the place (Silverado, Durango, Western & Palo Verde); the 16U boys will be mostly at Silverado (with a couple of games at Durango and Western); and the 17 U Boys will be all at UNLV (both North & South gyms).

We have most of the first round boys' schedules, so if you're planning to be in the Las Vegas area and want to see some great hoops action, check out this tournament.  Here's the first round for the 16 and 17 year old boys teams:

We also have the first round schedules for the other boys' divisions.  Here they are:

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