SoCalHoops Tournament News

Southern California All-Stars Win
Boo Williams Invitational--(April 5, 1999)

As the local paper, the Hampton Roads, Virginia paper, the DailyPress.com put it:

It was business-as-usual as the Southern California All-Stars defeated the Alabama Lasers 59-46 to win the 17-and-under boys division at Hampton University's Convocation Center. The All-Stars are loaded with major Division I college prospects, and their victory was workmanlike rather than emotional.

The stockpile of talent was evident in the boxscore as four different All-Stars scored at least eight points. Josh Childress and Steve Scoggins had 15 and 13, respectively, while 7-foot sophomore Tyson Chandler added eight. Chandler, a dominant presence at both ends of the court even while playing at a casual pace, was named the tournament's MVP.

Guard Terrance Wood led the Alabama Lasers with 12 points.

And on Sunday, the DailyPress had the following to say about Tyson Chandler, most of which will seem kind of passe, at least to those of us who have come to take his game a bit for granted:

Big Californian just wants to play 7-footer attracts
scouts' attention By Dave Fairbank

Daily Press

The future of basketball got his driver's license just last October and has a tattoo on one arm in honor of his mother. Among the dozens of prospects at Boo Williams' annual spring invitational tournament, none is bigger than Tyson Chandler.  Chandler, a 7-foot high school sophomore from southern California, is the centerpiece of a Los Angeles-area all-star team assembled by Nike beneficiary Pat Barrett. Chandler is a bit uncomfortable carrying the tag of "the next big thing" but handles it with as much grace as he hits jump shots or runs the floor.

"That's a label you don't want to get stuck with because there's lots of great players out there," he said Saturday afternoon, sitting in the bleachers at Hampton University's Holland Hall. "But it doesn't matter. People can say whatever they want. I just go out and play and if I have an off night, I have an off night. I don't feel like there's any extra pressure on me."

Chandler, pleasant and polite off the court, elicits wonder from spectators and coaches because he is capable of things players his size and certainly his age shouldn't be able to do. He has a marvelous shooting touch from the perimeter and is uncommonly agile, whether blocking shots or dunking or simply hurling his body out of bounds as he tries to save a loose ball.

Chandler was already a minor celebrity back home in the L.A. area. But his national profile skyrocketed after "60 Minutes" did a segment centered on him and Barrett almost two years ago, examining the impact shoe manufacturers Nike and adidas have on youth basketball. "I was already known by some people," Chandler said. "But everybody watches '60 Minutes.' It was good and bad in a way. It was nice to be on '60 Minutes' but now, every player knows who I am. They're saying, 'Why was he on 60 Minutes? I'm better than he is.' It seems like everybody comes after me now."

Chandler knows there is talk that he won't ever play a minute of college basketball, that he will go directly from high school to the NBA. He knows he must get stronger and become far more dominant than he is now to consider such a move. "I don't think about it unless somebody brings it up," he said. "It's flattering that people think my game might be good enough for me to do that, because it's such a big jump."

If he chooses to try to go directly to the NBA out of high school, he insisted it wouldn't be because of indifference toward a college education. "Either way it goes, I want to get my education," he said. "My mom always said she wanted me to get a college degree."

Chandler's constant reminder is a tattoo on his upper right arm - a Chinese character above his mother's name, Vernie. He said it means, "I love Vernie." On his upper left arm is a tattoo of a flaming basketball above his first name. Chandler knows the sky is the limit. If he has become jaded or burdened by his growing reputation, he doesn't let on. "I love to play basketball," he said. "Any time I'm on the court, I'm having fun."

And from some other sources around the internet, we managed to cobble together the following info about some of the other California players who appeared at the Boo Williams tourney:

From The Recruiting Beat by Patrick Jira:

6'6" Luke Whitehead saw his playing time cut short after cutting his hand  on the rim. Whitehead told us he likes Duke, Kentucky and the Pac-10.

And here's another one from Jira, and this is about a guy we know nothing about, a kid who, if he was on the Compton roster, must have come up from the JV's after the whole Tito Maddox-Leroy Dawson-and- 4-other-guys-ineligibility grade problem which occurred just before the playoffs.  Either that,or he's a transfer, but the only thing we know, is we don't think we've seen him yet.  Of course it could be that Jira got his city and school wrong, or maybe he's just one of those made up guys whose name is floated out around the internet just to fool people. Anyway, here's what Jira said: 

Omar Weaver a 6'7" Wing Forward from Compton High School in Compton, CA had an up and down tournament. In his first game Weaver shot the ball  making three long bombs and made some very nice passes. Weaver also   impressed with his defense making two nice blocks and shutting his man  down. Weaver was in foul trouble and only played about 20 minutes in the game, but had a very nice all-around game despite that. In his second  game Weaver was starting to heat up, he nailed a 24 foot three pointer  and made some moves to the basket off the dribble. But Weaver got tossed  from the game early in the second half for arguing with the official to  much. Weaver is a great kid, but he does act like baby on the court at  times. Weaver likes Kansas, Southern California, Maryland, Georgetown,   and Duke to name a few.

Er, um, ahem. . . Weaver is a big time recruit from Washington, D.C., at Coolidge High, who is a senior.  We've heard that he might possibly have been given an extra year of eligibility, but this is the first we've heard that he'll be attending Compton. . . Oh well, when it comes to Compton, anything can happen. Maybe Leon Smith will still show up.

Jira's impressions of Wesley Stokes were also interesting;

Wesley Stokes a top 25 Junior from Poly H.S in Long Beach, CA was real  impressive. Stokes is only 5'10" and very light, but he runs a team very  well, has a nice shot and is quick of the dribble. Stokes reminds of  Tyus Edney with a better outside shot. Stokes likes UCLA, Syracuse, and  UConn.Stokes has a knack for driving past people and he looks like he is  just jogging,very deceptive quickness!!

Unlike Stokes, whom Jira liked, Tyson Chandler wasn't as well received, at least not by the Recruiting Beat:

Tyson Chandler, a 7'0" sophomore from Dominguez H.S in Compton, CA had a very quiet game. The more we see Chandler play the more unimpressed we are. Right now, he's just a good rebounder and shot blocker. He has  potential to be a dominant player, but right now he's nowhere close to being that.

Oh well, you can't please everybody.  At least Jira liked one other SoCal guy besides Stokes. Here's what he said about E.J. Harris from Crenshaw:

EJ Harris, a Junior from Crenshaw H.S in California had a solid game.  Harris made some nice drives to the basket and made several nice passes.  

Like we said, you can't please everyone.

 
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