SoCalHoops Tournament News
SoCalHoops Tournament News
40th Annual Best In The West--Program Notes:
Verbum Dei--(Dec. 27, 1999)
What: 40th Annual Best in the
West Invitational
Where: Long Beach State & Lakewood High School
When: December 27, 28, 29 & 30, 1999
Who: 32 of the top boys' teams in the West
| 2:40 p.m. | East Gym | Ayala v. Verbum Dei | Game No. 14 |
| [Note: These are the program notes we wrote for the Official Best in the West Program. We know for a fact that many of the team profiles were edited to save space in the program. So, we thought we'd at least make some use of the original material by posting it up here. Additionally, with some of these teams, we've already done previews here at SoCalHoops, and where they exist, we'll link to them. |
Verbum Dei HS (Los Angeles, CA): When we first wrote this about three weeks ago for the Best in the West program, Coach David Greenwood was still the coach and still working his magic. But it seems all good things have to end, and so did Greenwood's time at Verb. Greenwood was almost more of a story than the exploits of Marlon Parmer and Dalron Johnson the past two years: He had attended and starred at Verb before making his way to UCLA and the NBA, and he worked his magic there for the last two years. While he was still there coach in the early part of the season, Greenwood's Eagles this year were literally starting over. Gone was most of the two-time Division IV State Championship team from 97-98 and 98-99: Gone were Dalron Johnson (UNLV), Marlon Parmer (New Mexico), Nick Dobson (Howard University), Ricardo Suazo, Larry Davenport and Washum Dashiell. And now also gone is Greenwood too. He has left the team and Verbum Dei has a new coach as well as a bunch of new players. We're not going to spend time here describing why Greenwood left, but if you're intrested, check this link.
This Verbum Dei team is a team of relatively untested players, led by returnees Robert Watkins (6'-3" Sr. SG/SF), Jamaal Deal (5'-11" Sr. G). The team has other senior leadership with David Huff (6'-5" Sr. F), Isaiah Burleson (6'-4" Sr. F) and Jamaal James (6'-0" Sr. G), but mostly this is a team of underclassmen who have been tested and struggled in the short preseason prior to the Best in the West. Look for two freshmen, Gregory Mayfield (5'-10" Fr. PG) and Michael Bell (5'-10" Fr. PG) to make some contributions, as well as sophomores Justin Martin(5'-9" So. PG), Anthony Jones (6'-6" So. F/C), and Hassan Adams (6'-3" So. SG/SF). Juniors Michael Lay(5'-6"Jr. PG) and Andre Cunningham (5'-8" Jr. G) will add to the speed and quickness which the Eagles will depend upon to win this season.
| 11 | Gregory Mayfield | 5'-10" Fr. G |
| 12 | Justin Martin | 5'-9" So. G |
| 32 | Michael Bell | 5'-10" Fr. G |
| 10 | Anthony Jones | 6'-6" So. F |
| 5 | Michael Lay | 5'-6" Jr. G |
| 31 | David Huff | 6'-5" Sr. F |
| 3 | Robert Watkins | 6'-3" Sr. G |
| 21 | Jamaal Dean | 5'-11" Sr. G |
| 24 | Hassan Adams | 6'-3" So. G |
| 13 | Andre Cunningham | 5'-8" Jr. G |
| 22 | Isaiah Burleson | 6'-4" Sr. F |
| 20 | Jamaal James | 6'-0" Sr. G |
See you there.
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