SoCal High School & Prep Report

Slam Dunk to the Beach
Tourney Preview--(December 26, 1997)

According to Eddie Oliver's Hoops USA (formerly Eddie Oliver's Basketball Report) a newly formatted newsletter (which we think is a monthly, but we're not sure-- more on this great newsletter later), Bobby Jacobs was facing incredible odds when he started to promote what many believe is now the one of the preimer, if not the premier event in the country for high school and prep hoops. Since it got started several years ago, this tourney has been battling and competing head to head with all the other top events, most of them older and more established. Jacobs thought being the best was possible, but the real trick and first order of business, was to convince others that his tournament could indeed rise to the top. As he soon found out, that wasn't going to be an easy task, and it wasn't going to happen over night. But with each passing year, this ever increasingly exclusive invitational tournament has been getting more and more attention from powerhouse teams.

This year, many believe that it is the top tournament in the nation, and the Slam Dunk To the Beach National Tournament does have a tremendously talented field. To appreciate just how exclusive this tournament has become, try getting a ticket. And if you do, then try to get a seat to watch the games you want. Who'd have thought that Lewes, Delaware would ever be on anyone's Christmas break list of places to visit?

But a lot of teams have this year, including some of SoCal's finest teams. And it includes another eight teams that might be considered "top" teams in the country in the mythical "rankings" for high school teams (mostly a figment of a few sports writers for national papers, but still a solid indicator of the level of talent). Throw in one of the the nation's top rated seniors and another of the the country's top juniors, ten more or so of the top fifty seniors and many more who are being actively recruited and sought by D-I schools, and this is a great place to be.

Al Harrington (6'-8" Sr. PF) of Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick's is one of the top rated players, and is ranked as the nation's most talented senior by the ACC Sports Journal. He'll be there and so will and DerMarr Johnson (6'-9" Jr. PF) of Kensington (MD) Newport Prep, who has been rated as one of the the country's best juniors by more than a few pundits.

Virtually every team in the Slam Dunk To The Beach bracket (the tourney is broken into "brackets" in which only some teams play against other comparably rated teams-- a way to keep the competition more even and avoid blowouts and mis-matches) will be or has a chance to be nationally ranked. Those teams include St. Patrick's, Rice from New York (just coming off a defeat by Mt. Zion in the Championship game at the 21st Reebok Las Vegas Holiday Prep Classic), Lakewood (OH) St. Edward, Compton (CA) Dominquez (with Tayshaun Prince, and freshman Tyson Chandler), Paintsville (KY), Alameda (CA) St. Joseph Notre Dame (Ray Young & Co.), Washington (DC) Pallotti (league rival of Morgan Wooten's DeMatha), and Baltimore (MD) Dunbar.

These teams make up a strong, talented and elite group that should produce outstanding performances for the overflow crowds that will pack the Cape Henelopen gymnasium from early morning until late at night. The tournament will start on December 26th and the final round will be held on December 30.

For those lucky enough to get in, they will enjoy five full days of the best high school basketball anyone could hope to see.

In addition to the smooth and talented Harrington, other top rated senior players that will showcase their talents in the top bracket include Anthony Glover of Rice, 6'9" J.R. Van Hoose with Paintsville (Kentucky's "Mr. Basketball" recipient), Tayshaun Prince of Dominquez, Ray Young of Alameda's St. Joseph Notre Dame, who will be at UCLA next year, and and 6"-7" Sam Clancy of St. Edward, who will be playing for Henry Bibby next year at USC.

The other four brackets also feature strong teams and outstanding individual stars.

Other top seniors will include, University of Maryland recruit, 6'-7" Danny Miller of Mt. Holly (NJ) Rancocas Valley, 6'-8" Shawn Hampton from Baltimore (MD) St. Francis, 6'-5" Jason Thomas of Dominguez (who has signed a national letter of intent to play football at USC), 6'-4" Jermaine Clark from St. Patricks, Todd Tackett a 6'-3" guard from Paintsville and 6'-9" Eugene Shipley of Plymouth Meeting (PA) Plymouth Whitemarsh.

If you can get to this Tournament, then go: Take a plane, a car, a train, or a bus. But go. And send us some reports if you're there. We'll be sure to pass them along.

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