LAS VEGAS – The high school portion of the third Tarkanian Classic, highlighted by a whole lot of thrilling finishes over four days, ended in rather matter-of-fact fashion Saturday night at Bishop Gorman High.
The Redondo Beach (CA) Redondo Sea Hawks dominated the Oklahoma City Putnam City West Patriots for the bulk of the Platinum Division championship game’s 32 minutes to come away with a 66-51 victory.
For Coach Reggie Morris’ underclass-laden club, junior Leland Green (14 points, five rebounds and five steals) had multiple “Dwyane Wade-like” finishes; classmate Morgan Means (11 points, six rebounds and seven assists) may have been his team’s most consistent player over four days; and sophomore Billy Preston (17 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots) turned in his most impressive (and foul-free) extended performance of the event.
And sparking the defensive lockdown on the team from Oklahoma was the on-ball pressure – both consistent and pesky – provided by another junior, 5-3 Elijah Nesbit.
The Sea Hawks were facing a squad that used much the same formula – determined, all-court defense and an unselfish and a balanced offensive attack – to work its way into Saturday night’s title game.
Coach Lenny Bert’s Patriots were sparked by the overall play and leadership of 6-foot-4 Tyson Jolly, who did the most of any unsigned and uncommitted senior at the event to boost his stock with college recruiters before he was held in check by the likes of Green and Mean Saturday night.
Prior to hooking up with the Sea Hawks they collected three consecutive “upsets” – perceived or otherwise – of collectively much taller opponents in Long Beach (CA) Poly, Plano (TX) Prestonwood Christian Academy and the host Bishop Gorman Gaels.
The teams who lost down-to-the wire-affairs in the Platinum semifinals Friday night in the Orleans Hotel Arena – Corona (CA) Centennial, 55-54 to Redondo, and Bishop Gorman, 53-52, in overtime, to Putnam City West – played for third place earlier Saturday evening.
For about 29 or so minutes, that game had all the appearances of being bound for another of the finishes that were witnessed Friday night.
But the Gaels and their potent frontcourt foursome of seniors Nick Blair, Chase Jeter and Stephen Zimmerman and junior Zach Collins, overwhelmed the Huskies down the stretch to finish with a victory whose final score – 71-51 – was in no way indicative of the competiveness of the affair prior to the last few minutes.
Two other two high school division title games were played Saturday afternoon.
Phoenix Desert Vista overwhelmed West Columbia, SC, Gray’s Collegiate Academy, 73-47, for the “Select” crown.
And – in an all-Utah showdown – South Jordan Bingham held off Logan, 61-54, in the “Premier” finale.
There were also some games played in the “Prep school” division over the four days but, unfortunately (for those who would have enjoyed watching the showdowns – me, included, of course) the most gifted of those squads, Findlay Prep from Henderson, not too far from Bishop Gorman, didn’t play Prolific Prep (Napa, CA), Prime Prep (Dallas) or Victory Prep (Houston).
Prolific is led by a superb 6-6 junior Josh Jackson – the most spectacular athlete of them all over the event’s four days – while Prime Prep (in 6-6 Terrence Ferguson) has another of the nation’s best in 2016 and Victory Prep has a terrific sophomore in 6-7 Jarred Vanderbilt.
With the possible exceptions of Montverde (FL) Academy and Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy, it’s difficult to imagine there being another program in the prep school category with a starting lineup approaching what Findlay Prep Coach Andy Johnson puts on the floor via seniors Allonzo Trier and Horace Spencer, juniors Derryck Thornton and Justin Jackson, and sophomore P.J. Washington.
My 2014 Tarkanian Classic All-Tournament choices
Most Valuable Players/by division:
Platinum: Leland Green (6-2/Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo/2016)
Premier: Yoeli Childs (6-7/South Jordan, UT/Bingham/2016)
Select: Brandon Clarke (6-7/Phoenix Desert Vista/2015)
The next 20 All-Tournament selections (alphabetical, with size, school, graduation class):
*LiAngelo Ball (6-4/Chino Hills, CA/2017)
*Lonzo Ball (6-5/Chino Hills, CA/2016)
*Sed Barefield (6-2/Corona, CA/Centennial/2015)
*Gavin Baxter (6-7/Provo, UT/Timpview/2016)
*Tyler Brimhall (6-4/Logan, UT/2015)
*Drew Buggs (6-2/Long Beach, CA/Poly/2016)
*Tyler Dorsey (6-4/Pasadena, CA/Maranatha/2015)
*Schnider Herard (6-11/Plano, TX/Prestonwood Christian Academy/2016)
*Frank Jackson (6-2/Highland, UT/Lone Peak/2016)
*Chase Jeter (6-9/Las Vegas Bishop Gorman/2015)
*Tyson Jolly (6-4/Oklahoma City Putnam City West/2015)
*T.J. Leaf (6-9/El Cajon, CA, Foothills Christian/2016)
*Morgan Means (6-2/Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo/2016)
*Billy Preston (6-9/Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo/2017)
*Payton Prichard (6-3/West Linn, OR/2016)
*Nick Robinson (6-3/Oklahoma City Putnam City West/2017)
*Zac Seljaas (6-7/Bountiful, UT/2015)
*Kendall Small (6-0/Lakewood, CA, Mayfair/2015)
*Kimar Williams (6-1/Philadelphia Constitution/2015)
*Stephen Zimmerman (6-10/Las Vegas Bishop Gorman/2015)
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