Archives

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Friday night, the entire Mater Dei High team and coaching staff remained seated on the Monarchs’ bench after the team’s victory over Savior of New York in a semifinal of the inaugural Jerry Tarkanian Las Vegas Classic at Bishop Gorman High.

Why? Coach Gary McKnight wanted his players and staff to pay homage to Tarkanian when the 82 year-old coaching legend was honored in between the event’s semifinals.

And, Saturday night — when Tarkanian watching from court-side — the Monarchs paid their respects to Tarkanian in another fashion:

They put on a marvelous display of dominant basketball while breaking out to a 14-zip advantage and then easing their way past the host Gaels, 76-60.

[Click to continue reading]

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Appropriately enough, the final game of the evening was the most compelling during Friday’s Day III of the inaugural Jerry Tarkanian Las Vegas Classic at Bishop Gorman High.

Trailing by as many as 10 points very late in regulation the host Gaels – behind the magnificent play of scintillating senior wing Rashad Muhammad and sensational sophomore Stephen Zimmerman – pulled out an improbable 83-80 overtime-victory over Morgan Park of Chicago.

I write “improbable” because, like so many other states (unfortunately), games in Nevada are played without a shot block and, with a 10-point deficit late in the game, a whole lot of things had to go right for the Coach Dave Rice’s team to pull the thing out.

[Click to continue reading]

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Ca. – The “Challenge Night” of the 14^th Mission Prep Christmas Classic didn’t provide any challenges from one perspective:

One didn’t have to struggle to find any major college prospects on the floor.

From the tip to start the 2 o’clock game between San Marcos (CA) Mission Hills and Highland Ranch (CO) ThunderRidge, until the final buzzer of the 8 o’clock contest between Torrance (CA) Bishop Montgomery and the host Royals, outstanding players – and, of course, exceptional teams – were on display.

[Click to continue reading]

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Ca. – My high school hoops travels this week take me to the California central coast town of San Luis Obispo and then on to Las Vegas.

The respective events, the Mission Prep Christmas Classic and Jerry Tarkanian Las Vegas Classic, both get underway on Wednesday.

I’ll be at Mission Prep Wednesday and Thursday, before busting South-bound on the 101 Freeway very early Friday morning – as in 12:30 or 1 – for LAX and a 5:40 a.m. flight to Las Vegas, where I’ll be on Friday and Saturday.

[Click to continue reading]

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – I’m writing this from Casa de Julia y Paco Saturday night but got reports from those were in attendance.

Over at AB Miller High in Fontana, Etiwanda came from five points down at intermission to overtake fellow Baseline League member Rancho Cucamonga, 67-59, in the championship game of the Inland Empire Tournament.

Six-foot-four senior Sheldon Blackwell, who might be the best man-to-man defender in the Southland, was selected the event’s Most Valuable Player after scoring 16 points while teammates Kenny Barnes and Dominic Alexander – both juniors, FYI – added 20 and 17, respectively.

[Click to continue reading]