Archives

CORONA, Ca. – The official title of the event might be a bit cumbersome to wrap your arms around.

But what is very simple about the “Ballislife Magic Memorial Day Festival, presented by Muscle Milk” is this:

There are a whole lot of quality travel squads led by a whole lot of quality high school hoopsters on display at the event fronted by Compton Magic CEO Etop Udo-Ema over Memorial Weekend.

Around-the-clock (or so it seemed on Saturday, when games tipped off at 8 in the a.m.)

[Click to continue reading]

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA – OK, time to put the official wrap, of sorts, on the 2012-13 high school hoops season.

And, thanks to assorted viewings through 2012 summer camps (Pangos, NBA Players Association and adidas Nations) and tournaments, as well as regular-season venues (including many high school tournaments, as well as the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, MA) and all of the post-season events, including the McDonald’s All-American Game, the Jordan Classic and the Nike Hoop Summit, I feel comfortable in making slapping together my post-season honors squads.

[Click to continue reading]

BEVERLY HILLS, Ca. – Some of the better high school hoops players from across Southern California gathered at Beverly Hills High Saturday morning.

The occasion was “Double Pump Media Day”, an opportunity for the players directly or indirectly part of the teams overseen by David and Dana Pumps to scrimmage and run through drills in front of 10 or so reporters from Internet sites or newspapers – and then to learn a little about how the soundest ways of dealing with “media” members.

They were also offered insight about the caution that must be used in interacting in “social media” outlets, most notably Twitter.

[Click to continue reading]

NORWALK, Ca. – Collectively, the Southern California high school classes of 2014-16 are quite deep in backcourt talent.

And a lot of that talent was display Sunday at Cerritos College during the Pangos Spring Showcase.

Among the members of the Class of 2015 who played exceptionally well Sunday was the Superior Athletes trio of Kendall Small (Huntington Beach Ocean View), Jeremy Hemsley (La Verne Damien) and Stephen Thompson Jr. (Torrance Bishop Montgomery).

Their chemistry was quite evident while playing on the same squad Sunday. Each is both a capable playmaker and scorer.

[Click to continue reading]

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Ca. – Eight hours of hoop-di-do at Marina High Saturday during the Southern California Spring Showcase culminated they should have – with the two best teams having at each other.

In a game of “runs”, the Los Angeles-based Elite Prospects Inc. pulled away down the stretch for a 61-56 victory over South Orange County’s Team Eastbay.

Elite Prospects was up by 11 points before the Orange County club scored the final six points of the first half to get to within 31-26 at intermission.

[Click to continue reading]