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By JAMES KERTI

GARDEN GROVE, CA — While all eyes were on Oakland, teams gathered on the other side of the state for the Magic Memorial Festival in Garden Grove from May 26-28.

The event featured several Magic teams, as well as other west coast standout squads such as Dream Vision and Belmont Shore.

In the 17U Elite division, the Compton Magic Elite and The Magic both won their semifinal games before declining to play each other in a championship game.

In earlier action, 5-7 guard Derrick Randolph (Whitney Young/Chicago, IL) led Paul George Elite to an upset win over Dream Vision 17U.

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HAYWARD, CA – Three wonderful matchups between teams during the Sunday afternoon/evening sessions of games at the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League were hoops fans’ bargains to watch at the $10 admission charged.

Are you ready for some recaps?

Here we go:

*Indy Spiece Heat 67, Bluff City (Team Penny/Memphis) 64: This game had the most chill-inducing final few minutes of any during the first three days of the last of the four EYBL weekend sessions (the first three of which were in Minneapolis; Hampton, VA; and Dallas).

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HAYWARD, CA – OK.

There may be a better 2014 point guard prospect in the U.S. of A than Tyus Jones of Apple Valley High in Minnesota.

You wouldn’t have imagined that possible, however, if you’d watched Jones’ performance Saturday night for the Howard Pulley Panthers during the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League in the seven-court, Dream Courts facility in this East Bay town.

Jones – only cleared to play by doctors on Thursday after a bout with mono – directed a decisive victory over the Oakland Soldiers.

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HAYWARD, CA – As is usually the case for the higher profile Nike-front basketball “evaluation” events, the key Friday night was in not getting figuratively intoxicated by all of the on-court talent on display.

The opening session of games during the fourth and final weekend of the Elite Youth Basketball League at the cavernous Dream Courts (and having seven courts in front of you is certainly a “dreamy” proposition) created this dilemma:

Do you sit courtside and watch Chicago-based Mac Irvin Fire (led by the 2013 class consensus No.

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By JAMES KERTI

I had the opportunity to attend the Pangos Spring Spectacular and the adidas VIP Exclusive Run in Las Vegas over the weekend of April 20-22 as well as the Real Deal in the Rock tournament in Little Rock from April 27-29.

While the following players aren’t necessarily the best prospects in the events, they are among those who stood out the most for me.

* Kasey Hill (6-1/Florida Rams/Montverde Academy/ FL/2013)

James Says: He’s the best point guard prospect that I’ve seen in his class.

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