NIKE TOC High School Showcase Game

After the more-hyped Boost Mobile Elite 24 was moved from Rucker Park to the Gauchos Gym because of rain, we should have known what to expect with the NIKE Tournament of Champions High School Showcase Game later in the weekend. Originally scheduled for Saturday at Goat Park on the Upper West Side, inclement weather forced it to be moved to Sunday at Gauchos Gym in the Bronx.

The new schedule also created some scheduling difficulties with several of the top players expected to participate – namely Kyrie Irving, Jayvaughn Pinkston, Myck Kabongo, Isaiah Epps, Ashton Pankey, Devon Collier and Corey Edwards – but there was still plenty of talent on hand.

16 players showed up, with two eight-man teams. The “Red” team included Sterling Gibbs, Kyle Anderson, Doron Lamb, Mike Poole, Fuquan Edwin, Sidiki Johnson, Mike Taylor and Shaq Stokes, while the “Black” team featured Shaquille Thomas, Shane Southwell, Tyler Harris, Russ Smith, Myles Mack, Myles Davis, Maurice Harkless and Angel Nunez. Poole, Harris and Smith were late additions to fill the vacated spots.

In a wide-open, all-star-style affair filled with dunks and flashy play, the Red team jumped out to an early lead and were up 73-55 at halftime behind 29 points from Sidiki Johnson and 26 from Fuquan Edwin. With Doron Lamb sitting out most of the second half, the Black team was able to steadily trim the lead. A three-pointer by Myles Mack with 4:20 left cut the lead to one, 97-96.

With the game tied at 107, Edwin came flying in for a tip-in with 40 seconds left to give the Red team the lead. However, Myles Davis was fouled at the other end, knocking down two free-throws. With the clock winding down, Johnson had the ball in the post, seemingly waiting for more time to run off. He finally turned to the basket with 2.6 seconds left for a tough finish – and the game-winning points. A half-court heave by Davis hit the front of the rim as the Red team won 111-109.

Here’s a quick look at each of the performers (along with some of the nicknames given on Sunday):

Sterling “Sterling Sharpe” Gibbs: Became more aggressive in the second half, driving to the basket for finishes. He had several nice lay-ups, scoring with both hands.

Kyle Anderson: Wasn’t involved all that much offensively, but had a nice lefty finish in the lane and held his own in the paint.

Doron Lamb: Didn’t play much in the second half, but was outstanding in the first half despite scoring just four points. His passing ability was on display, as he racked up multiple assists, including several no-look passes and a full-length, underhanded bounce pass to a streaking teammate.

Mike “Deep Water” Poole: Nearly brought down the house with an early dunk, but it rimmed out. He had several nice drives, but was unable to finish with the authority of his first attempt.

Fuquan Edwin: Finished with 35 points, scoring at will in both halves. He ran the floor exceptionally well and had several outstanding dunks. More importantly, he consistently knocked down three-pointers, showing that he is vastly improved in that area.

Sidiki “Gettin’ Freaky” Johnson: The most dominant performer in the first half, by far. He was an absolute menace around the rim, controlling the backboards and getting plenty of putbacks and finishes at the basket. He also ran the floor very well and showed a solid ability to handle the ball and create. Finished with a game-high 36 points.

Mike “Mike Teezy” Taylor: He drove to the basket very well throughout the night, but was unable to rack up many points. He did have a nice pull-up jumper in the first half though.

Shaq “Shaquille O’Neal” Stokes: Got into the lane at will against defenders, although defense was certainly not a priority on Sunday. He finished very well at the rim, and was even involved on the offensive glass on occasion. Could have had many more points if his attempts didn’t rim out.

Tyler Harris: Passed the ball well and had several nice transition lay-ups. Also knocked down a three from the corner. Could be more aggressive offensively, looking for his own shot – especially in an environment like this.

Shaquille Thomas: Long and athletic, Thomas was the perfect fit for the Showcase game. He was active on the offensive glass with a nice tip-in, and was the recipient of many attempted alley-oop passes. Thomas also had some of the best dunks of the day.

Shane “The Contender” Southwell: Showed excellent handle and point guard ability for a player his size. He beat defenders off the dribble, creating opportunities for himself and his teammates. Of course, Southwell also had multiple turnovers, which has been a problem for him on many occasions that I have seen him play.

Russ “Steal the Show”/”Takeover the Game” Smith: Unarguably the most impressive player in the game. It wasn’t even close. From the second he got his first basket, he showed an aggressiveness and assertiveness that we don’t get to see very often from Smith. The announcers and fans had a feeling of anticipation every time he touched the ball, and was good enough to garner two different nicknames throughout the game. He had an excellent windmill dunk to kick things off, and was able to get to the basket whenever he wanted. His handle and quickness were on display the entire day.

Myles “The Little One” Mack: He didn’t do that much, but did hit the three that brought the Black team to within one point. Unfortunately, that was his only made three of the day.

Myles “The Sniper”/”The Shooter” Davis: Davis got off to an excellent start, scoring 12 points in the first half despite coming off the bench. He hit several deep shots from beyond the arc, off of pull-up jumpers as well as spot-up threes. He also got to the basket and finished well. He and Smith were the two best players for the Black team all day.

Maurice Harkless: Was not involved or aggressive at all, but did demonstrate excellent handle and versatility for a player his size. Also showed off his athleticism.

Angel “Too Tall” Nunez: Brought down the house on several finishes, including one particular baseline dunk that had everyone out of their seats. Nunez showed his handle and why he is such a match-up nightmare for defenders. He so tall and long, and is able to create off the dribble. He also knocked down a deep three-pointer with a hand in his face early in the second half.

Recruiting Notes:

Angel Nunez: Connecticut, Louisville, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Arizona, Miami, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, St. John’s
- Plans to visit Louisville in September in September, as well as Connecticut sometime after that

Russ Smith: La Salle, St. John’s, Auburn, Houston, St. Bonaventure, Seton Hall
- Wanted to make a decision earlier this month, but school started; he will likely not choose a school until the late fall

Doron Lamb: The entire Big East, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Clemson, Arizona
- Has only visited Kentucky, but does plan on visiting Oklahoma and Kansas soon

Tyler Harris: Tennessee, West Virginia, Hofstra (offer), Connecticut (offer), Duquesne (offer), Delaware (offer), Fordham (offer), Kentucky, Notre Dame

Shaq Thomas: Providence, Seton Hall, Rutgers, Oklahoma State, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, West Virginia
- Will likely decide in early December
- Doesn’t know if he will reclassify to the class of 2011 or not
- Has still not picked a high school for this coming year; said he will choose between St. Benedict’s (N.J.) and South Kent (Conn.) in the next two days

Myles Mack: Syracuse, Fordham (offer), Virginia Tech (offer), St. John’s (offer), Providence, DePaul, Drexel, Xavier, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Rice

Mike Taylor: Pittsburgh, Villanova, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Seton Hall, Rutgers, St. John’s, Illinois, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Marquette, West Virginia, Georgetown
- All have offered besides Georgetown
- Will attend the Five-Star Camp this week, and visit Pittsburgh shortly after it ends
- Also wants to visit Villanova, and might attend their Elite Camp

Kyle Anderson: Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, La Salle, Marist
- Has only visited Georgetown, and that took place last fall