Live from the Martin Luther King Roundball Classic
Thoughts on men’s and womens.
By Adrienne Goodson
Yo… the Martin Luther King Roundball Classic presented by TA Sports this past Saturday was bananas. The top high school programs in the country battled against Hampton Roads’ finest: basically the best in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, and Suffolk. It was real nice because you caught boys and girls basketball all in one day. The fourth annual event played host to some of the best teams in the country. Big names such as Abraham Lincoln H.S (Brooklyn, NY) # 15, American Christian (Chester, PA), Chester H.S (Chester PA) #10, Christ the King (Queens, NY) # 21 Notre Dame Academy (Middleburg, VA) #7, Malcolm X. Shabazz H.S (Newark, NJ) #12, South Atlanta (Atlanta, GA), and Woodrow Wilson H.S (Portsmouth, VA) were out to put on a show and please believe when I say talent I truly mean it.
Top young players showcased their talent and represented their colors for real. Standouts like Tyreke Evans (American Christian), Ryan Pearson (Christ the King), Khalif Staten (Lincoln), Nasir Robinson (Chester H.S), Mia Nickson and Azania Stewart (Notre Dame Academy), Desiree and Ka-Deidre Simmons (Malcolm X. Shabazz) and Eulandra Forrest (Woodrow Wilson H.S) drew the crowd. To be honest with you, not only did the players get to show off. The coaches also got to demonstrate their ability to strategize and play chess for the people. Anthony Bergeron (American Christian), Dwayne Morton (Abraham Lincoln), the legendary Vanessa Watson (Malcolm X. Shabazz) as well as Mike and Nikki Teasley (Notre Dame Academy) were my favorites to watch.
Ya boy Tyreke Evans is nasty. He dunked on this boy (and I say boy to protect the names of the innocent). The dunk was reediculous. Dem boyz at Norfolk Collegiate had no chance, but the crowd was hype. Tyreke’s skills are beyond high school for those who don’t know and as long as coaches can overlook his lack of desire in the defense department, he should fit in with any program in America. Christian Academy overpowered their opponent easily and all was well until Tyreke tried to block a layup during a fastbreak. He was so high in the air that he passed Micheal Jordan on the way up, hit his head on the backboard, knocked himself out, and then landed on his head. The crowd was like whoa! There were about 6 paramedics including the concession stand waiting to help Tyreke. Thank God after about 20 minutes of anxiety the silent whispers let us know he was okay but had a severe concussion. The number one unsigned player gave us a scare, but his team impressionably held on to win 80-56.
Getting back to my favorites I’ve gotta back track to my girl Nikki Teasley. When Nikki decided to stay home this off-season and give overseas a break she didn’t realize how quickly her brother Mike, who is the head coach of Notre Dame Academy had plans to put her to work. Mike is so happy to have her around that it showed all over his face. “ I’ve always been a follower of hers since the North Carolina Tarheels, Los Angeles Sparks, and now the Washington Mystics. She’s home now. Middleburg is just 60 miles west of Washington DC”, he said with a look of love. I kinda got choked up myself. They work well together on the bench, which is good for a brother and sister. She allows him to lead and he asks for advice as needed. The girls have mad respect for Nikki because of the many crowns that she wears. An NCAA Championship with the Tarheels and a ring with the Sparks speaks without speaking. Notre Dame is 7th in the nation (according to USA Today) and are looking at the number one spot but Sacred Heart Cathedral out of San Francisco may have something to say about that. They have the team to do it in my opinion. They are enriched with athleticism. Senior 6’2 Forward Mia Nickson is the truth. She’s a tall- athletic chick with mad hops and rebounds like a machine. Azania Stewart is a 6’4 diaper dandy who will go to the next level and ball. I like her post up game and she’s a monster on the boards, but the kid who will give lots of promise to any team is 6’1 PG Josette Campbell. The game they played against the Woodrow Wilson Lady Presidents was a nail biter full of hustle plays and last second three pointers. Roger Smith, head coach of Wilson had his team ready to play. Sophomore Eulandra Forrest should be watched closely and kinda reminds me of a baby Charles Barkley. Wilson had a good showing but Notre Dame (13-2) was just too much in the end when it came to game management.
Mia Nickson and Josette Campbell took over in overtime like seniors should. Nickson finished up with 18 pts while Campbell hit two big threes: one that sent the game into overtime and one that sparked a run that just couldn’t be stopped. This was the most exciting game of the day. No disrespect to anybody else. I mean really, teams go up and down. One minute a team is #1 like St. Benedict’s of Newark, NJ but that can change especially in the Bermuda Triangle (St. Anthony’s #4, St. Patrick’s #5, and St Benedict’s #1). The competition is great and I like how there are so many forums for these kids to play ball, for example, the Gatorade International Classic, the City of Palms Classic, the West Coast jamboree or the T-mobile Invitational. The list goes on and on but these tournaments allow for kids to grow as people and then as athletes. The more the better.
I can’t say I know who will be in the Championship and be #1 in the country but I can say that it will be enjoyable to watch basketball at its purest form so stay plugged in. It gets better…
14 Responses to “Live from the Martin Luther King Roundball Classic”
Jan.14 at 4:49 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
Goody!!
Jan.14 at 4:54 pm
Matt Caputo says:
Bob Oliva is the man!
Jan.14 at 8:08 pm
white hot eboy says:
Good work, Goody. Still the best school name ever, Shabazz. Jersey strong as usual.
Jan.14 at 8:15 pm
Krys says:
This tournament was Da Bomb!!!!!!!! I enjoyed every game. I am looking forward to seeing these players at the college level.
Jan.14 at 8:22 pm
Uknow11 says:
If you weren’t at the tournament u missed some ballers. for all the people who like 2 see great athletes this was the place. Thanks 2 Goody for keeping us up dated on what’s poppin. I really enjoyed the games.
much love Goody
Uknow11
Jan.14 at 9:59 pm
Goody says:
You know about them bulldogs eboy? I didn’t know that. Newark is for real St. Benedict’s doin it big and all. I don’t know what to say. Jersey is ballin’ right now.
Jan.14 at 10:14 pm
white hot eboy says:
Goody, Jersey City project from birth. I’m Florida by association not choice. St. Anthony’s was beastlike when I was in high school. Those Hurley characters were lurking.
Jan.15 at 11:06 am
Bob Joseph says:
Hey Adrienne (sorry, I couldn’t resist) — Nikki Teasley didn’t win a national championship as a Tar Heel. And Reke’s concussion was minor and came from hitting the floor not the backboard.
Jan.15 at 3:20 pm
Blackberry says:
Good cover Goody! Look like we got some “ballhers” coming up in the future. holla at ya soon.
Jan.22 at 11:56 am
eulandra says:
EULANDRA FORREST! I MEAN WE ALMOST HAD IT MAY NEXT TIME
Jan.23 at 11:56 am
Goody says:
Eulandra, keep working on your game babygirl especially in the getting in shape department. U have a lot of potential.
Jan.28 at 3:01 pm
SHA SHA says:
SHA SHA FROM WOODROW WILSON! THAT WAS THE BEST GAME I PLAYED IN I MAEN WE PALYED ASK A TEAM!WE WAS DOWN BUT WE CAME BACK AS A TEAM
Feb.5 at 10:41 pm
SLAM ONLINE | » Farewell Philly… says:
[…] …Hello N.O. By Aggrey Sam Contrary to popular belief, absolutely nothing has happened on the high school scene since the last time I posted. No games, no college commitments, nothing. Actually, that’s not really the case. In fact, I’ve seen and heard a whole lot in prep hoops since before the new year, but I haven’t had time to write about it. From a neighborhood rivalriy and OT thriller like Ben Franklin vs. Dobbins, to a matchup of Catholic League and regional powers Roman Catholic and Neumann-Goretti, to seeing an emerging national star and a team full of talented young prospects when Glen Mills faced off with South Philly High, I’ve seen plenty of good ball this high school season.But while my adopted hometown of Philly and its outskirts are always strong, I must say that the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia), my home region, has the best high school hoops in the nation on a consistent basis. For example, I was in DC last month (I also saw Georgetown beat UConn on that absurd, last-second trey by 7-2 Roy Hibbert and the first of the Wizards ‘ back-to-back upsets of the Celtics a few days earlier; not a bad day to catch some games live in DC) to see the area’s top-ranked team, Gonzaga, host perennial powerhouse DeMatha. Although I got to the game on time, I had to wait 20 minutes to get into what was a raucous, standing-room only gym. It was a little sloppy at times, but you’ve never seen so many hard-playing, well-coached, physically talented and fundamentally-skilled kids on one court at the same time in your life. I won’t give you a full recap of the game, but I was extremely impressed by several players on both sides. For Gonzaga, seniors Max Kenyi and Cameron Johnson stood out the most. Kenyi, a long, slender and athletic 6-5 wing headed to Harvard (the excellent student was also seriously recruited by the likes of Marquette and other high-major programs), was defensive demon in the passing lanes, on the ball and as a shot-blocker, as well as slashing and hitting jumpers on offense. Tommy Amaker got a steal. Johnson, a powerful and skilled 6-4 wing, who’s headed to Virginia on a football scholarship, was an inside force who kept the Purple Eagles alive on the boards with junior big man Ian Hummer (he’ll have better days) in foul trouble. Tyler Thornton, a 6-2 sophomore, led Gonzaga’s trio of jet-quick guards (the others are senior Rodney Gould, a tough and heady floor leader who is also a top football prospect, and sophomore Cedric Lindsay, a smart, opportunistic combo) with several big plays at key moments in the contest. Remember Thornton’s name because his high basketball IQ, tremendous quickness, nice stroke, unselfishness and defensive instincts will take him a long way.DeMatha graduated McDonald’s All-American Austin Freeman, a starter at Georgetown, Iowa starting point guard Jeff Peterson and Clemson forward Jerai Grant, among others from last year’s squad, but storied program doesn’t just rebuild, they reload. Two transfers from Baltimore-area schools, highly-touted sophomore Josh Selby and junior Naji Hibbert, are their two marquee players. Selby, a 6-2 scoring point guard (him, Thornton and UNC commit Kendall Marshall have to be the three best young point guards in one league across the nation) is an aggressive, shoot-first playmaker with good size, who can also distribute and has plenty of heart. Hibbert (not related to the aforementioned Roy, as far as I know) is a 6-5 wing, who showed he could shoot, slash and finish, despite a wrist injury. Marcus Rouse, a 6-1 junior guard who didn’t get much burn on last year’s loaded team, was a nice surprise as a scoring guard who didn’t force shots. But Kenny Tate, a 6-4 senior who’s also the nation’s top wide receiver prospect in football, was the difference for the Stags. The monster athlete didn’t scored much, but he dominated the paint with his physicality.In the end, DeMatha prevailed, 45-42 (forget the score, it was exciting) in front of a hostile crowd on the road. And as hard as both teams played, all of the players showed a high level of respect for each other. Thanks to Gonzaga coach Steve Turner for having me as a guest. Long story short–and I know I haven’t seen every high school league in the country–I’ll put the WCAC (DC’s Catholic League), top to bottom, against any other conference in the nation. I’m not going off one game, either, trust me. […]
Apr.1 at 11:25 am
BRITTANY says:
WE CAME OUT AS A TEAM
AND WE FINSH AS A TEAM