It was a crime to only charge 5 dollars to see this kind of action on MLK day!
Welcome to the highlights of the 1st Annual Martin Luther King Jr Classic held at Lanier High on January 21, 2008. The first game was Noxubee County, featuring the top ranked junior in the state, Shaunessy Smith, going up against the 5th ranked Wingfield Falcons, with senior Chris Wallace. Wingfield defeated Noxubee County 80-60 with relentless defense and team play. Coach Herman Sanders has these young men playing ball the RIGHT way! I believe the Tigers from Noxubee County were not ready for prime time the way they played. Shaunessy finished up with only 13 points, while sophomore Vincent Sanders had 20 points. Coach TJ Billups tried every motivation technique possible, as he was coaching in front of his pops, legendary Coach Thomas Billups of Lanier High, but it was to no avail. Frankly, Shaunessy did not look like the top junior in the state, and I know everybody's entitled to have bad days, but the true top players find ways to make it happen either defensively, offensively, motivating teammates, or simply playing hard, and I didn't see that from Shaunessy Monday. Vincent Sanders, however, impressed me with his ability to play hard the entire time he was in the game. He's one to look for in the future. Wingfield was paced by senior guard Anaza Richardson, who will soon be in my top 15 rankings for class of 2008, with 21 points. Anaza has really come on since the Christmas break and playing like a senior that's not ready to suit up for the last time in March. He is definitely college material. Although Chris Wallace finished second in scoring with 17, he banged the boards, and made things uncomfortable for their top player Smith. He was chosen as our MVP for this game.
The second game pitted the Provine Rams against the visiting Raleigh Egypt of Memphis TN. This one started out the gates fast! 6'6 Jr Emery Kelly from Provine scored 6 of the first 8 points for Provine while also pulling rebounds from everywhere. He came out with a lot of energy and seemed pumped to play the ranked team from Memphis. Scottie Haralson, Provine's main man, and UCONN signee, scored 9 points in the first quarter, all 3s. Ronald Brown, a 6'6 sophomore for Raleigh Egypt, kept them in the game with relentess rebounding and putbacks in the first. He's a stud! Gentry Hines, the 6'1 junior who is on the national radar, was hurt but bravely tried to play. You could tell that this young man has skills but his leg injury prevented him from doing things he is capable of. He finished with 5 points after hardly playing the second half. The kid who impressed me the most was 6'10 senior Arnet Moultrie, who finished with 19 points, including 5 monster dunks. The dunks were not the most impressive thing about him, it was his attitude about the game. This young man played hard and scored most of his points on put backs and offensive rebounds. He hardly received the ball yet he never sulked or pouted, he just played. I like that. He signed with UTEP and believe me, they got a good one!
D1 schools do not need to sleep on guard Anthony Jones! He scored 14 points, all in the 2nd half, keeping it close for his team. I loved the way Raleigh Egypt stayed calm, even when they were down 11 in the first half. BUT, in the end, Provine prevailed defeating Raleigh Egypt by 7 points. The man to man defense Coach Luther Riley teaches is relentless! This team plays all out every second on the floor, and when someone is having a bad day, as Scottie did this day, someone else steps up. This time, two players, Emery and Carl Blair, a 6'3 Junior point guard who transferred from Houston TX, were the main players. Emery played both ends while Carl played the point as well as anyone I've seen in a while. His passing is not flashy, really basic, but he hits the player with precision and timing. He's physical, and he drove to the hole at will. And he got hops. I still remember the dunk he put on THREE players from the Pearl High game during Christmas. He has all of the physical tools necessary for Division 1. From what I saw, the coaching staff from Miss State (including Head Coach Stansbury) and Ole Miss were impressed. I believe the injury to Ronald Brown in the 1st Quarter, and Gentry Hine's leg injury may have prevented Raleigh-Egypt from coming out victorious, but you can't count out those Rams from Provine! Emery Kelly and Carl Blair shared Co-MVP honors for the game.
The last game of the night left everyone as feeling as if THEY played a game! It was an emotional tug of war between the top two schools in MS, Starkville and Lanier. Before I go any further, I'm going to give the Starkville coach Greg Carter props! He has taken on all comers this year, playing the HOST teams of two tournaments in particular, Canton High and Lanier High, and beat them! He had everything to lose and really nothing to gain, but he accepts the challenge. Coach Carter should do a seminar for other coaches on the subject "how to have the balls to get a heart". Coach Carter stated that Lanier was their biggest challenge so far this year, but this experience will help them if (when) they make it to the State Tournament in Jackson. With a rabid fan base in Lanier, it really don't get any worse for a visiting team than to visit the home of the Bulldogs. In a standing room only gym, filled with college coaches checking out the talent, it was on! Starkville's 6'9 senior, Lativious Williams, showed why he is the best senior in the state! He scored 20 points, and showed a nice shooting touch from outside the paint. Bryce Brown, a junior guard, looked "dandy dozenish" with 8 points in the 1st quarter, going toe to toe with Lanier's high scoring forward, senior Terry Church. 6'0 senior Kenyatta Anderson kept Lanier in position to win by dropping 17 points, including a clutch 3 pointer with 1:03 left in the game. But Starkville's will to win was hard to overcome as they defeated Lanier 62-61. This game see-sawed for four quarters with excellent play from both teams. Both teams are well coached and disciplined. Marcelius Hansberry, the 6'0 sophomore point guard for Lanier has really improved in the last month! He has had to adjust from being the focal point (averaged over 22 a game as a freshman) for Terry High to running the show for a demanding coach like Thomas Billups. I have seen this young man on the summer circuit playing AAU ball as well as high school ball, and one thing is consistent, he's a winner. He has a great attitude, listens to his coaches, and he hasn't even touched the surface of his skill level. He finished with 12 points on this night, and had the guts to take the last shot that would have given Lanier the victory. No surprise, Latavious Williams was chosen as the MVP. Great game to finish the night.
NEWS AND NOTES:
A special thanks go out to Coach Luther Riley for giving me full access to players, coaches, and the facility.
Congratulations to Scottie Haralson from Provine High! He received, and accepted, a scholarship offer from the Univ of Connecticut. As I wrote last week, he is a big time player, and an even bigger person!
There was also another tournament held on MLK Day here in Clinton MS called the Rumble in the South. There was a pretty good turnout from what I heard, but I don't like to write about something I didn't see, so you can check out the ClarionLedger.com for comments on that tournament.
I will update my rankings at the end of the month, as I feel some players have definitely been left out! Notables such as sophomore Keeslee Stewart is playing his tail off for the undefeated Hinds AHS team. Anaza Richardson from Wingfield High and Kenderick Richardson from Hinds AHS will also be included. Like I said when I first started this site, I'm not going to go on hype, only vision, and these young men proved to be some of the top players here in the state. On the other hand, some players have not stepped up to the plate, or played consistently to be considered a top ten player, therefore must drop. Check it out next week.
I talked to Raleigh Egypt coach Jimmy Adams after the Provine game and here's what he had to say:
"I really enjoy coming to MS and playing other teams that we are not familiar with. I was impressed with Provine's talent, especially number 14 (Carl Blair) and I knew what number 30 (Scottie Haralson) was capable of . I thought number 14 was better than we thought, and he was physical, which surprised me a little. We arrived the day of the tournament and that might be the reason we started off slow, but I'm proud of the effort our boys gave tonight. I would definitely come back if invited." I asked him why Gentry Hines didn't play much in the 2nd half and he explained that he was suffering from a strained ligament injury in his leg and this was his first game back. I appreciated Coach Adams accessibility and wish him good luck for the rest of the season.
NEWS AND NOTES II:
AAU season is just around the corner and I feel that this may be a BIG year for the class of 2010 and 2011 to prove themselves to the rest of the nation. The first major AAU tournament here in Mississippi will be the "Battle of the South" to be held at the MBA gym in Jackson MS. I'm told over 100 teams, with AAU teams as far as Massachusetts and California have committed to this tournament. I will have exclusive coverage of this tournament and if you have a team or want more information regarding this tournament, check out www.saau.org for more information.
Players, if you have eligibility left, and you are interested in playing for a traveling team, you need to get started now. Most AAU coaches solidify their rosters well before the first tournament. There are some great players out there who are not playing for anyone this summer, and don't know how to get on a team.
Ask your high school coach if he/she know of any AAU teams, and if they don't, ask other players who do play AAU ball. Someone out there may be missing an opportunity to be discovered by a college coach. Don't let it be you.
Peace,
Coach
Welcome to the highlights of the 1st Annual Martin Luther King Jr Classic held at Lanier High on January 21, 2008. The first game was Noxubee County, featuring the top ranked junior in the state, Shaunessy Smith, going up against the 5th ranked Wingfield Falcons, with senior Chris Wallace. Wingfield defeated Noxubee County 80-60 with relentless defense and team play. Coach Herman Sanders has these young men playing ball the RIGHT way! I believe the Tigers from Noxubee County were not ready for prime time the way they played. Shaunessy finished up with only 13 points, while sophomore Vincent Sanders had 20 points. Coach TJ Billups tried every motivation technique possible, as he was coaching in front of his pops, legendary Coach Thomas Billups of Lanier High, but it was to no avail. Frankly, Shaunessy did not look like the top junior in the state, and I know everybody's entitled to have bad days, but the true top players find ways to make it happen either defensively, offensively, motivating teammates, or simply playing hard, and I didn't see that from Shaunessy Monday. Vincent Sanders, however, impressed me with his ability to play hard the entire time he was in the game. He's one to look for in the future. Wingfield was paced by senior guard Anaza Richardson, who will soon be in my top 15 rankings for class of 2008, with 21 points. Anaza has really come on since the Christmas break and playing like a senior that's not ready to suit up for the last time in March. He is definitely college material. Although Chris Wallace finished second in scoring with 17, he banged the boards, and made things uncomfortable for their top player Smith. He was chosen as our MVP for this game.
The second game pitted the Provine Rams against the visiting Raleigh Egypt of Memphis TN. This one started out the gates fast! 6'6 Jr Emery Kelly from Provine scored 6 of the first 8 points for Provine while also pulling rebounds from everywhere. He came out with a lot of energy and seemed pumped to play the ranked team from Memphis. Scottie Haralson, Provine's main man, and UCONN signee, scored 9 points in the first quarter, all 3s. Ronald Brown, a 6'6 sophomore for Raleigh Egypt, kept them in the game with relentess rebounding and putbacks in the first. He's a stud! Gentry Hines, the 6'1 junior who is on the national radar, was hurt but bravely tried to play. You could tell that this young man has skills but his leg injury prevented him from doing things he is capable of. He finished with 5 points after hardly playing the second half. The kid who impressed me the most was 6'10 senior Arnet Moultrie, who finished with 19 points, including 5 monster dunks. The dunks were not the most impressive thing about him, it was his attitude about the game. This young man played hard and scored most of his points on put backs and offensive rebounds. He hardly received the ball yet he never sulked or pouted, he just played. I like that. He signed with UTEP and believe me, they got a good one!
D1 schools do not need to sleep on guard Anthony Jones! He scored 14 points, all in the 2nd half, keeping it close for his team. I loved the way Raleigh Egypt stayed calm, even when they were down 11 in the first half. BUT, in the end, Provine prevailed defeating Raleigh Egypt by 7 points. The man to man defense Coach Luther Riley teaches is relentless! This team plays all out every second on the floor, and when someone is having a bad day, as Scottie did this day, someone else steps up. This time, two players, Emery and Carl Blair, a 6'3 Junior point guard who transferred from Houston TX, were the main players. Emery played both ends while Carl played the point as well as anyone I've seen in a while. His passing is not flashy, really basic, but he hits the player with precision and timing. He's physical, and he drove to the hole at will. And he got hops. I still remember the dunk he put on THREE players from the Pearl High game during Christmas. He has all of the physical tools necessary for Division 1. From what I saw, the coaching staff from Miss State (including Head Coach Stansbury) and Ole Miss were impressed. I believe the injury to Ronald Brown in the 1st Quarter, and Gentry Hine's leg injury may have prevented Raleigh-Egypt from coming out victorious, but you can't count out those Rams from Provine! Emery Kelly and Carl Blair shared Co-MVP honors for the game.
The last game of the night left everyone as feeling as if THEY played a game! It was an emotional tug of war between the top two schools in MS, Starkville and Lanier. Before I go any further, I'm going to give the Starkville coach Greg Carter props! He has taken on all comers this year, playing the HOST teams of two tournaments in particular, Canton High and Lanier High, and beat them! He had everything to lose and really nothing to gain, but he accepts the challenge. Coach Carter should do a seminar for other coaches on the subject "how to have the balls to get a heart". Coach Carter stated that Lanier was their biggest challenge so far this year, but this experience will help them if (when) they make it to the State Tournament in Jackson. With a rabid fan base in Lanier, it really don't get any worse for a visiting team than to visit the home of the Bulldogs. In a standing room only gym, filled with college coaches checking out the talent, it was on! Starkville's 6'9 senior, Lativious Williams, showed why he is the best senior in the state! He scored 20 points, and showed a nice shooting touch from outside the paint. Bryce Brown, a junior guard, looked "dandy dozenish" with 8 points in the 1st quarter, going toe to toe with Lanier's high scoring forward, senior Terry Church. 6'0 senior Kenyatta Anderson kept Lanier in position to win by dropping 17 points, including a clutch 3 pointer with 1:03 left in the game. But Starkville's will to win was hard to overcome as they defeated Lanier 62-61. This game see-sawed for four quarters with excellent play from both teams. Both teams are well coached and disciplined. Marcelius Hansberry, the 6'0 sophomore point guard for Lanier has really improved in the last month! He has had to adjust from being the focal point (averaged over 22 a game as a freshman) for Terry High to running the show for a demanding coach like Thomas Billups. I have seen this young man on the summer circuit playing AAU ball as well as high school ball, and one thing is consistent, he's a winner. He has a great attitude, listens to his coaches, and he hasn't even touched the surface of his skill level. He finished with 12 points on this night, and had the guts to take the last shot that would have given Lanier the victory. No surprise, Latavious Williams was chosen as the MVP. Great game to finish the night.
NEWS AND NOTES:
A special thanks go out to Coach Luther Riley for giving me full access to players, coaches, and the facility.
Congratulations to Scottie Haralson from Provine High! He received, and accepted, a scholarship offer from the Univ of Connecticut. As I wrote last week, he is a big time player, and an even bigger person!
There was also another tournament held on MLK Day here in Clinton MS called the Rumble in the South. There was a pretty good turnout from what I heard, but I don't like to write about something I didn't see, so you can check out the ClarionLedger.com for comments on that tournament.
I will update my rankings at the end of the month, as I feel some players have definitely been left out! Notables such as sophomore Keeslee Stewart is playing his tail off for the undefeated Hinds AHS team. Anaza Richardson from Wingfield High and Kenderick Richardson from Hinds AHS will also be included. Like I said when I first started this site, I'm not going to go on hype, only vision, and these young men proved to be some of the top players here in the state. On the other hand, some players have not stepped up to the plate, or played consistently to be considered a top ten player, therefore must drop. Check it out next week.
I talked to Raleigh Egypt coach Jimmy Adams after the Provine game and here's what he had to say:
"I really enjoy coming to MS and playing other teams that we are not familiar with. I was impressed with Provine's talent, especially number 14 (Carl Blair) and I knew what number 30 (Scottie Haralson) was capable of . I thought number 14 was better than we thought, and he was physical, which surprised me a little. We arrived the day of the tournament and that might be the reason we started off slow, but I'm proud of the effort our boys gave tonight. I would definitely come back if invited." I asked him why Gentry Hines didn't play much in the 2nd half and he explained that he was suffering from a strained ligament injury in his leg and this was his first game back. I appreciated Coach Adams accessibility and wish him good luck for the rest of the season.
NEWS AND NOTES II:
AAU season is just around the corner and I feel that this may be a BIG year for the class of 2010 and 2011 to prove themselves to the rest of the nation. The first major AAU tournament here in Mississippi will be the "Battle of the South" to be held at the MBA gym in Jackson MS. I'm told over 100 teams, with AAU teams as far as Massachusetts and California have committed to this tournament. I will have exclusive coverage of this tournament and if you have a team or want more information regarding this tournament, check out www.saau.org for more information.
Players, if you have eligibility left, and you are interested in playing for a traveling team, you need to get started now. Most AAU coaches solidify their rosters well before the first tournament. There are some great players out there who are not playing for anyone this summer, and don't know how to get on a team.
Ask your high school coach if he/she know of any AAU teams, and if they don't, ask other players who do play AAU ball. Someone out there may be missing an opportunity to be discovered by a college coach. Don't let it be you.
Peace,
Coach
1st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Classic
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