I Can Academy (CA) 99 Texas D-1 Ambassadors-Team Hardge 91 OT (Las Vegas Fab 48)
For the 2nd consecutive game, a 10 point half time lead was frittered away and Team Hardge is done in Las Vegas. There was no lack of effort, but certainly decision making and game management was in question as they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
2011 G Deon Mitchell (below) was virtually unstoppable in the 1st half as he went off for 20 points, finishing with a game high 27 and 8 assists. With National media watching their game, Mitchell caught the eye of Scout.com's Dave Telep who loved his game. Expect Mitchell to make a recruiting decision sooner rather than later. I will link Scout.com's story later.
2011 PG Josiah Monroe scored 14 points, 2011 G Dylan Cox dropped 12 & 2011 W Allante Faust added 10. The Texas D-1 squad now heads to Phoenix to compete in the Desert Duel and the Desert Invitational.
New Orleans D-1 Ambassadors Elite 58 Dallas Mustangs Blue (TX) 56 (Las Vegas Fab 48)
2012 PG Javan Felix scored 17 and dropped 8 dimes to lead New Orleans D-1 Ambassadors Elite to a thrilling 2 point win over the Dallas Mustangs Blue in the opening bracket game of the Fab 48. After leading by 12 at the half, D-1 Elite had to withstand the charge from the 'Stangs. Down by 5 with 3 minutes left, Felix took the team on his back hitting a key three pointer and then closing out with free throws to secure the win. The Mustangs missed a 3 pointer at the buzzer to try and steal the win.
2011 PG Zavieral Jackson (below), who shares the backcourt with Felix also added 8 points for New Orleans D-1. He's a super quick guard, who will get into your jersey on D, shoots the three and will punch on you at the rim given the chance.
New Orleans D-1 Ambassadors Elite 78 Team Loaded (VA) 67
It was too much Ricardo Gathers all the time as New Orleans D-1 never trailed against a truly "loaded" Virginia crew. Gathers had 16 points and 11 rebounds as he bullied the longer Team Loaded on the glass. A slew of high majors are following D-1 and salivating over their high major 2012 kids, along with the talented 2011's. PG Javan Felix had 18, 6 assists and was perfect from the free throw line going 6-6 down the stretch when Team Loaded attempted to foul to get back into the game.
2011 P Trevante Drye who is a big favorite of SMU's Head Coach Matt Doherty also added 15 points. Drye, the nephew of former LSU and Kansas great Lester Earl has a common bond with the SMU coach as he recruited Uncle Lester to Kansas back in the day. By the way, Coach Doherty seems intent on changing SMU's "preppie" image by sporting the Dan Haggerty style beard. We kidded that he was about to open a hunting and fishing camp near the SMU campus off of Mockingbird Lane in upscale Dallas.
Below: Left: 2012 6'7" Ricardo Gathers, and Right: 2011 6'10" Jernard Jarrou who along with 2011 P 6'7" Trevante Drye form up the New Orleans "Chairmen of the Boards" as each average near double doubles every game and are ultra tough on the glass.
Texas D-1 Ambassadors-Team Josephs 60 Mass Rivals (MA) 50 (Las Vegas Super 64)
In the opening bracket game, Texas D-1 were led by 2011 6'6" Clark Lammert of San Antonio Churchill as he dropped 14 points in the win.
Texas D-1 Ambassadors-Team Josephs 63 Nor Cal Pump N Run 55
You've got to love the job Coach Josephs has done with this group of very solid kids who for the most part are undersized. However, they play with great chemistry and hang around and hit shots to pick up victories. After withstanding an early run from the Nor Cal Pump N Run crew, D-1 settled down to methodically pick them apart. 2011 W Ansley Benjamin continues to be a beast on the boards at only 6'4". If he grows another inch or two (his NBA Pops, Benoit Benjamin was a footer) then his recruitment will shoot through the roof.
Benjamin finished with a workmanlike 16 points and 11 rebounds while 2011 W/P Clark Lammert had 9 points and 6 rebounds with most of them coming down the stretch. Crafty 2012 PG Adam Perez had 7 points, 4 assists and 4 steals as he ran the team alsmost flawlessly.
