2nd Annual Elite 24 Hoops Classic

The summer's winding down, and next week my schedule really kicks into high gear. My lazy summer will turn into a hectic fall, and I'm surprisingly excited about it. So I called up my girls and decided to have a nice night out. I live in Harlem literally a stone's throw from the legendary Rucker Park. During the summer they have tournament games within the week, and sometimes they host special basketball events. Last night the 2nd Annual Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic presented by Rise Magazine was at The Rucker. The top high school juniors and seniors from all across the nation got a a chance to shine on what is arguably one of the most famous basketball courts in the nation. Some of these high schoolers have already committed to programs like USC, Nevada, UNC, Arizona, Ohio State, and UCLA. I'm a huge NCAA basketball fan, and I love tracking player progression, usually from college to pro. A chance to see some of these guys even earlier? Jump on it!! Basketball game at Rucker Park, and menzes galore! It was slated to be one of the best nights I've had in a while. I had it all planned out.

Armed with a pen, pad and comprehensive roster, me and girls went to the park. We were met with a line that was super long and a park that was super full. Security told us the park was closed and that they weren't letting anyone else in. My girls, not avid basketball fans like me, decided to leave. I decided to stay. Travel light, travel far right? There was no way I was not getting into that park. I buddied up to security and he saw me writing on my pad and asked me if I was press. "Hell yeah I'm press!" He asked me who I was with and I told the truth, myself. I told him I'm an up and coming sports writer, I gave him my website info (which reminds me I need business cards) and he led me in through VIP. I made my way to the sidelines and got a front row seat behind the bench. Shortly after that, another friend of mine showed up so I wasn't completely alone. Former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian, Houston Rockets PG, Rafer Alston, AKA Skip To My Lou, and Golden State Warriors PG Baron Davis coached the 2 teams. I sat behind Davis' bench and had the opportunity to talk to him and ask a few questions. Nate Robinson was there, and they said Magic Johnson was supposed to show but I didn't see him. The GOAT Squad came out ahead and beat the Skip To My Lou Squad, 169-164. Looking at the final score, it's clear that there were some outstanding performances. Lance Stephenson, a 6-5 shooting guard and rising junior led his school, Lincoln HS in Brooklyn, to a state title last year. Being in NYC, he was definitely the hometown favorite. Stephenson won co-MVP honors and scored an Elite 24 record 38 points, along with 4 assists. While most of the players chose to pound the lane the entire game, Stephenson also showed his ability to knock down threes. The other MVP was Arizona-bound PG Brandon Jennings. The 6-1 senior from Oak Hill Academy (VA) proved to be even more impressive, finishing the game with 19 points, 7 rebounds, and an Elite 24 record 23 assists. This is his second time playing in the tournament and the kid has great hands, a strong drive to the hoop, and not to go unmentioned, hops. Other standouts included Kemba Walker, Demar DeRozan, Samardo Samuels, and Luke Babbitt.