LAS VEGAS – Anyone who follows high school basketball closely who doesn’t realize that James Harden is one of the elite players in the country hasn’t been in Las Vegas over the past five days.
The Artesia High senior-to-be scored 34 points (missing just one field goal his attempt – his first of the game) and led Pump-N-Run Select to an 86-80 victory over D.C. Assault Wednesday afternoon in the championship game of the adidas Super Sixty Four Tournament in Cox Pavilion.
But Harden, who led the Pioneers to CIF Southern Section and State titles in March, played on that same level while leading his squad to its first eight victories (without a loss) going into Wednesday’s title game.
With a large number of McDonald’s All-America Team voters in town to watch the three tournaments going on simultaneously, Harden has positioned himself as a strong contender to land on the most coveted of high school hoops honor teams.
“My goal was to come here, try to make a name for myself and help us win this tournament,� he said, clutching the tournament Most Valuable Player plaque.
Taft junior point guard Larry Drew added 17 points and played a solid floor game for PNR, coached by former UCLA coach and now Rancho Santa Margarita resident Jim Harrick.
The team earned a spot in the Las Vegas Prep Showcase game at 7 o’clock Wednesday night against the winner of the Main Event final (played between Seattle Friends of Hoop and Houston Hoops) later Wednesday afternoon in Cox Pavilion.
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