Point Blank
USC’s identified a Croatian point guard who might be able to help the crisis at the position following the death of Ryan Francis and early season ineligibility of Gabe Pruitt.
But there are several issues that need to be addressed before getting too excited. Because the point guard played club basketball, he would need to have his eligibility reinstated by the NCAA, even if he did not receive money. Also, there are the usual academic hurdles when recruiting a European athlete.
We mentioned earlier that the Rose City Showcase tournament in Portland will deprive some top local talent from attending USC’s basketball camp this weekend. USC targets O.J. Mayo and Bill Walker, ranked by some as the top two players in the country, are also scheduled to appear.
The SoCal All-Stars, which features USC commitments Daniel Hackett and Malik Story, are playing in the tournament. Here’s a list of players and club teams:
THE FOURTH ANNUAL adidas ROSE CITY SHOWCASE
KICKS OFF FRIDAY AT GRANT HIGH SCHOOL
adidas and Courtside Entertainment present grassroots basketball at its finest!
From Friday, June 16th to Sunday, June 18th, the nation's top AAU basketball teams will once again be at Portland's Grant High School for the adidas Rose City Showcase. Now in its fourth year, the Showcase will feature a number of the top prep players in the country, all battling it out for the aRCS title. Nationally ranked teams such as DC Assault (D.C.), D-1 Greyhounds (Ohio), Pump N Run All-Stars (Calif.), SoCal All-Stars (Calif.) and Atlanta Celtics (Ga.) will all be in town for the event, and the Northwest will be well represented with Friends of Hoop (Wash.), Seattle Rotary Select (Wash.), and Shakur Village (Calif.) programs all in the field.
This year’s event will be one of the most anticipated grassroots basketball events of the year as this will be the ONLY time you will see the four of the consensus top five players in the country in one gymnasium, as well as other Top 50 prospects including:
#1 RANK- O.J. MAYO- D-1 GREYHOUNDS
#2 RANK- BILL WALKER- D-1 GREYHOUNDS
#4 RANK- MICHAEL BEASLEY- DC ASSAULT
#5 RANK- KEVIN LOVE- SCA
#11 RANK- AUSTIN FREEMAN- DC ASSAULT
#19 RANK- JULIAN VAUGHN- DC ASSAULT
#31 RANK- SENARIO HILLMAN- ATLANTA CELTICS
#39 RANK- JAMES HARDEN PUMP N RUN ALL-STARS
#41 RANK- ALEX TYUS D-1 GREYHOUNDS
Additionally, some of the nation’s top rising juniors and sophomores will also be in the house, including Brandon Jennings (SoCal All-Stars), Harold Thompkins (Atlanta Celtics), William Buford (D-1 Greyhounds), and Renardo Sidney (SoCal All-Stars), who is considered by many to be the best player in the country in the Class of 2009.
2006 aRCS confirmed attendees include:
SUPER 17’S
Ø DC ASSAULT (DC.)
Ø D-ONE GREYHOUNDS (OH.)
Ø PUMP N RUN ALLSTARS (CA.)
Ø SOCAL ALL-STARS (CA.)
Ø SEATTLE ROTARY SELECT (I) (WA.)
Ø FRIENDS OF HOOP (WA.)
Ø SHAKUR VILLAGE (CA.)
Ø ATLANTA CELTICS (GA.)
OPEN DIVISION
Ø SEATTLE ROTARY SELECT(II) (WA.)
Ø NORTH CAROLINA STORM (NC.)
Ø PORTLAND 3-POINT (OR.)
Ø OAKLAND REBELS (CA.)
Ø DOUBLE PUMP ELITE (CA.)
Ø SEATTLE ROTARY SELECT (III) (WA.)
FABULOUS 15’S
Ø SEATTLE ROTARY SELECT (IV) (WA.)
Ø TEAM TG adidas (TX.)
Ø WEST SIDE HOOPS (WA.)
Ø OREGON LORDS OF THE RIM (OR.)
Ø SEATTLE ROTARY STYLE BLACK (WA)
Ø JAMAL CRAWFORD SOUTH SEATTLE SOUND (WA.)
FUTURE 14’S
Ø SEATTLE ROTARY STYLE BLUE (WA.)
Ø UNITED CELTICS (NC.)
Ø TEAM TG adidas (TX.)
Ø HIGHER HOOPS (WA.)
Ø JEFFERSON DEMOS (OR.)
Ø PORTLAND HOOP KINGS (OR.)
Ø QUICK HANDLES (WA.)
Ø TC ICEMAN (WA.)
13 & UNDER
Ø SEATTLE ROTARY STYLE BLACK (WA.)
Ø PORTLAND HOOP KINGS (OR.)
Ø TEAM TG adidas (TX.)
Ø SPOKANE STRIKE (WA.)
Ø NUTHIN BUT NET (WA.)
Ø UNITED CELTICS (NC.)
Ø S.A. FLIGHT (OR.)
Ø YAKIMA ELITE (WA.)
12 & UNDER
Ø ICP PORTLAND (OR.)
Ø SEATTLE ROTARY STYLE (WA.)
Ø PORTLAND KINGS (OR.)
Ø TEAM TG adidas (TX.)
Ø TEAM CALIFORNIA (CA.)
Ø EASTERN WASHINGTON ELITE (WA.)
Ø ICE VIBE (WA.)
Ø FUTURE (WA.)
11 & UNDER
Ø ICP PORTLAND (OR.)
Ø SEATTLE ROTARY STYLE (WA.)
Ø SHOWTIME ATHLETICS (OR.)
Ø COMCAST TARHEELS- UNIVERSITY PLACE (WA.)
Ø TEAM TG adidas (TX.)
Ø PORTLAND HOOP KINGS (OR.)
10 & UNDER
Ø ICP PORTLAND RED (OR.)
Ø SEATTLE ROTARY STYLE (WA.)
Ø ABOVE THE RIM (WA.)
Ø VISTA BOYS & GIRLS CLUB I (WA.)
Ø ICP PORTLAND BLACK (OR.)
Ø VISTA BOYS & GIRLS CLUB II (WA.
Ø TACOMA FUTURE (WA.)
Ø TEAM WEBSTER (WA.)
Are these games open to the public? If so, do you have a schedule?
Does anyone know the name of the Croatian kid mentioned above?