pump challenge mlk

What: adidas Double Pump 2000 Hoop Challenge
Where: Long Beach City College
When: Saturday, Jan. 17, 2000, MLK Weekend
Who: 16 of the top teams from all over SoCal

10:30 a.m.	Simi Valley HS v. Gardena Serra HS
12:00 p.m	Fairfax HS v. Westchester HS
1:30 p.m.	Artesia HS v. Bellflower HS
3:00 p.m.	Jurupa Valley HS v. Centennial (Corona) HS
4:30 p.m.	Mater Dei HS v. Los Alamitos HS
6:00 p.m.	Bishop Montgomery HS v. Washington Union HS (Fresno)
7:30 p.m.	Long Beach Poly HS v. Long Beach Jordan HS
9:00 p.m.	Inglewood HS v. Redondo Union

This is going to be a phenomenal event, at a new location for Double Pump-run events. Hosted by Long Beach Poly High Schoo, the adidas Double Pump Hoop Challenge will feature some of the top teams in the State, including an much-anticipated matchup between the Craven twins and DeShawn Stevenson. Really, if you see only one game this whole weekend, we wouldn't miss that one for anything. . . . and there are seven other games that will be just as good, including several nationally ranked teams.

We're frequently are asked by tournament organizers to prepare program notes, and we were happy to do the same for this one. We can't say that what you'll actually see printed in the program will be precisely what's below, but it should be close. . . These will be some great matchups, and we'll be out there out at Long Beach City College for most of the day, and we'll have game reports throughout the day (hopefully, if we can get phone access), and photos too. The MLK Weekend is going to be a virtual non-stop basketball fix for hoops junkies, and there are several other events to choose from, especially on Saturday, but there's no doubt that this one is going to have some "must-see" games you won't want to miss. Here are our notes on each of the matchups:

This interesting matchup will feature one of the top teams in Division I (Simi) again last year's Division IV champion (Serra). Simi Valley was the 1999 Southern Section Division I-A runner-up (to Mater Dei), and returns virtually everyone with the exception of Rafael Berumen, (now at the University of New Mexico). Simi's new coach, Christian Aurand, has had great success already, as Simi won the prestigious 1999 Reebok Las Vegas Holiday Prep Classic's "Gold Cup" with a perfect 4-0 tourney record, and finished well at the 1999 San Diego Nike Prep Classic. Led by UCSB-signee Branduinn Fullove (6'-5" Sr. SG/SF) and unsigned Brett Michel (6'-6" Sr. SG/SF), the two are among the region's scoring and rebounding leaders, and with the inside presence of big man Dustin Villepigue (6'-9" Jr. SF/PF) they should provide an interesting matchup with Serra's big men and guard attack. In the backcourt, Simi features the able guard duo of the steady Shaun Michel (6'-2" Jr. PG) and solid Anish Sharda (6'-2" Sr. G), and excellent perimeter shooting from Ryan Bradshaw (6'-2" Jr. G), Jared Weaver (6'-4" Jr. G) and Saunray Winchester (6'-6" Sr. F). Matching up with Serra's outside scoring and slashing will be difficult, and the Cavaliers feature some of the best scorers in the region, like the unsigned Dolye Cole (6'-6" Sr. SG/SF), Keon Kirkpatrick (6'-5" Jr. F), Austin Jackson (6'-5" Jr. F) and Kelechi Ekeledo (6'-1" Sr. SG/SF). In the backcourt, Serra has great speed and ballhandling from the unsigned DJ Wyatt (5'-10" Sr. PG), and up front, they feature the agile footwork and scoring ability of San Diego State-signee Aerick Sanders (6'-9" Sr. F/C).

This Western League game will be a rematch of one these two teams recently played at the finals of the Reebok Holiday Prep Classic in December. Between them they represent last season's LA City Section runner-up, the Fairfax Lions, against the 1998 California State Division I Champions and last year's LA City Section quarterfinalists, the Westchester Comets. Both teams have done well in the preseason: Both played at the prestigious Reebok Holiday Prep Classic "Millenium Cup" tournament; Fairfax finished 6th in the San Diego Nike Prep "Classic Division", while Westchester played in the Championship game of the King Cotton Classic in Little Rock, Arkansas. And both teams come into this game as leading contenders for the 2000 City Section title. Up front and inside you'll see Fairfax's top forward prospects Evan Burns (6'-8" So. F/C) and Craig Smith (6'-8" Jr. F/C) battling it out against Westchester's top big men, unsigned Cedric Thompkins (6'-8" Sr. F) and junior Chad Bell (7'-0" Jr. C). The Lion's also have Santa Clara-signee and top shooting guard/small forward Jason Morrissette (6'-6" Sr. SG/SF) and tough unsigned Scottie Stern (6'-4" Sr. SG/SF) who will battle out on the perimeter with the Comets' unsigned prospects Kevin Brown (6'-2" Sr. G), Charlie Colosimo (5'-11" Sr. SG), and Jason Breland (6'-4" Sr. SF). In the backcourt, look for matchups between Fairfax's Ishamael Torres (6'-2" Sr. PG), Fernando Sampson (6'-1" So. G) Marqui Jones (6'-5" Sr. SG/SF), and Fowzi Abdelsamad (6'-5" Sr. PG/SG), against Westchester's young and talented backcourt and perimeter specialists like Seamaj' White (6'-1" Jr. PG/SG), Ashanti Cook (6'-1" So. PG), Brandon Heath (6'-2" So. SG), and Keith Everage (6'-4" So. F).

Bellflower, a solid Southern Section D-IIAA high school team, comes into this Suburban League game with a winning record, but they'll be facing a team which was, just two weeks ago, ranked at No. 1 by USA Today; the Pioneers are currently ranked at No. 6 in the country (as of Jan 5). The Buccaneers will have their hands full with top players like University of Nevada signee Andre Hazel (6'-0" Sr. PG), and the frontcourt duo of top 20 juniors Jack Martinez (6'-9" Jr. PF) and Amaury Fernandez (6'-9" Jr. PF). On the wings, Artesia is also loaded with guys like super-shooters and ABCD-invitee Jon Steffanson (6'-6" So. SG/SF), Tony Roberts (6'-3" Jr. SG), Malcolm Heron (6'-4" Jr.SG/SF), and the explosive Franklin Matos (6'-3" So. SG/PG). Artesia has several other talented shooters and ballhandlers like Ryan Reyes (6'-4" Jr. PG/SG), Ricky Thornton (5'-11" Sr. PG) Aaron Aska (5'-10" Sr. G), and Fred Ang (5'-10" Sr. G), and they've got more talent up front with talented but young Ryan Meilluer (6'-8" So. F). Bellflower will be at a height disadvantage since their tallest player is listed at 6'-3", and they’ll attack from the perimeter and depend on their running game with a quick group of guards like Taku Muradzikwa (6'-0" Sr. G), Eli Curtis (6'-3" Sr. G), Ryan Tillett (5'-10" Sr. G), Daron Botts (6'-3" Sr. G) Delanta Lewis (6'-2" So. G), Chris Bates (5'-10" Sr. G), Brian Adkins (5'-10" Sr. G), Devontae Battle (6'-1" So. G), Justin Allen (6'-0" Jr. G), Rahmaud Richardson (5'-11" Sr. G), Kendrick Sanders (6'-2" So. G), Jacory Bradford (6'-3" Jr. F), Vincent Peterson (5'-6" Sr. G) and Anthony Osburn (6'-3" Sr. G/F).

This Mountain View League game will feature a battle of Inland Empire teams with a couple of really big men up front as well as some terrific outside shooting and running and gunning from a collection of speedy guards. Mira Loma Jurupa Valley is a Southern Section D-IA team which features big man Justin Garcia (7'-1" Sr. C), who can dunk standing flat-footed; high scoring Brad Lauritzen (5'-10" Sr. G/F) and forward Josh Lozano (6'-4" Jr. F) also lead the offense for the Jaguars. The Centennial Huskies comes into this game as the league favorite, and a legitimate Division IA Southern Section title contender, having won their own holiday tournament (defeating Santiago for the title), played at the Ocean View Tournament of Champions, and Jamaal Williams' (6'-6" Jr. F) 33 point performance at the Orange Holiday Classic was one of the memorable December tourney performances. Corona comes in with a solid core of returning players, including a solid backcourt with guys like Josh Barnes (5'-9" Sr. PG), Ira Peppers (5'-8" Sr. PG/SG), Stephon Seales (6'-0" Sr. SG) and outstanding wing players like Bryan Gonzales (6'-4" Jr. SG/SF), the high scoring David Sybesma (6'-5" Jr. SG/SF), a solid Bryan Williams (6'-1" Jr. SG/SF), and the crafty J.R. Reese (6'-3" So. SG/SF). Look for a battle of the big men and some great perimeter play in this contest.

Sit down, fasten your seat belt, and hold on, as national superpower Mater Dei (currently ranked No. 9 in the country by USA Today's "Super 25"), squares off against perennial Orange County power, Los Al. The Monarchs are loaded with D-I talent (and we don't mean just D-I CIF either), and are led by unsigned senior shooters Steve Scoggin (6'-0" Sr. SG) and Christian McGuigan (6'-3" Sr. SG/SF). But if you're here to scout the game, then national top 10 junior center Jamal Sampson (6'-11" Jr. C), nephew of NBA veteran Ralph Sampson and Cedric Bozeman (6'-5' Jr. PG) who committed to UCLA as a sophomore will be certain to entertain. Jamal, together with Erik Soderberg (6'-9 1/2" Jr. F/C) and younger brother Lance Soderberg (6'-8" So. SG/SF/PF) anchor the frontline with some assistance from the multi-talented freshman Harrison Schaen (6'-8" Fr. SF/PF). In the backcourt, Mater Dei has Bozeman, and a full complement of excellent guards with Ricky Porter (6'-2" Jr. PG/SG), Brian Baker (5'-10" Jr. PG) and Pat Haddan (6'-1" So. PG/SG), all solid ball handlers, who will get some assistance on the wings from the athletic Mike Strawberry (6'-5" So. SF/SG). The Griffins have a new coach (Richard Smith), a new attitude, and continue to steamroll over the early preseason competition, winning the Championship of the Pacifica Tournament, taking second at the Los Al Main Event Tourney (to Mayfair), and winning the Lahainaluna Tournament. The Griffins feature several legitimate D-I prospects, and they will again contend for a Division I-AA title. Up front look for Jeff Grgas (6'-9" Sr. C), Kenny Carter (6'-8" Sr. C/F, a transfer from Gahr, Mike Sanford (6'-5" Sr. PF) and Brian Rakusin (6'-7" Jr. C/F). In the backcourt and out on the perimeter, Los Al has a number of excellent ballhandlers and shooters, including Eddie Courtemarche (6'-1" Jr. G), Sean Harrington (6'-2" Sr. SG), Ryan Keller (6'-1" Sr. SG), Ian Martini (6'-4" Jr. SG/SF), Jeff Smith (6'-0" Sr. G), Steve Shinen (6'-3" Jr. SG/SF) and lone sophomore Eric Yarger (6'-4" So. SG/SF).

If you see only one game all year, this might be one of the best. This intersectional game between Division III powerhouses, should be a high scoring dunk-contest, a possible prelude to a rematch later in March during the Southern Regional State Championship playoffs if both teams continue to win. Bishop Montgomery has played solidly in the preseason, taking the Championship of the La Canada Tournament, finishing third at the Pacific Shores Tournament, and taking fifth at the prestigious Best in the West Invitational. Defending State Champs, and Central Section title holder Washington Union has played many of the top teams in the country already, and even though they haven't taken any titles home, they continued to impressed at the Iolani Classic (Hawaii), the BCW "Battle of Central Cal" (Fresno), the Slam Dunk to the Beach (Delaware), and at the KMOX Shootout (St. Louis, Mo.) The Panthers feature unbelievable depth, and their top player, national consensus Top 5 player DeShawn Stevenson (6'-5" Sr. PG/SG/SF) has already signed with the University of Kansas. Stevenson is a deadly accurate shooter from three point range, and his athletic dunking is startling. Bishop Montgomery may have the answer to Stevenson though with their own athletic slam artists Errick Craven (6'-2" Sr. PG) and Derrick Craven (6'-2" Sr. SG), two of the quickest, and most exciting ballhandlers and scorers in high school basketball. Stevenson, together with teammates shooter DeShawn Anderson (6'-3" Sr. G), Jordan Brice (6'-1" Sr. PG), a steady and solid point, and the quick Archie Copeland (5'-9" Jr. G) will look to contain the Cravens and the rest of the Knights' backcourt, including the crafty Kenny D'Oyen (5'-10" Jr. PG), and the dangerous combination of DeVaughn Peace (6'-3" Jr. PG/SG), Leland Dodd (6'-2" Jr. SG/SF) and Gavin Lee (6'-3" So. SG/SF). Both teams also have good size up front: Bishop is led by the powerful Brian Pruitt (6'-6" Sr. F) while Washington Union features a quartet of big men on the roster with Keith Sconiers (6'-7" Jr. C/F), Maurice Shaw (6'-9" Fr. C) Herve Jalee (6'-8" Sr. C) and Fabrice M'Balla-Morgan (6'-7" Jr. SG/SF). Bishop Montgomery also has a great supporting cast of guards and forwards in Ian Salisbury (6'-0" Sr. G), Daniel Fynaardt (6'-1" Sr. G) and Craig Caldwell (6'-3" Jr. SF/PF), as well as talented freshman Fred Washington (6'-3" Fr. SG). The Panthers also feature a number of other supporting players who can be potentially dangerous, including Antario Macklin (6'-2" Jr. G ), Angelo Garza (6'-3" Jr. G), Marvin Carraway (6'-0" So. G), Charles Perales (6'-5" Sr. F) Dale Graham (6'-3" So. SG/SF), Adam Fain (6'-4" Sr. F) and Clint Horne (6'-1" Sr. F).

This Moore League game matches Coach Ron Palmer's Poly Jackrabbits (currently ranked 8th in the West by USA Today), led by Missouri signee Wesley Stokes (5'-11" Sr. PG) against the Long Beach Jordan Panthers, led by national top 20 recruit Travon Bryant (6'-9" Sr. PF). Poly was a Southern Section Division I-AA finalist last season, and in this past December they won the Millenium Cup Tournament division at the Las Vegas Reebok Holiday Prep Classic, and took third at the prestigious Best in the West Invitational, beating nationally ranked No. 18 Clovis West (USA Today). Long Beach Jordan has had an up and down preseason, finishing 5th (3-1) at the Reebok Holiday Prep Classic in the "Gold Cup" division, and taking 9^th at the Best in the West after losing in the fifth place semifinals. The Jackrabbits feature some of the best guard play in the country, including Stokes who has taken his game to a whole new level since last year's adidas Double Pump Hoop Challenge. Joining Stokes the backcourt are some of the quickest players in SoCal, including A.J. Diggs (5'-10" Sr. PG), Adrian Martin (5'-9" Sr. PG/SG), Ramaan Shotwell (5'-10" Sr. SG/PG), Tim Thomas (5'-10" Sr. G) and sophomore sensation Carlos Rivers (5'-10" So. PG) who has been ranked by some as among the top three rising point guards in SoCal. Matching up against Jordan's Travon Bryant down in the paint will be Poly's big men, Joe Travis (6'-8" Sr. F/C), Charles Jones (6'-5" Sr. F/C), and Mercedes Lewis (6'-7" So. F). For Jordan, there's no doubt that Travon is their leader, a fluid and steady presence in the paint, a big man with mobility who can also hit the jumper out to three point range or jam above the rim. But in addition to Travon, the Panthers feature some quick guard play from Alshawn Rodgers (6'-1" Sr. SG), Jonathon Holly (5'-8" Sr. PF), Nick Tamarao (5'-11" Sr. G), Keith Rogers (5'-8" Jr. G), and .Anthony Massey (5'-10" Jr. PG/SG), and they've got good shooting and scoring from juniors Rashawn Childs (6'-3" Jr. SG) and Ron Banks (6'-2" Jr. SG). Out on the wings, Jordan has some very athletic slashers who can get to the rim, including the high-scoring Donald Williams (6'-2" Jr. SG), newcomers Clay Salima (6'-4" Jr. SF/PF) Donte Cottrell (6'-1" Jr. G), and returnee Kendall Lucas (6'-4" Sr. SF), and they'll matchup with Poly's athletic core group of wing players, including Ryan Love (6'-5" So. F), Reggie Butler (6'-5" So. F), Lonnel Penman (6'-3" Sr. SG/SF), Markee White (6'-4" Jr. SF/SG), Pat Phillips 6'-0" Jr. SG/SF) and, if he's healthy, pure shooter and rebounding specialist Jonathan Harper (6'-4" Jr. SG/SF).

This Bay League game between Inglewood and Redondo Union will be a great way to end the day, as the Sea Hawks and their top national recruit Andrew Zahn (6'-10" Sr. PF) will square off against Inglewood's cadre of guards and their own top power forward, DeAngelo Collins (6'-9" So. PF). The Sea Hawks have had an up and down preseason: The ups this season have included championships at the prestigious Pacific Shores Tournament and the Sea Hawk Classic, as well as finishing well at the Oregon Holiday Invitational against some of the best teams in the West; "downs" have included a surprising upset in the league opener against Peninsula in overtime. But there have been more ups than downs, and Redondo figures to be a factor this year in the Southern Section Division II-AA playoffs. Inglewood has also had a mixed preseason, but this game should be a wild one, since both teams have speed, size and the ability to score almost at will on the break. In addition to Andrew Zhan, Redondo features some of the best shooters and slashers in SoCal, including Dylan Mathis (6'-4" Sr. SG/SF), Ryan Mollins (6'-5" Sr. SG/SF), Walter White (6'-5" Sr. F), and one of the best kept secrets in phenom Dijon Thompson (6'-7" Jr. SG). In the sophomore class, Paul Meynen (6'-11" So. F) and Andrew's brother Adam Zahn (6'-7" So. F) are also solid, and "little" Zahn has the potential to be a top prospect too. In the backcourt, Redondo has Brendan Behan (5'-7" So. PG) a heady player at the point, Keith Ellison (5'-11" So. PG/SG), and they're complemented by a solid bench which includes players like Jameel Bell (6'-2" Sr. F), Sam Chance (6'-0" Sr. SG/SF), Martel Graggs (5'-11" Sr. G), Andrew Morris (5'-10" Sr. SG), Tyronne Pryor (5'-7" Sr. G), Trent Turner (6'-2" Jr. F), and the exciting freshman prospect Wendell White (6'-4" Fr. G). Inglewood has its own group of speedy guards, including the quick and solid Brian Taylor (6'-0" Sr. PG), Teddy Fletcher (5'-10" Jr. PG) a deceptively tough ball handler, Edward McKinney (6'-3" Sr. SG), Lovestar Adams (6'-1" Jr. SG), Anthony Davis (6'-4" Jr. SG), a transfer from Fairfax, Phillip Givens (6'-1" Jr. G). Otis Hawkins (6'-5" Jr. G), Senian Norman (6'-0" So. G), freshman sensation Ray Ray Reed (6'-1" Fr. SG), and Manual Arts' transfer Earl Felix (6'-5" So. F), brother of Noel Felix (6'-10" Sr. F/C) who graduated from Inglewood last season and is currently playing for Fresno State.