wss scholastic hoops jam

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SoCalHoops High School News

Scholastic Hoops Jam 2000 Set
For Saturday, May 13--(Apr. 27, 2000)

First, an announcement, and then a beef we have to raise concerning the LA City Section and the State Commissioner's Office at the California Interscholatic Federation.

The announcment: The SCHOLASTIC HOOPS JAM 2000, a showcase event featuring the top senior boys and girls basketball players will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2000 at Los Angeles Southwest College. The event is sponsored this year by Warehouse Shoe Sale and Reebok, and will feature two separate games, a boys' senior game which will match the top LA City Section players against the top Southern Section players, and a girls' game as well, featuring a City v. Southern Section theme.

The "beef": Unlike last year, this year it looks like there will be no underclassmen game because the State and/or LA City Section, in their infinite wisdom have ruled that what was perfectly proper last year, is now somehow improper, and would constitute an "All-Star" game in violation of State CIF Bylaw 900 et. seq. Thus, it does not look like this year's talented and smart underclass players will be allowed the same privilege that last year's underclass players had of participating in the WSS Scholastic Hoops Jam.

But enough of the beef for now. . . back to the announcment. Ken Miller, who has worked tirelessly in organizing and promoting this game, issued a press release for both the boys and the girls' games a few days ago, and we've takent the liberty of slightly re-working them, adding some information where we have it regarding the players.

NATIONAL CHAMPION DOMINGUEZ
LANDS FOUR ON SENIOR BOYS TEAM

Compton Dominguez High School boy’s basketball team, which captured the National championship with a 35-2 record, led all schools placing four players on the boys Southern Section team at the second annual Scholastic Hoops Jam basketball showcase on Saturday, May 13 at Los Angeles Southwest College.

All-CIF Southern Section selection and San Gabriel Valley League choices unsigned seniors Larry Johnson (6'-2" Sr. SG) and Sherman Gay (6'-6" Sr. SG/SF) and Pepperdine-signee Micah McKinney (6'-3" Sr. PG/SG) will represent the Dons in the boys featured game against the L.A. City Section.

Long Beach Poly and Crenshaw each landed three players a piece, while Westchester, Fairfax and Price Christian had two players chosen.

The Southern Section team will be coached by Long Beach Poly’s Ron Palmer and Crenshaw guru Willie West will pilot the L.A. City Section team.

Representing Long Beach Poly will be All-CIF Southern Section player and University of Missouri-signee Wesley Stokes (5'-10" Sr. PG), AJ Diggs (5'-10" Sr. PG) who has been accepted at the University of California at Berkeley and who may walk on to the team there, and All-CIF Southern Section unsigned power forward/center Joe Travis (6'-8" Sr. PF/C).

Meanwhile, Crenshaw will be represented by L.A. City Player of the Year and Washington State-signee Tommy Johnson (6'-3" Sr. SG). He will be joined by Kansas State-signee EJ Harris (6'-2" Sr. PG) and unsigned center Chris Davis (6'-7" Sr. PF/C). Westchester All City forward Jason Breland (6'-4" Sr. SF) will be playing for the L.A. City Section along with teammate and Sacramento State-signee Cedric Thompkins (6'-8" Sr. PF/SF).

L.A. City semifinalists Fairfax will be represented by All City combo shooting guard/small forward Jason Morrissette (6'-4" Sr. SG/SF) who has signed to play at Santa Clara University next season, and point guard Fowzi Abdelsamad (6'-2" Sr. PG).

Division V Player of the Year Mychal Lynch (6'-1" Sr. PG) and Division V John Wooden Award Player of the Year Othell Johnson (6'-5" Sr. SF) will represent Price and the Southern Section.

Other participants for the Southern Section team include: Arizona-signee Andrew Zahn (6'-9" Sr. PF) from Redondo Union, Brian Taylor (6'-0" Sr. PG) from Inglewood, unsigned Ayala senior Marc McCoy (6'-1" Sr. G), University of Nevada-Reno signee and top All-CIF point guard Andre Hazel (6'-0" Sr. PG), Redlands' Danny Genung (6'-7" Sr. PF) who recently signed with the Air Force Academy, unsigned Crossroads wing guard Felipe Williams (6'-4" Sr. SG/SF), and USC football (and possible basketball) player Gregg Guenther (6'-8" Sr. PF). Other participants include L.A. City Section players such as Magnet League Player of the year, Juan Ibarra from Roosevelt, and Julian Blake from Dorsey.

Last year the L.A. City Section senior boys defeated the Southern Section 93-83, and this year's game promises to be just as exciting.

EBONY HOFFMAN & HOOPS JAM LADIES
ARE A COLLECTION OF THE ELITE

On the girls side, the City Section will be coached by James Anderson of Narbonne High School, who will coach City Section Co-Player of the Year Ebony Hoffman. Hoffman was named Marine League MVP, First Team USA Today, Street & Smith All American first Team, and Scholastic Hoops Jam Player of the Year. She averaged 14 ppg, 13 rpg, 2 apg, 3 blocks and 2 steals per game, and she managed all that and a 3.4 gpa. Hoffman has signed with USC for next season.

Joining Hoffman on the LA City Section team will be teammates such as All-City guard LaTasha O'Keith, Adrionna Fike and Kelly Davis. In addition to her own Narbonne teammates, Hoffman will be joined by several other top City Section players, including Crenshaw's All-City player Trilena Amos and Washington's duo of All-City performers Shannell Law and Tramaine Parker.

The Southern Section team will also feature some of the top girls' talent in the country, including Orange County Player of the Year Giuliana Mendiola, who averaged 34 ppg for El Toro, and the dazzling Dawn McCollouch of Long Beach Wilson, who was named Moore League Player of the Yer, CIF Division I-AA Player of the Year and was also selected First Team All-CIF Southern Section D-IAA and to the All-State First Team by Cal-Hi Sports. Mendiola was also chosen South Coast League MVP, First Team All-CIF Southern Section, and has had the honor of having her high school jersey retired with the Orange County scoring record of 3,069 point.

Other Southern Section players invited to participate include Brea Olinda's All-Southern Section center Chelsea Trotter and Candice Allen from Ayala. Allen, like Hoffman, will be playing her final high school game for Mel Sims, who will coach the Southern Section team..

The event is, as noted above, sponsored by Warehouse Shoe Sale and Reebok and is a tribut to academics and athletics. All participants were required to submit a 250 word essay and proff of at least a 2.8 grade point average in order to be eligible to play and participate. All proceeds from the game will be donated to Independent All-Stars Athletic Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping you excell in both sports and academics through sports.

Advance Tickets are available at any Warehouse Shoe Sale, Call (800) 276-2002 for a location near you. Remaining tickets will be available at L.A. Southwest College on the day of the games.

If you have any questions or would like further information feel free to contact Ken Miller at (310) 715-9300 ext. 257.

And now, some additional thoughts on the CIF and their tentative decision to not permit underclassmen to play. First, it should be recognized that the Scholastic Hoops Jam is a concept different from most other touraments or showcase events in that all of the participants are required to have a 2.8 gpa or better in order to be eligible to participate and also have to write the required essay. Notwithstanding the academic requirement and the primary thrust of the event as one promoting the academic elements, including the pre-game banquet, the visit to the Boys' & Girls' Clubs where the athletes serve as prime examples of how to merge and balance athletics and academics, apparently the City Section of the CIF, and based on an inquiry from an assistant Commisioner of the City Section, has taken a different view of the game, ruling that no underclassmen game can participate because it constitutes an "All-Star" contest.

For those who remember last year's event, which featured two great underclass game featuring freshmen, sophs and junior boys and girls, this decision comes as a great disappointment, and demonstrates just how draconian some of the CIF's bylaws actually are when applied to real-life situations. More importantly, they demonstrate that some of the rules are not only discriminatory, but just don't make any sense. Apparently the CIF, relying on Article 9, commencing with Rule 900, has determined that an underclassmen game would be an "All-Star" competition, which is not permitted. Here's the rule, and we have to say, it's one of the more idiotic rules we've ever read, and no one we spoke with at the CIF either clearly understood the reason the rule was enacted, nor why it still exists in its current form. Here's the rule:

900. PARTICIPATION

A student may participate in All-Star competition, other than football and basketball, between the conclusions of the CIF Section's season of sport and September 1. Graduating seniors only may participate in two All-Star basketball contests following the conclusion of the CIF section basketball season. A student shall not participate in All-Star competition or on similar teams in contests or exhibitions in any CIF approved sport between September 2 and the conclusion of the CIF section's season of sport. Upon petition to the State CIF Federated Council, a limited number of high schools may form basketball teams for international cultural exchange competition between June 15 and September 1. For purposes of interpreting the CIF "All-Star" rule, high school "All-Star" competition is any game, contest, or exhibition in which teams compete and the team participants include students from CIF member schools selected on a basis that involves, but may not necessarily be limited to, their high school athletic accomplishments.

The following guidelines are to be considered in determining whether the activity is high school "All-Star" competition insofar as the CIF rule is concerned:

A. If the team name or activity includes "All-Star" in its title, it shall be considered as "All-Star" competition unless it qualifies otherwise by these guidelines.

B. If a team includes high school participants and the team purports to represent outstanding players from any community, county, state or geographical region, it shall be considered as "All-Star" competition unless it qualifies otherwise by these guidelines.

C. If a team includes high school participants and the team represents itself in name, publicity, or programs as being composed of outstanding players from two or more high schools, or from one or more CIF leagues, or from one or more CIF sections, it shall be considered as high school "All-Star" competition unless it qualifies otherwise by these guidelines.

D. If no admission charge is made nor donation solicited for the activity, it shall not be considered as "All-Star" competition.

E. If the team(s) represents an organized sports association, religious organization, or municipal recreation department and the team(s) is comprised solely of current participants in ongoing leagues or divisions of that organization, it shall not be considered as high school "All-Star" competition.

F. If the team(s) is comprised solely of current members of an incorporated athletic club, it shall not be considered as high school "All-Star" competition.

So what about this rule, anyway. Why single out football and basketball? Why is it that for every other sport, a student can, after his "season of sport" participate in All-Star play until the start of the school year (i.e., on or about September 1)? In every sport other than basketball (and football), students can participate in All-Star competitions.

The event last year was clearly no different than the underclass game planned for this year. We spoke with Barbara Fiege of the LA City Section, and while she acknowledged the existence of the rule, stated that she had no real idea of why the rule made any distinction between basketball, and say, baseball. We also spoke briefly with Jack Hayes at the State CIF Office to obtain some clarification, and it seemed that if there was any way that the event could be deemed to not be an all-star game, the State Office would permit participation of underclass players as well. He stated that he would be speaking shortly with Barbara Fiege to determine if there was still a way that the games for underclass scholar-athletes might yet take place, however when we spoke with LA City Section Commissioner Fiege, she said she had not yet heard from Mr. Hayes and that unless and until she heard from him, their hands were tied. "The State Office issued a ruling, and unless they change it, we're stuck," Fiege told us by telephone.

It seems that the CIF is looking at this in the wrong light. Indeed a rule which states that "If a team includes high school participants and the team purports to represent outstanding players from any community, county, state or geographical region, it shall be considered as "All-Star" competition unless it qualifies otherwise by these guidelines," is just ridiculous, considering that the event is supposed to be showcasing excellence. Everyone has to be from somewhere, i.e., a geographical region, but that's a pretty harsh interpretation of the rule in this case.

Of course players in showcase games are selected, at least in part, for their abilities on the basketball court. . . if they weren't, what would be the point of such a showcase. Likewise, in this instance, the event is organized for charitable purposes, to celebrate education in athletics and to honor those students who have managed to successfully balance both aspects of their lives. To call an underclassmen game such as the one which had been planned, and which took place last year, an impermissible "all-star" contest because it will be donating the proceeds to a charity, is, it seems to us, the antithesis of what the CIF is all about. Indeed, last season the City and Southern Section wholeheartedly promoted and participated in the WSS Scholastic Hoops Jam games (we sat next to Barbara Fiege at the pre-game banquet, where speakers such as UCLA's Michael Holton talked about the value of academics), both the underclass and senior games. Nothing, we repeat, nothing, has changed between then and now, from a substantive point of view. If the game wasn't deemed to be an All-Star game last year, what's different about it this year? From our perspective, the decision to not allow underclassmen to participate is simply wrongheaded, particularly since the CIF's action in this case just seems punitive.

Still, even if the underclassmen aren't permitted to participate, this will be a great event, with two phenomenal senior games planned.

See you there.