SoCalHoops Tournament News

LA Watts Summer Game
Semifinals & Final Results--(June 26, 2000)

We weren't able to make it out to the LA Watts Summer Games semis or the finals because we were at other tournaments, and then because of a nightmarish situation which developed at the hotel we were supposed to stay at on Saturday night, we basically got no sleep and then had to drive home from Palm Springs to LA Sunday, only managing to stagger in the front door before collapsing, so we didn't see much of anything yesterday.  But we did manage to get some details about what happened at the LA Watts Summer Games yesterday, including some details and scores from the two semifinal games and the Championship game which took place at LA Southwest College, including some stuff written by Dinos Trigonis and posted on his Fullcourt Press website. Here's what we know: 

Dominguez beat LA Dorsey in the first of the semifinal games on Sunday morning, following an evening in which Tyson Chandler apparently rested up from the Saturday morning game in the quarterfinals in which Dominguez beat Morningside 45-33, by being a no-show at the Orange County Roundball Extravaganza.   According to Dinos, Michael Wilds (6'-7" Jr. PF) of Dorsey played very well, as did Donald Wilson (6'-3" Jr. SG), both of whom play for the LA Rockfish.  Chandler not only took some time off on Saturday night from the OC Roundball, he also got some time off on Sunday in the finals, but we're getting ahead of the story. . .

The win on Sunday morning by Dominguez over Dorsey set up a Championship game at 1:30 p.m. at LA Southwest between Dominguez, winner of the past two LA Watts Summer Games, and the winner of the 11:00 a.m. Fairfax v. Westchester semifinal.   Westchester won that semifinal in a blowout over Fairfax, which played without Evan Burns for a portion of the game due to a slight injury (at least that was according to Evan's father, who we did see on Saturday evening at the Roundball Extravaganza. . . and no, Burns didn't play in that one either). 

The final betweeen Westchester and Dominguez was apparently a really close game, made that much closer when with 6 minutes remaining in the game, both Tyson Chandler (7'-0" Sr. C) from Dominguez and Westchester's own big man, Chad Bell (7'-0" Sr. C) were ejected for double-flagrant fouls.  Apprarently, Chandler fouled Bell hard, was called for the flagrant, but Bell reacted and the fight which ensued resulted in both of them getting tossed.  With 6 seconds to play, Dominguez trailed by a point, as Samir Hernandez (6'-7" Jr. PF) went to the line and sank both free throws to give Dominguez it's third straight Championship victory in the LAWSG.

Dinos' report of the game also included the following observations about several of the players for both Dominguez and Westchester:

Stepping up big time for the Dons were the rising junior trio of 6'6" Bobby Jones, 6'5" Darius Sanders and 6'3" Keion Kindred. Jones (like his namesake, former Philly 76'er Bobby Jones a generation ago) is developing quite a reputation as Southern California’s "Secretary of Defense". He utilizes his long armed 6'6" frame and excellent athletic ability to shut down opponents, grab rebounds and block more shots than a 6'6" player should. He also hounded and altered substantially the last second 30 foot shot attempt of the Comets’ talented 6'2" rising junior Brandon Heath which sealed the game for the Dons. Jones has also expanded his offensive game to include a new and improved perimeter jump shot. Sanders provides a physical presence for Dominguez and is tough to defend in the post while Kindred is greatly improved over a year ago and a is tough physical guard that can play both guard spots. Keion’s nice physique and athleticism bodes well for his long term potential.

Westchester players (besides Heath) that deserve noting include Bell who played Chandler tough and showed a nice ability to score on the block and vastly improved 6'5" rising junior Keith "Cool Breeze" Everage who showed signs of a having a perimeter game and who made several key buckets during the game that allowed the Comets build a sizeable first half lead. The Dominguez/Westchester match up attracted the attendance of a couple of former stand outs from the two powerhouses: Tommy Prince (Pepperdine) and Tony Bland (Syracuse/San Diego State)

On the girls' side of things,  Lynwood and Moreno Valley faced off in one of the semifinals at LA Southwest, and Long Beach Poly and Artesia faced off in the other semifinal.   Moreno Valley beat Lynwood, and Artesia beat Poly, setting up a Moreno Valley v. Artesia final (we don't have the scores, just the results.).   And since we didn't see it, we just don't really have any idea who won.  Sorry. . . .

 
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