SoCalHoops High School News

KMOX Shootout: Battle Of The Big
Men In St. Louis Tomorrow--(Dec. 6, 2000)

Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversity of the KMOX Shootout, a one-day event which takes place in St. Louis, Mo., which attracts some of the top players in the country each year.   This year, the event is being billed as the "Battle of the Big Men" and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the place to log on to find out about what's happening in the games this year.  They have a nice stats online feature where you'll be able to get complete details on the matchup between Compton Dominguez and Chicago Thornwood, and the featured battle between Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler.  Here's a preview of the event from the Post-Dispatch, together with links to the stats online (click the logo above or below to get there).  Oh, and best of all, you can also listen to the games live online by clicking on this link to WGNU Radio, from St. Louis, which will carry play by play of all eight games.   Just like being there. . . . except you're not. . . but it's better than a sharp stick in the eye.   Good luck to Dominguez, and hopefully they'll have recovered from their loss to Upland at the BCW Tournament this past weekend. Here's a schedule of the games (Note: Times  listed below are LOCAL TO ST. LOUIS; adjust accordingly):

10:15 a.m. -Parkway West vs. Parkway South (girls) 11:45 a.m.- Belleville West vs. Hazelwood Central 1:15 p.m. - Pleasant Plains (IL) vs. Columbia (IL) 2:45 p.m. - Phoenix St. Mary's vs. Mt. Zion (IL) 4:30 p.m. - Beaumont vs. Leavenworth (KS) 6:00 p.m. - Oak Hill Academy (VA) vs. Whitney Young (IL) 7:30 p.m. - Chaminade vs. Centralia (IL) 9:00 p.m. - Thornwood (IL) vs. Dominguez (CA)

Top High School Big Men In Nation Square Off
By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- For its 20th anniversary, the Shootout has a game matching two of the best high school centers in the country.

More than 20 NBA teams will be represented Thursday when 6-foot-11 Eddy Curry of Chicago Thornwood and 7-1 Tyson Chandler of defending national champion Compton (Calif.) Dominguez meet in the finale of the eight-game event at the Savvis Center.

Meet organizer Keith Pickett said the pairing reminded him of the 1987 Shootout, when future NBA players LaPhonso Ellis and Alonzo Mourning faced each other. Those are two of the 49 NBA players who have participated in the Shootout over the years, including 32 first-round picks.

Curry has signed with DePaul but most likely will be an NBA lottery pick and could even be the No. 1 overall selection.

"He can be as powerful as Shaquille O'Neal, he can run the floor like Karl Malone and he can create his own shot," Thornwood assistant coach Bob Curran said.

Curry averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks as a junior. He's impressed with the setting, and the interest.

"I knew the game was important, but I didn't know it would attract scouts like that," Curry said. "I guess you've got the top players coming to the top tournament."

Curry is noncommittal, for now, about going pro. "I feel if you're ready, you should go," Curry said. "Right now I'm going to go to college, but after the season is over with I'll see what I'm thinking."

Chandler was the California player of the year and led Dominguez to a 35-2 record and fourth Division II state championship in five seasons. He averaged 20 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks last season.

Teams from six states will be represented in the event, which has seven boys' games and one girls' game. Four other players in the field have been rated among the nation's top 20 prospects, including 6-8 David Lee of St. Louis Chaminade (Florida), 7-foot DeSagana Diop and 6-3 Rashaad Carruth (Kentucky) of Oak Hill Academy of Mouth of Wilson, Va., and 6-8 Wayne Simien (Kansas) of Leavenworth, Kan. Diop also could jump straight from high school to the NBA.

Oak Hill Academy is the preseason No. 1 team in the country and will be making its third appearance in the Shootout against No. 8 Chicago Whitney Young. Oak Hill has lost each of its first two trips to St. Louis, both times when it was ranked No. 1. Last year, Chicago Westinghouse beat Oak Hill. "We get a little used to it around here," coach Steve Smith said of the ranking. "Hopefully, we'll play better."

Four Whitney Young players have signed national letters of intent and 6-7 Marcus White is regarded as one of the top juniors in the country. White injured his hand last week, however, when he hit an opponent on the head on the follow-through of a dunk.

St. Mary's of Phoenix, Ariz., and Mount Zion, Ill., each has three Division I signees.

 
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