Super Six Draws Top Two

Annual Big Apple event draws No. 1 and No. 2 head coaches

Jan. 13, 2008

By Patrick Stevens

CSTV.com

No. 9 ranked junior Dexter Strickland announces for North Carolina (VIDEO)

NEW YORK CITY - The annual Nike Super Six drew three New York vs. New Jersey match-ups of perennial high school powers, as well as the head coaches of college basketball's No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams.

North Carolina's Roy Williams and Memphis' John Calipari showed their recruiting energy by spending their Sundays in the Big Apple just a day removed from coaching their teams to victories. The men in charge of the nation's current best exchanged handshakes and laughs for photographers for a brief minute together before sitting courtside as some of March Madness' future stars led their respective teams at Madison Square Garden.

For Williams, it was a sweet day as he'd receive a commitment from one of the country's top juniors.

The Tar Heels' head coach and assistant coach Joe Holladay applauded as No. 9 ranked Class of 2009 prospect Dexter Strickland headed to the bench with his St. Patrick's (N.J.) team holding a secure lead in the final minute of their game with St. Raymond (N.Y.).

Following the final buzzer, Strickland announced he'd be headed to Chapel Hill over the likes of Florida and Michigan State.

The 6-foot-4 combo guard scored 11 points, grabbed eight rebounds and handed out seven assists in a 64-56 victory. Playing under the watchful eye of his future coach - whom he says he chose a week ago but kept the decision quiet - did nothing to rattle his production on the floor.

"I just play my game, whether it be in front of Coach Williams or Coach Donovan or Coach Izzo," Strickland said, wearing a UNC hat and sweatshirt in the press room. "I don't feel any extra pressure."

St. Patrick's head coach Kevin Boyle fully endorsed his underclassman floor general's move.

"Carolina is a tremendous fit for him," Boyle said. "He will have the chance to really become a student of the game there in the system they run and grow in the mental aspect of the game. He'll continue to learn ways of sharing the ball and how to come off screens to get his shot and such. "

It was the second-time in three years that a St. Patrick's player made his college commitment at the Super Six. Villanova's Corey Fisher committed to the Wildcats while playing under Boyle two years ago.

Memphis' Calipari has a vested interest in two young swingmen from the Big Apple, and made the trip last year as well as he watched current Tigers freshman Derrick Rose lead his Chicago, Ill., Simeon high school team in the event.

Omari Lawrence scored nine points and had four steals before fouling out in Bronx-based St. Raymond's loss to St. Patrick's. Durand Scott scored 14 for Harlem-located Rice H.S. in their 55-52 loss to Garden State and national power St. Benedict.

Both are also being monitored by the likes of assistant coaches in attendance from USC (Assistant coach Gib Arnold), Xavier (Head coach Sean Miller and assistant Book Richardson), DePaul (Assistant coach Gary Decesare), Seton Hall (Head coach Bobby Gonzalez and assistant Dermon Player) and Providence (assistant Allen Griffen).

But the day was as much about the '09 developing talents as it was for the college-ready seniors.

UConn signed-and-sealed recruit Kemba Walker had 18 points for Rice, while Louisville-bound Samardo Samuels scored 14 points and 13 rebounds in three quarters of work for opponent St. Benedict.

Samuels missed the first quarter due to in-house issues that head coach Danny Hurley said had to be dealt with discipline handed out to the 6-foot-8 power forward, currently ranked No. 4 nationally in the senior class. But not to worry, Cardinal faithful, as Samuels isn't expected to follow the path of troubled Louisville forward Derrick Caracter, another New Jersey high school hoop product.

"Samardo's been a model senior all year and a leader of our team," Hurley said. "We hold our kids at St. Benedict to high standards, and this was just a bad week for him that needed to be addressed."

The Jamaica native put the game away with a momentum-turning three-point play, coming on a put-back with 30 seconds remaining and drawing a foul in the process with three Rice players draped over an imposing frame. Samuels has been in tune with how his future team is playing thus far this season.

"Those are my guys down there at Louisville, they'll be alright," he said, with eventual teammate Edgar Sosa being a Super Six participant two years ago for Rice. "They got off to a slow start, but they'll be back at the top of the conference soon. I would have watched them today if I wasn't playing."

For Walker, he sliced and diced his way through the defensive pressure and finished at the rim countless times with his signature gliding finger-roll off the power-dribble attack. UConn assistant coach Pat Sellers looked on, and Walker is looking forward to suiting up in Storrs. The 6-foot point guard ranked among the senior class' national Top 50 caught the end of the Huskies' heart-breaking loss at Georgetown on Saturday.

"That was just a ridiculous shot Roy Hibbert made. I couldn't believe it," Walker said. "I've been excited watching them this year. I can't wait to get out there. All the alley-oops they throw and the pace they play, it's going to be great."

Clearly, it was a day of showcase for future Big East talents.

St. Raymond's point guard Darryl `Truck' Bryant had 17 points and is set for West Virginia next fall. Joining him in Morgantown is Mount Vernon (N.Y.) power forward Kevin Jones, who had his typical workman outing of 25 points and 18 rebounds in a come-from-behind 66-60 win over Paterson Catholic (N.J.) and Seton Hall point guard signee Jordan Theodore.

"He's gotten himself in great shape and lost some weight," said St. Raymond head coach Oliver Antigua of Bryant. "He's got his bounce back and his shot has gotten better. He'll put himself in good position to contribute when he gets to West Virginia."

And then there was one - Big 12-bound Kansas recruit Quintrell Thomas had 25 points and 13 rebounds to lead the way in the St. Patrick win over St. Raymond.

"He brought the intimidation factor we were looking for," Boyle said of his stud 6-foot-7 power forward. "Going up against those city guards who get to the rim and can create, I told him if he has to get a goaltend right away then we'll take it. He gave us a good 5 or 7 shot blocks, did his usual consistent rebounding, and was able to knock down that face-up jumper he's been working at."

The metro area keeps its tradition as a recruiting hotbed, and the Super Six delivered another year of its elite selection of participants to showcase the area's top talent.