Houston vs. The Nation - Day Two (Part I)

Different performances for ranked juniors Royce White and Marquette recruit Eric Williams

Dec. 29, 2007

By Van Coleman

CSTV.com & Hoopmasters.com


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HOUSTON, Tex. - The action continued today from the Campbell-Aldine Arena as Kingwood won two games in the daytime session to be crowned champions in the Texas Division at the Houston vs. The Nation Classic.

Bellaire (Tex.) 59 - Houston Aldine (Tex.) 46

This one was close early as both teams traded baskets in the first quarter. It was tied at nine when Nicholas Foreman knocked down a three-pointer to give Bellaire a 12-9 lead at the end of the first period. Bellaire opened the second quarter with a 7-2 run to open up a 19-11 advantage over Aldine. It was a lead that Bellaire maintained going into the locker room up 31-21 at the intermission.

The second half started with Bellaire, behind Sheldon McClellan and Chris Phillips, jumping out to a 41-27 lead with 3:25 to play in the third quarter. But Aldine battled back behind the stellar play of combo guard Brandon Williams, who accounted for six points in an 11-0 run to cut the lead to 43-40 at the end of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter was all Bellaire as they opened with a 12-2 run to put the game away 55-42 with two minutes to play.

Bellaire was led by Nicholas Foreman who finished with 17 points and six rebounds, while 6-foot-3 Jamel Outler added 13 points in the win.

Aldine was led by Brandon Williams who finished with a game-high 24 points. He got solid support from Sherman Lynch who chipped in with 11 points.

Kingwood (Tex.) 60 - Houston Smiley (Tex.) 55

The first period was all Kingwood as the North Houston squad dominated from the outside to open up a 21-13 lead behind Jordan McGowan and Tevin Svihovec, who combined for 10 points in the opening period.

The second quarter was all Smiley as they dominated around the hoop and Jonathan Simmons knocked down a couple key jumpers to pull them within one at the half, 25-24.

It became a real barnburner as both clubs traded buckets in the third quarter, changing the lead on four occasions as Kingwood took back the lead on a jumper at the buzzer to go up 39-37. Kingwood built a 45-40 advantage with 5:15 to play in the game, but Smiley wasn't done yet as Simmons knocked down a three that capped a 10-2 run and gave them a 48-47 lead with 2:51 to go.

It was still a one-point game with Kingwood on top 56-55 when Svihovec knocked down four straight free throws to increase to a 60-55 advantage. Smiley had two chances in the final 18 seconds to close the lead, but missed a couple three-pointers as time ran out.

Kingwood was led by Jordan McGowan with 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Svihovec and Nick James added 12 points each.

Smiley was led by Simmons who finished with a game-high 20 points including five three-pointers. He received solid support from 6-foot-7 junior Augustine Rubbitt with 18 points and 14 rebounds, playing like a horse around the hoop.

Cypress Cy Springs (Tex.) 67 - Houston St. Thomas (Tex.) 63

Cy Springs opened up an early 13-4 advantage behind some athletic baskets by 6-foot-7 Eric Williams (Marquette) and 6-foot-5 Phil McDonald (New Mexico). But St. Thomas came right back on an 11-2 run to take a 20-17 lead at the end of the first stanza. Cy Springs seemed content to swap buckets with Saint Thomas in the second quarter to go into the locker room down by four, 35-31.

The third quarter saw Cy Springs get even at 43-all before St. Thomas' Antuan Bootie scored in the final seconds to give them a 45-43 advantage at the end of the period. The fourth quarter was a different story as Cy Springs' dynamic duo of Williams and McDonald took over to lead a 9-2 run that put Cy Springs on top 62-56 with 1:10 to play. St. Thomas cut it to two, 62-60, before Williams took over again to seal the win.

Cy Springs was led by Eric Williams with 28 points and seven rebounds, while Phillip McDonald added 16 points and Jon Smith chipped in with 10 points in the win.

Saint Thomas' top gun was Antuan Bootie with 20 points and 15 rebounds, while Jonathan Strom added 13 points. 5-foot-10 junior Cody Hill and 6-foot-1 Alex Guess added 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Houston St. Pius X (Tex.) 51 - Minneapolis DeLasalle (Minn.) 43

This one started slowly on the offensive end, as both clubs struggled throughout the first half with DeLasalle holding a slight advantage at 23-21 at the end of the first half. Royce White (No. 41 junior) led DeLasalle with nine points, while St. Pius X's Aaron Mike Davis matched his production with nine points of his own.

DeLasalle controlled the third quarter behind White and A.J. Baker to build a 36-31 lead by period's end. But the fourth quarter was all St. Pius as they tied it at 38-all with 5:30 to play. That wasn't the big problem for DeLasalle, though, as St. Pius went on a 9-0 run to take the lead for good at 47-38 with 1:16 in the fourth. DeLasalle got baskets from White and Jeremy Randle to close to 47-42, but that was as close as it would get. St. Pius knocked down its free throws in the final minute to ice a 51-43 victory

St. Pius was led by the versatile Aaron Mike Davis with 21 points, while Andre Prince kicked in nine points.

DeLasalle's top gun was A.J. Baker who finished with 12 points while Royce White struggled in the second half to finish with 11 points (nine first half) in the loss.

TEXAS CHAMPIONSHIP - Kingwood (Tex.) 47 - Houston Hastings (Tex.) 38

Both teams struggled from the field as Hastings held a 15-14 lead at the intermission. Kingwood would bottle whatever their coach said in the locker room as they lit it up early in the third period to double their first half total.

In the first five and a half minutes of the second half, Kingwood would go up 28-21 over Hastings behind the outside shooting of 6-foot-5 Nick James, who scored eight during the run. They traded buckets with Hastings to end the period up 30-24.

The fourth quarter was more of the same as Kingwood extended the lead to 41-28 with 2:15 to play. Hastings got the crowd buzzing with a quick 6-0 run to cut the lead to 41-34 before Kingwood hit six of seven free throws in the final minute to salt away the 47-38 tournament division championship victory.

Kingwood was led by Nick James and Tevin Svihovec with 12 points each, while Adam Brown chipped in with eight points and 12 rebounds.

Hastings' top gun was Lionel Foster with 14 points and 14 rebounds. He received solid support from Ja'Darius Davis with nine points.