With Laurinburg Institute (N.C.) and Hargrave (Va.) both coming out on top in tournaments in Canada and at Fork Union, it looks as though the two schools have put some distance between themselves and the rest of the field.
However, it would be a shame if the two teams don’t play this season. Both Hargrave coach Kevin Keatts and Laurinburg head man Chris Chaney maintain they want to play one another, but the game is still not on their schedules.
Laurinburg made a 15 or so hour bus ride to Canada and won all six of its games at the Prep Stars of North America, including a 102-74 victory against previously undefeated Philadelphia Lutheran Christian Academy in the title game.
Nebraska-bound point guard Jamel White earned MVP honors with 18 points in the title game and the 34-year-old Chaney earned his 400th career victory. He is now 400-79 in his career and Laurinburg is 21-0 on the season, averaging 103.1 points per game.
``Jamel calls himself the best kept secret and he’s starting to do things we haven’t seen him do,” Chaney said. “The game against Lutheran was his coming-out party. With all the talent we have, he’s been the key for us because he’s quarterbacking the team. He also shot it when he needed to and hit big shots. He doesn’t turn the ball over, either.”
Shawne Williams (Memphis) added 17 points and big man Kareem Cooper chipped in with 16 in the championship game.
Hargrave had no problem with New Hampton, 93-68, in the semifinals of the four-team Fork Union Invitational over the weekend. Then Keatts’ group knocked off host Fork Union, which suffered its first loss of the season, 83-64.
A.D. Vassalo (Richmond) scored 21 points and Sam Young (Pittsburgh) added in the semifinal win while Tommy Liddell (St. Louis) led Hargrave with 18 points and 7 assists in the title game. Young added 16 points, 15 boards and 5 blocks and Vassalo finished with 14 points.
Brewster Academy won its own tournament with a 100-80 victory against Maine Central Institute in the title game. Chad Millard (Louisville) and Weyinmi Efejuku (Providence) shared team-high honors with 23 points and UConn-bound big man Jeff Adrien added 22.
South Kent, after an emotional triple-overtime victory against Gulf Shores (Texas) at the KMOX Invitational in St. Louis on Thursday night, was knocked off on consecutive days over the weekend by Winchendon, 86-80, and Notre Dame Prep, 95-78.