Standouts: City of Palms Classic (Day 3)
Day 3 featured two overtime thrillers between some of the top teams in the country.
First McEachern outlasted Hudson Catholic 83-81 in overtime in the morning game while University came back to beat Mater Dei 81-72 in double overtime. It was an eventual third day filled with good basketball and a 3-point shootout and dunk contest to cap off the night.
Here are your top standouts.
Sharife Cooper (Georgia McEachern)
The sophomore guard flashed his abilities on the opening night with 21 points in a win over Ranney. On Wednesday, he doubled that with a 42-point performance in a 83-81 victory over Hudson Catholic. Most impressively, Cooper hit the game-winning jumper right at the buzzer and the team erupted in celebration.
Scottie Barnes (University)
Slowed by an ankle injury, Barnes did very little on Tuesday night. Fast forward to Wednesday and the gifted sophomore forward did just about everything to put his team on his back in a double overtime win over national powerhouse Mater Dei. He had 29 points, 10 rebounds which featured some flashy dunks. Barnes is rising up at a young age.
Jahvon Quinerly (New Jersey Hudson Catholic)
28 points came on the day for the senior guard. Quinerly attacked the rim often and used his speed and weaving ability to beat the defense often. Despite three of his teammates fouling out (Louis King, Luther Muhammad and Shackylle Dezonie), Quinerly did plenty to keep his team afloat in an overtime loss to McEachern in the first game of the day.
Jordan McCabe (Wisconsin Kaukauna)
The West Virginia commit is an internet sensation where he is often seen juking past defenders and making them fall to the ground with his handles. McCabe flashed that and more for the Galloping Ghosts with 31 points. He had to carry the load against a super athletic Georgia Upson Lee squad.
Vernon Carey Jr. (University)
Only nine points came for Carey Jr. in the opening half, but he powered his way to a 23-point game. The junior forward is dominant inside and he used his brute strength to his advantage per usual. Barnes and guards Drue Drinnon (8 points) and Trey Doomes (17 points) helped him throughout with their passing skills.
Emmitt Williams (Oak Ridge)
Energy is always Williams’ best friend. Prior to the game, the Oak Ridge senior shook hands with every media member on the baseline and the refs. He was gitty for his return to the City of Palms Classic in his hometown of Fort Myers, Fla. In a 75-68 win over West Virginia Marshall, he scored 17 points and added 13 rebounds. He had six dunks.
Lavar Allen (Virginia Marshall)
Built like a linebacker or fullback, Allen showed how skilled of a guard he can be. The junior netted 23 points, leading the way for the Justices. He clearly doesn’t skip leg day and that gives him a ton of power when driving and stopping in stride for jumpers. He loves to put his head down and go to the basket.
Robby Carmody (Pennslyvania Mars)
In the first Smalltown Signature Series game of the tournament, senior guard Robby Carmody scored 25 of his 30 points in the first half. The Notre Dame commit proved why he belongs with the Irish. His team lost to Corbin 78-76 in a tight one and Carmody hustled into fouling out late in the game.
Andrew Taylor (Kentucky Corbin)
Corbin won this game mainly because Taylor was a steady presence for the Redhounds. He scored a game-best 36 points. A Furman commit, Taylor showed a nice touch near the rim and he paced his offense often. At 6’4″, he should be an immediate contributor at the next level.
Spencer Freedman/Michael Wang (California Mater Dei)
Wang was really good in this game with 28 points on 13-of-15 shooting from the field. He made plays when nothing was there and he opened up a ton for his teammates. A Penn commit, Wang fits the bill as a wing or power forward at 6’10.” His counterpart, Freedman had 18 points. The Harvard commit is a true floor general. He is vocal and is good with the ball in his hands. A very intelligent young man.
Dunk contest winner
Ranney School guard Scottie Lewis won the dunk contest with a variety of slams over Orlando Christian Prep’s CJ Walker.
3-point contest winner
2018 Mater Dei G Spencer Freedman wins the 3-point shootout over Kaukauna guard Jordan McCabe, a West Virginia commit.
2018 @MaterDeiHoops G Spencer Freedman (@SPENFREE12) is your @CityOfPalmsBKB 3-point champion. He’s headed to Harvard next year. #cityofpalms pic.twitter.com/MvXvgclx0W
— Jake Perper (@JakePerper) December 21, 2017
Bonus: Play of the Day
Carey Jr. made it look awfully easy on this jumper where he knocked the Mater Dei defender completely off his feet. Watch this one over and over. It never gets old.