Boost Mobile Elite 24 Classic Preliminary Events; More Upcoming Interviews
by Alex Schwartz
The Boost Mobile Elite 24 Classic will take place tomorrow, Friday, at Rucker Park in Harlem, New York and will include a dunk contest prior to the actual game. Today had some major events as well. In the morning, the players did community service at Grant's Tomb from 9:30am to 12:00pm. The ballers then headed over to The Sports Club/LA on East 61st Street for some more preliminary action, including some heavy-duty drills. The players had stations that included jumping rope and tossing medicine balls off the wall, and had to run between stations. The guys put in some hard work had the sweat dripping off their bodies proved it.
After that was finished, the panel discussion began. Moderated by ESPN the Magazine's Chris Broussard, it gave the elite prospects a chance to get some advice from some big name people with a lot to share. Former NBA player
Kenny Anderson spoke first and was followed up by Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups. After the former NBA Draft top five picks spoke, it was Stephen A. Smith of ESPN who had the opportunity to help the kids out. He was a great speaker and offered some fantastic tips to the aspiring stars. After Smith came former NBA player Allan Houston. When Houston finished, the event participants had an opportunity to ask questions of the panelists. After a brief silence, Ryan Kelly '09 of Ravenscroft (NC) asked a question of Chauncey Billups. The ballers were then quiet and non one had anything to say, but after Stephen A. Smith urged the kids to seize the opportunity, North Carolina-commit Dexter Strickland '09 of St. Patrick's (NJ) had an inquiry for Billups. Maalik Wayns '09, a Villanova-commit from Roman Catholic (PA), had a question for Kenny Anderson. Trae Golden '10 of McEachern (GA) was the lone rising junior to pose a question, doing so to Chauncey Billups. Finally, Durand Scott '09 of Rice (NY) finished off the questioning by picking the brain of Kenny Anderson. When the players were done, the media had the opportunity 
to talk to some of the panelists, and I was able to speak briefly with Kenny Anderson along with a handful of other journalists while the players practiced on the other court.
After practicing it was time for the scrimmage between the White/The Goat team coached by Ron Naclerio of Cardozo (NY) and Kenny Anderson and the Blue/Skip to My Lou team, coached by Dwayne "Tiny" Morton of Lincoln (NY) and Chauncey Billups. The Blue squad had a major advantage, as the White team was short two players: Lance Stephenson '09 of Lincoln (NY) was out-of-action and Tristan Thompson '10 of St. Benedict's (NJ) was not in attendance. Dexter Strickland told me that Thompson is not coming because he has school, and informed me that he did not think the 6'9 forward would be replaced on the roster. Although I did not get to speak with Stephenson, Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.net has an article stating that Stephenson has a groin injury, and may miss the game tomorrow night. Taking advantage of the weakened White squad, Blue ran away with the affair, winning the scrimmage 82-52. The White team had another problem to overcome, as Florida-commit Erik Murphy '09 of St. Mark's (MA) got hurt—it looked to be his ankle—just under six minutes into the game. The big man did continue to play though. If there was an MVP of the game it would have gone to John Wall '09 of Word of God (NC), as he was phenomenal throughout, showing why many consider him to be the nation's best baller.
With the completion of the game came the opportunity for the media conduct interviews. I caught up with Derrick Favors '09 of South Atlanta (GA), Josh Smith '10 of Kentwood (WA), Jeremy Tyler '10 of San Diego (CA), Ryan Kelly '09 of Ravenscroft (NC), LaQuinton Ross '11 formerly of Callaway (MS), and Memphis-commit Nolan Dennis '09 of North Richland Hills (TX). The ballers had to go out to the bus after that, and I then spoke to Chris Broussard before heading out for the evening. I'll be heading to Rucker Park tomorrow, for what should be a great game!
Note- photo on the left is of Dexter Strickland and is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/.
Note- photo on the right is of Kenny Anderson (left) and Allan Houston (right).
The Boost Mobile Elite 24 Classic will take place tomorrow, Friday, at Rucker Park in Harlem, New York and will include a dunk contest prior to the actual game. Today had some major events as well. In the morning, the players did community service at Grant's Tomb from 9:30am to 12:00pm. The ballers then headed over to The Sports Club/LA on East 61st Street for some more preliminary action, including some heavy-duty drills. The players had stations that included jumping rope and tossing medicine balls off the wall, and had to run between stations. The guys put in some hard work had the sweat dripping off their bodies proved it.
After that was finished, the panel discussion began. Moderated by ESPN the Magazine's Chris Broussard, it gave the elite prospects a chance to get some advice from some big name people with a lot to share. Former NBA player
Kenny Anderson spoke first and was followed up by Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups. After the former NBA Draft top five picks spoke, it was Stephen A. Smith of ESPN who had the opportunity to help the kids out. He was a great speaker and offered some fantastic tips to the aspiring stars. After Smith came former NBA player Allan Houston. When Houston finished, the event participants had an opportunity to ask questions of the panelists. After a brief silence, Ryan Kelly '09 of Ravenscroft (NC) asked a question of Chauncey Billups. The ballers were then quiet and non one had anything to say, but after Stephen A. Smith urged the kids to seize the opportunity, North Carolina-commit Dexter Strickland '09 of St. Patrick's (NJ) had an inquiry for Billups. Maalik Wayns '09, a Villanova-commit from Roman Catholic (PA), had a question for Kenny Anderson. Trae Golden '10 of McEachern (GA) was the lone rising junior to pose a question, doing so to Chauncey Billups. Finally, Durand Scott '09 of Rice (NY) finished off the questioning by picking the brain of Kenny Anderson. When the players were done, the media had the opportunity 
to talk to some of the panelists, and I was able to speak briefly with Kenny Anderson along with a handful of other journalists while the players practiced on the other court.After practicing it was time for the scrimmage between the White/The Goat team coached by Ron Naclerio of Cardozo (NY) and Kenny Anderson and the Blue/Skip to My Lou team, coached by Dwayne "Tiny" Morton of Lincoln (NY) and Chauncey Billups. The Blue squad had a major advantage, as the White team was short two players: Lance Stephenson '09 of Lincoln (NY) was out-of-action and Tristan Thompson '10 of St. Benedict's (NJ) was not in attendance. Dexter Strickland told me that Thompson is not coming because he has school, and informed me that he did not think the 6'9 forward would be replaced on the roster. Although I did not get to speak with Stephenson, Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.net has an article stating that Stephenson has a groin injury, and may miss the game tomorrow night. Taking advantage of the weakened White squad, Blue ran away with the affair, winning the scrimmage 82-52. The White team had another problem to overcome, as Florida-commit Erik Murphy '09 of St. Mark's (MA) got hurt—it looked to be his ankle—just under six minutes into the game. The big man did continue to play though. If there was an MVP of the game it would have gone to John Wall '09 of Word of God (NC), as he was phenomenal throughout, showing why many consider him to be the nation's best baller.
With the completion of the game came the opportunity for the media conduct interviews. I caught up with Derrick Favors '09 of South Atlanta (GA), Josh Smith '10 of Kentwood (WA), Jeremy Tyler '10 of San Diego (CA), Ryan Kelly '09 of Ravenscroft (NC), LaQuinton Ross '11 formerly of Callaway (MS), and Memphis-commit Nolan Dennis '09 of North Richland Hills (TX). The ballers had to go out to the bus after that, and I then spoke to Chris Broussard before heading out for the evening. I'll be heading to Rucker Park tomorrow, for what should be a great game!
Note- photo on the left is of Dexter Strickland and is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/.
Note- photo on the right is of Kenny Anderson (left) and Allan Houston (right).
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