When Two Missed Free Throws Is A Good Thing

This story is so incredible and refreshing in this day and age that I had to jack it, via Rivals.com

The coach never considered any other option. It didn't matter that his DeKalb, Ill., High School basketball team had ridden a bus two and a half hours to get to Milwaukee, then waited another hour past game time to play. Didn't matter that the game was close, or that this was a chance to beat a big city team.

Something else was on Dave Rohlman's mind when he asked for a volunteer to shoot two free throws awarded his team on a technical foul in the second quarter. His senior captain raised his hand, ready to go to the line as he had many times before. Only this time it was different. "You realize you're going to miss them, don't you?" Rohlman said. Darius McNeal nodded his head. He understood what had to be done.

It was a Saturday night in February, and the Barbs were playing a non-conference game on the road against Milwaukee Madison. It was the third meeting between the two schools, who were developing a friendly rivalry that spanned two states. The teams planned to get together after the game and share some pizzas and soda. But the game itself almost never took place.

Hours earlier, the mother of Milwaukee Madison senior captain Johntel Franklin died at a local hospital. Carlitha Franklin had been in remission after a five-year fight with cervical cancer, but she began to hemorrhage that morning while Johntel was taking his college ACT exam. Her son and several of his teammates were at the hospital late that afternoon when the decision was made to turn off the life-support system. Carlitha Franklin was just 39.

"She was young and they were real close," said Milwaukee coach Aaron Womack Jr., who was at the hospital. "He was very distraught and it happened so suddenly he didn't have time to grieve." Womack was going to cancel the game, but Franklin told him he wanted the team to play. And play they did, even though the game started late and Milwaukee Madison dressed only eight players.

Early in the second quarter, Womack saw someone out of the corner of his eye. It was Franklin, who came there directly from the hospital to root his teammates on. The Knights had possession, so Womack called a time out. His players went over and hugged their grieving teammate. Fans came out of the stands to do the same.

"We got back to playing the game and I asked if he wanted to come and sit on the bench," Womack said during a telephone interview. "No," Franklin replied. "I want to play." There was just one problem. Since Franklin wasn't on the pre-game roster, putting him in meant drawing a technical foul that would give DeKalb two free throws. Though it was a tight game, Womack was willing to give up the two points. It was more important to help his senior guard and co-captain deal with his grief by playing.

Over on the other bench, though, Rohlman wasn't so willing to take them. He told the referees to forget the technical and just let Franklin play. "I could hear them arguing for five to seven minutes, saying, `We're not taking it, we're not taking it," Womack said. "The refs told them, no, that's the rule. You have to take them."

That's when Rohlman asked for volunteers, and McNeal's hand went up. He went alone to the free throw line, dribbled the ball a couple of times, and looked at the rim. His first attempt went about two feet, bouncing a couple of times as it rolled toward the end line. The second barely left his hand.

It didn't take long for the Milwaukee players to figure out what was going on. They stood and turned toward the DeKalb bench and started applauding the gesture of sportsmanship. Soon, so did everybody in the stands. "I did it for the guy who lost his mom," McNeal told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It was the right thing to do."

Franklin would go on to score 10 points, and Milwaukee Madison broke open the game in the second half to win 62-47. Afterward, the teams went out for pizza, two players from each team sharing each pie. Franklin stopped by briefly, thankful that his team was there for him. "I got kind of emotional but it helped a lot just to play," he said. "I felt like I had a lot of support out there."

Carlitha Franklin's funeral was last Friday, and the school turned out for her and her son. Cheerleaders came in uniform, and everyone from the principal and teachers to Johntel's classmates were there. "Even the cooks from school showed up," Womack said. "It lets you know what kind of kid he is."

Basketball is a second sport for the 18-year-old Franklin, who says he has had some scholarship nibbles and plans to play football in college. He just has a few games left for the Knights, who are 6-11 and got beat 71-36 Tuesday night by Milwaukee Hamilton.

It hasn't been the greatest season for the team, but they have stuck together through a lot of adversity. "We maybe don't have the best basketball players in the world but they go to class and take care of business," Womack said. "We have a losing record but there's life lessons going on, good ones."

None so good, though, as the moment a team and a player decided there were more important things than winning and having good stats. Yes, DeKalb would go home with a loss. But it was a trip they'll never forget. "This is something our kids will hold for a lifetime," Rohlman said. "They may not remember our record 20 years from now, but they'll remember what happened in that gym that night."

Classical Wins Without RI Gatorade Player of The Year Ashton Watkins

Most of you probably won't care, but it looks like the basketball team at my old high school could be on it's way to another state championship, via Projo Sports:

PROVIDENCE –– The odds seemed to be stacked against Classical last night. The Purple’s leading scorer, Ashton Watkins, last year’s Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year (20 points, 19 rebounds per game), injured his knee against Pilgrim on Monday and did not suit up. In addition, head coach Todd Keefe missed the game with the flu, and sharp-shooting point guard Michael Palumbo played despite having a lingering left-knee injury. The defending state champions were playing a Shea team that was focused on moving into a first-place tie atop the Division II-North standings with a victory over the undefeated Purple. But Classical (6-0) wasn’t ready to lose its first league game in more than a year. Despite a heavy protest by the upset-minded Raiders (4-2), Classical survived a thrilling, 86-81 overtime contest. “It was a good win but we never should have been in that position to begin with,” Classical assistant coach John Kavanagh said. “We should have been able to take care of it in the second half, but they really put the pressure on, pulled up on the lead and we couldn’t close it out then. Give Shea credit: they played a great game. They fought hard.” Kavanagh said he was proud of his players because the Purple beat a good team without Classical’s best player. “Ashton is a really good player, but we are not just a one-man team,” Kavanagh said. “We have other options and I think we showed that tonight. Ashton Watkins is a really good player, but we have five or six other guys on this team who can get it done to.” Palumbo, who was carried out of the gym by the fans who rushed the court chanting “M-V-P,” scored 22 points, as did Jordan Jones (14 rebounds). Lavon Waite (16 points) and Marquise Frazier (14 points, 16 rebounds) also starred for Classical. After trailing almost the entire game, the Raiders nearly stole it in the final minute of regulation. Shea overcame a 14-point deficit with six minutes to go to send it into overtime, thanks in large part to Kevin Walker (19 points), Malcum Moniz (18 points), Orlando Whitaker (13 points) and Bravilio Silva (11 points). “Moniz and Walker are both tough guards,” Kavanagh said. “Moniz is an aggressive guard who can shoot it from the outside, and Walker is athletic.” Rudy-Louis Brito (9 points) drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing to give the Raiders a 68-66 lead with 43 seconds remaining in regulation. Frazier scored on a tip-in with 21.1 seconds left, and Shea called a timeout with 10.7 seconds left to try to draw up the game-winning shot. Brito received an inbounds pass on the right baseline and beat his defender to the basket, scoring on an acrobatic layup with 5.4 seconds left to put Shea ahead, 70-68. Classical got the ensuing in-bounds pass to Palumbo, who dribbled the length of the court and connected on a 12-foot pull-up jumper at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. The two teams went shot-for-shot in the early portion of overtime, but a crucial foul with Classical in the bonus, along with a technical foul for arguing the call, gave the Purple the momentum it needed to go on and win the game. Gregory Holt knocked down the technical free throw and Palumbo added two more to give Classical a 78-72 cushion with 2:10 remaining in the game. Classical made 10 of 12 free throws in the extra period to seal the victory. “Shea is an athletic team and they shoot the ball well from the outside, so I told the guys at halftime that we had to get back in transition and we had to box out, and they ended up getting a lot of easy layups and second-chance points in the second half,” Kavanagh said. “We have to do a better job in transition and boxing out.” Shea will look to bounce back against Toll Gate tomorrow at 7 p.m., while Classical looks to remain perfect tomorrow when the Purple visit North Providence.

Brandon Jennings and Tyreke Evans Could be One and Done

Here's the latest update on two of my favorite High-School ballers that I have been following here at Hip2DaGame, via ESPN and some other possible one and dones from Scouts, Inc:

There is some consensus. Memphis-bound Tyreke Evans and Arizona-bound Brandon Jennings are names that cross most people's lips when they are asked to name obvious one-and-dones from the class of 2008. Certainly, there is little reason to think the two will stick around. When he announced his college choice, Evans intimated he will bolt after a season. And as much as Jennings' talent will factor in the decision, the unsettled mess that currently is Arizona basketball might make the choppy waters of the NBA seem like a calm bay.

One-and-dones from the class of 2008?

The class of 2008 doesn't possess the star power of the class of 2007, which featured elite talents like Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo and Derrick Rose. Still, the 2008 group does have a few high-level prospects who might make the jump to the NBA after their first year of college basketball.

• Demar DeRozan, G, USC

DeRozan is a 6-foot-6 Vince Carter clone out of Compton, Calif. He has the most upside of any wing-type coming out of the West since Paul Pierce. He is rough around the edges in terms of his handle and savvy, but he's the most explosive prospect in the '08 class.

• Brandon Jennings, G, Arizona

Jennings is a 6-2 lead guard in the mold of Allen Iverson. He can score in a variety of ways and makes spectacular passes. He has a slight frame, and his decision-making is erratic at times.

• Greg Monroe, PF, Georgetown

Monroe is reminiscent of Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom. He is the most NBA-ready because of his skill and savvy. But at times, his lackluster effort is troublesome.

• B.J. Mullens, C, Ohio State

A versatile 7-footer out of Canal Winchester, Ohio, Mullens is the most promising big man to come out of high school since Greg Oden. He has a massive frame and soft hands and runs well. Still, he doesn't dominate as much as he should on a consistent basis.

Jordan Brand Classic - High School All-Star Game

The good fellas over at DraftExpress had a few observations of some of the top high school basketball talent in the country after watching them showcase that talent in the Jordan Brand Classic game.

Here are the scouting reports on some of the players I have been following here at Hip 2 Da Game:

Brandon Jennings: For the Blue Team, the co-MVP of this game was named Brandon Jennings (10 points, 14 assists, 3 turnovers, 6 rebounds, 5-13 FG, 22 minutes), a much more worthy selection considering the way he played and more importantly, the value he brought to his team.

He seemed more concerned at times with checking out the scoreboard to see how many assists he was racking up, but still did a great job feeding everyone around him. He showed his shiftiness in the open floor with his flashy ball-handling skills and excellent hesitation moves, and utilized both hands showcasing his court vision and making outstanding post-entry passes, lobs, and drive and dish plays. At times it seemed like he was dominating the ball a little too much, but considering the way he got everyone around him involved and cheered his teammates on both on the court and from the bench, there is not a whole lot to criticize here(DraftExpress).

Tyreke Evans: As mentioned in the introduction, the story of the White Team was very much Tyreke Evans, who disappointed everyone in attendance, especially those who were so encouraged by his unselfish, balanced, and highly effective play during the practices and scrimmage earlier in the week. Despite being the game’s MVP while scoring 23 points (8-15 FG, 4 assists, 5 turnovers, 7 rebounds, 25 minutes) Evans frequently over-dribbled and forced his own shots, ignoring his teammates for large stretches and earning groans from many of those in attendance.

When you get past the incredibly selfish style of play he took on here, which has been characteristic of him through much of his high school career, there is quite a lot to be pleased about with his game, as he’s definitely one of the most athletic and skilled players in this class, showing the total package that you’d want from a shooting guard, even showing the capability to play the point guard as well. Evans frequently penetrated into the lane going in either direction, showed the ability to change hands while driving and finish with either hand at the basket, showed excellent creativity at the rim, showed nice touch at the basket, and excellent body control in the lane.

The more you watch him, the more you can see how his skill-set is perfectly suited for the Memphis system, but you just hope that his play style will catch up to his skill level. Evans had some success with his pull-up jumper, but was inconsistent and had some troubles at times, which is expected with his unorthodox mechanics. And for all the criticism about his selfishness in terms of dominating the ball, he did make some nice drive-and-dish plays in the game (DraftExpress).

Greg Monroe: The most significant development as far as the NBA draft is concerned, merely continuing what we had observed from the entire weekend as a whole, was clearly the “reemergence” of arguably the most talented big man in this high school class—Greg Monroe (13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 turnover, 6-10 FG, 23 minutes).

Although this game’s setting was never going to be all that well suited for a player of his nature, Monroe found ways to show off just how gifted a player he is on numerous occasions. Facing the basket from the perimeter, he was lethal putting the ball on the floor and blowing past players with his terrific first step, almost exclusively with his left hand. He hit a beautiful jump-hook in the lane, and showcased his outstanding basketball IQ repeatedly by making a number of fantastic passes. He again got out hustled a bit in the paint and on the glass, but still had a very impressive showing taking into consideration everything we saw.

Although many are frustrated by the lack of intensity he displays and the way he apathetic manner in which he runs up and down the court—and rightfully so--it’s impossible to ignore his incredible talent, and it’s clearly too early to write him off just yet(DraftExpress).

Check out this video of Brandon Jennings in warm-ups during the Jordan Brand Classic:

Previously:

Jordan Brand Classic Scrimmage - Brandon Jennings & Tyreke Evans

McDonalds High School All-American Game

Brandon Jennings-McDonalds All-American Highlights

McDonalds All-American Game Highlights

Tyreke Evans Chooses Memphis

Jordan Brand Classic Scrimmage - Brandon Jennings & Tyreke Evans

Thought I would give everyone an update on two high school seniors who I have been following here at Hip 2 Da Game.

Now this is just a scrimmage these two guys participated in but DraftExpress is always on top of their game and is supplying a scouting report on some of the players involved.

Here is what they had to say about Jennings and Evans:

Brandon Jennings: For the Blue team, the center of attention as always revolved around the flamboyant presence of their point guard Brandon Jennings. He dominated the ball for every minute that he was on the floor, pounding it excessively during certain stretches and making phenomenal plays in others, showcasing his outstanding athleticism and talent level, but also making some of the people in attendance grumble about his somewhat selfish style of play.

Quick shots early in possessions, a little mano a mano with the pesky Kemba Walker (who went right at him), and some incredible flurries of imagination all typified the high-usage, high-octane play of Jennings. He was awesome splitting the defense and finding cutters with his lightning quick bounce passes, incredibly flashy with his ball-handling skills, and also played absolutely zero defense on the other end of the floor.

The problem with Jennings is that he seems more concerned with looking good than playing winning basketball. This is not something that we came up with from watching him in the all-star game setting, but also very much evident when we went out to watch him play with Oak Hill back in December. He only seems interested in passing the ball if he will definitely get an assist, which causes a lot of standing around from his teammates and probably doesn’t make him the most fun guy to play with. It’s way too early to make any definitive conclusions about how he will turn out, but Lute Olsen and Arizona will most certainly have work to do regarding the way he runs a team, because it’s just not a style that is conducive to winning games, despite the incredible amount of talent that Jennings possesses(DraftExpress).

Tyreke Evans: On the Red/White Team, Tyreke Evans was the story once again, as he continues to show just how talented and versatile a player he is, and how his game is absolutely tailor made for the Memphis system. He ran the point for his team once again when he was on the floor, driving and dishing, setting up teammates, and showing his ability to penetrate to the basket, change directions, and move the ball from one hand to another while in mid air, making him an exceptional finish at the rim. He also hit one pull-up three-pointer, with his strange but effective mechanics, though he didn’t hit on his other attempts from deep(DraftExpress).

Also, check out this bonus video of Brandon Jennings' Highlights from Oak Hill Academy:

Previously:

McDonalds High School All-American Game

Brandon Jennings-McDonalds All-American Highlights

McDonalds All-American Game Highlights

Tyreke Evans Chooses Memphis

McDonald's All American Game - Highlight Video

Here's a pretty good video of some of the better highlights from the McDonald's All American High School game.

Kemba Walker Dunk in McDonalds All-American Game

Check out this facial by Kemba Walker the other night in the McDonald's All-American game.

Walker will be attending UConn next year.

Brandon Jennings - McDonalds All-American Game Highlights

Here are the McDonald's All-American game highlights of my favorite high top fade wearin' basketball player, Brandon Jennings.

Man if Jerryd Bayless doesn't go pro this year, Arizona is gonna be nasty.

Also, here's another analysis of each player in the game, including Jennings.

McDonald's High School All American Game

In case you missed it last night at the McDonald's High School All-American game, Brandon Jennings was rockin' a high top fade.

This guy is definitely going to be my favorite freshman to watch in the NCAA next year. Not only did he bring back the high top fade but he actually is one of the best players in the nation. He dished out some sick passes last night finishing with 12 points and 9 assists. He also likes to collect stuff from the 80's.

Jennings will be attending Arizona next year. He is rated as the 6th best player in the country on Rivals.com.

The MVP of the game was Tyreke Evans who had 21 points and 10 rebs as the East beat the West 107-102. Evans is 6 ft 5 out of Pennsylvania and is undecided right now. He is considering UConn, Memphis, Texas, and Villanova.

Here is an complete analysis of all the players who participated in the game last night.