I don't have much of a say in who makes the two GSK all-tournament teams
(there's one from each the three brackets; Girls, Holiday Summit Group and Randolph
Foundation Group), but I know those who do. And from all indications, it
appears we'll have four local players on the two teams.
Apex may have gone out quick with back-to-back losses, but Weston Murphy's 44 points against the likes of Melvin Tabb, Ryan Kelly and Matt Wilson turned many a head at the GSK. He is assured a spot on the all-tournament team from the Holiday Summit Group.
Middle Creek's standout duo of Garrius Adams and Tom Tankelewicz will both have spots on the all-tournament team from the Shavlik Randolph Foundation Group. Adams had 62 points in his three games and Tankelewicz posted 60. Tankelewicz also tied a tournament record for made 3-pointers with 13.
If Earnest Ross and Panther Creek hadn't lost to Ravenscroft, there's a chance he'd be in consideration for MOP (most outstanding player) or MVP (most valuable player). Instead, he will have to settle for being a lock for the all-tournament team from the HSG bracket. Ross had 79 points, which at this point, is tops for the tournament. His nearest competitors are Reggie Bullock (Kinston High) who has 52 with one game to go, and Ryan Kelly (Ravenscroft) has 51 with a game left.
This has been one special tournament, with oodles of talent. If you could field a team of the top 10 players in this year's tournament, you'd beat a number of Division I teams.
It's been fun, and my heart wants to stay here and watch the likes of Lakeem Jackson, Mason Plumlee, John Wall, Reggie Bullock, C.J. Leslie and Lorenzo Brown, but my head tells me I need to get back to the house. Tomorrow morning I'll be at Cary Academy for the third-place games featuring Cary Academy on the girls' side and Cary Christian on the men's side. Thanks for following along from the GSK...
