Champions crowned at Super 64 and Big Time

Spiece Indy Heat and Team Breakdown in Big Time Championship

Four days of basketball at the Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas (Nev.) boiled down to one final game Monday night with Spiece Indy Heat and Team Breakdown surviving two elimination games in the morning and early afternoon to advance to the championship game.

A crowd of over 1,000 excited fans begin to fill the bleachers at Foothill High School at 6 p.m. for a anticipated match-up between Spiece Indy Heat and the O.J. Mayo led D1 Greyhounds but their anticipation soon turned to disappointment when they realized that the Greyhounds had fell earlier to Team Breakdown in their 2:20 p.m. contest.

After losing Sunday night to the Illinois Wolves the Greyhounds received a stay of execution when the Wolves had to leave the tournament due to a previous engagement with the AAU National’s in Orlando (Fla.). Despite Mayo’s 28 point effort the Greyhounds lost to Team Breakdown behind 2007 point guard Edwin Rios’ 28 points including six 3-pointers.

The 1st half of the Heat and Breakdown game saw Greg Oden get off to a quick start by going 5-for-5 from the field on his way to an 11-point and five rebound effort. Edwin Rios kept Breakdown in firing range with a 12-point effort which included a half-court three pointer as the buzzer sounded to bring his team within four points at 41-37 at the half.

But in the 2nd half Oden continued his inspired performance and finished the night with 11 makes in 11 attempts for 26 points in addition to double digit rebounds while earning MVP honors. Rios struggled from the field, connecting on nine of 25 attempts, but led Breakdown with 24 points with small forward Adrian Thomas scoring 17 in a losing effort.

2006 shooting guard Daequan Cook chipped in 20 points for Spiece in the 86-68 win.

Monday’s scores from the Big Time

Championship

Spiece Indy Heat (IN) 86, Team Breakdown (FL) 68

Semifinals

Spiece Indy Heat (IN) 69, Dallas Mustangs 17s Blue 57

Team Breakdown (FL) 90, D1 Greyhounds (OH) 80

Quarterfinals

Spiece Indy Heat (IN) 65, New Heights NYC (NY) 48

Dallas Mustangs 17s Blue 72, Blessed IJN (NH) 61

Team Breakdown (FL) 80, Arizona Magic Blue 77 (OT)

D1 Greyhounds (OH) 60, Oakland Slam N Jam (CA) 54

Big time school lists

2006 Spiece point guard Mike Conley currently favors Wake Forest over Michigan State, Xavier, Indiana and Kentucky

Muscular combo forward Alford Aboya has narrowed his list to Georgetown, Kansas and Virginia.

Chad Millard has seen his list of favorites grow to Vanderbilt, Providence, Missouri, Iowa State, St. John’s and Villanova.

EBO/ EA Sports win adidas Super 64

Not only do they have three of the top 2006 prospects and many other very good prospects, they play tough defense and make the extra pass. These facts have everything to do with why EBO/EA Sports dismantled the vaunted Atlanta Celtics to win the adidas Superstar 64 championship. Leading the way was MVP winning Brook Lopez.

EBO/EA Sports jumped out to a 21-4 led half way in the first half, built the lead to 39-16 at half, and then cruised to a 66-57 win.

2006 prospects Derrick Jasper and Travon Willis led the victors in scoring with 15 a piece, but it was the 6-foot-11 Lopez twins of Brook and Robin that dominated the game for EBO.

The 6-foot-11 power forward Brook Lopez scored 14 points on three pointers, contested 15-footers, post moves, and dunks. Robin scored 10 points on dunks and post moves.

When analyzing the two twins, Brook is a little stronger and a much better offensive player. Robin is a little more athletic and a better defender.

“Brook is more of an inside/outside player than I am, but I am a better defender”, said Robin Lopez.

When it comes to colleges, the twins are looking at Stanford, USC, UCLA, and Connecticut. Stanford holds a definite edge, since the Lopez’s mother is a Stanford graduate.

“Stanford does have an edge,” acknowledged Brook Lopez after the game.

Top prospect Derrick Jasper noted the intense coaching of the EBO squad as a major factor for the team’s success.

“The tough two hour practice and our coaches telling us to play defense and pass the ball make the difference,” said Jasper. “We like it that way because we all want to get better.”

Jasper, a 6-foot-5 point guard who can both out physical his opponent and rebound above the rim, said he didn’t really know who was recruiting him. Assistant coach LeRohn Dodson, however, new the schools that are on Jasper.

“All the Pac-10’s and Georgia Tech and Duke are on him, since they got a chance to see him at camp,” said Coach Dodson. “He is just really open right now and wants to go to a school where he can flourish as a big point guard.

Another top prospect of note on EBO is 6-foot-7 2006 small forward prospect Quincy Poindexter.