Summer 2016

Over the summer, whenever I saw someone with ties to the JC world, I've posted the highlights on this page.

August 21: Drew League, LA Southwest College:

Van Girard (Cerritos/CS Dominguez Hills) had 10 pts, 8 rebs, 2 asts and 2 steals, starting alongside NBA forwards Stanley Johnson (Detroit Pistons) and Terrance Ross (Toronto Raptors) as BB4L finished off a perfect season with a 103-76 thrashing of #Juglife in the championship game.

BB4L held a modest 10-point lead at halftime, but Drew League legend Casper Ware exploded for 27 pts and 7 three-pointers in the third quarter to send BB4L to an easy win to complete a 15-0 season. It's the first undefeated championship season in The Drew since 2008, when the league still played at the Drew Middle School that gave the league its name.

Before the game, Girard, a legitimate candidate for league MVP, received the Kevin L. Dandridge award as the league's Most Inspirational Player for the season.

Ervin Ware (Mt. SAC) started alongside his older brother and had 6 pts, on a pair of threes, plus 2 rebs, 3 asts and 3 steals. Aaron Edwards (SBVC/E. New Mexico/Australia) came off the bench for 8 pts and a steal. Tim Johnson (LA Trade Tech/Cameron) had 4 pts, 2 asts, a rebound and a steal, and Jordan Mackie (Citrus/Humboldt State) had 2 pts. Tim Austin (Cypress/Hawaii-Hilo) had 2 pts, 2 rebs and an assist.

For #Juglife, Tre Brewer (Fullerton/SBVC/CS San Bernardino/Singapore) started and had 7 pts, 2 rebs and an assist. Sheldon Allen (LA Harbor/CS Dominguez Hills) appeared briefly but did not score. NBA veteran and team owner JaVale McGee had 25 pts, 14 rebs, 3 asts, 2 blocks and 2 steals. Veteran overseas pro Sek "Viper" Henry had 22 pts and 6 asts, and local favorite Nick Young of the Lakers had 16 pts, 7 rebs and 4 asts.

Prior to the game, Franklin Session (Saddleback/Cal State LA/NBDL) was recognized as one of two players to receive Most Valuable Player honors for the season. Session had at least two triple-doubles and led Birdie's Revenge to a 9-4 overall record and a #4 seed in the playoffs. He shared the award with Patrick Rembert, who led the league in scoring for LA Loop.

August 20: Drew League, LA Southwest College:

Van Girard (Cerritos/CS Dominguez Hills) had a double-double with 16 pts and a team-high 10 rebs, while also mixing in 3 asts and 2 steals to help BB4L dethrone defending champion LAUNFD, 84-77, in the Stanley Dill division final.

After BB4L saw a 14-point fourth-quarter lead shrink to a single point, longtime Drew League legend Casper Ware hit a short jumper to push the lead back to three at 80-77 with exactly a minute to go.

Veteran NBA and overseas guard Pooh Jeter missed a free throw that was the front end of a one-and-one with 37.1 seconds left, and Girard snagged the rebound, his 10th of the game, for BB4L. Then with 13.8 seconds left Girard took a pass from team owner Baron Davis and scored to make it 82-77 and all but clinch the win. Toronto Raptors' forward Terrance Ross made a pair of free throws with 9.0 seconds left to assure BB4L of the win, improving the team's record to 14-0 heading into the championship game.

Ervin Ware (Mt. SAC) started and had 6 pts on a pair of threes plus 3 asts, a rebound and a steal. Jordan Mackie (Citrus/Humboldt State) came off the bench for 6 pts and 2 rebs, and Tim Johnson (LA Trade Tech/Cameron) also saw brief action though he did not score.

August 14: Drew League, LA Southwest College:

Kerry Carter (Citrus/St. Mary's/Germany) had 21 pts, including 4 three-pointers, plus 3 rebs, 4 asts and 2 steals and Charles "Chuck" Garcia had a double-double and three key plays in the final seconds as Redemption held off COA for an 84-81 win in the second round of the Drew League playoffs.

Redemption fell behind, 24-11, early on before rallying to take a 10-point lead after three quarter. But then COA, with NBA veterans Brandon Jennings and Jordan Crawford in the backcourt, put in one final run and cut Redemption's lead to a single point with 1:10 to go.

Carter fed newly-signed Dallas Maverick guard Jonathan Gibson for what became a 3-point play to push the lead back to four points at 83-79. After Michael Ojo hit a short jumper for COA to make it 83-81, Garcia split two free throws with 12.8 seconds left to push the Redemption lead to three points at 84-81.

As the clock wound down, Ojo had the ball in the left corner and attempted what would have been a game-tying 3-pointer. But Garcia blocked the shot out of bounds. With two seconds left on the clock, COA inbounded the ball, but the pass went right to Garcia, and his interception sealed the win for Redemption.

Garcia finished with 20 pts, 10 rebs, 2 asts, 2 blocks and the game-saving steal. Tom Granado (Citrus/Concordia/Canada) made a 3-pointer and grabbed a rebound for the winners. Josh White (Mt. SAC/Lindsay Wilson) saw brief action but did not score.

Sooren Derboghosian (Glendale/UCLA/Drexel) saw brief action for COA but did not score. Crawford finished with a game-high 27 pts, while Jennings had 25 pts and a game-high 8 asts.

The next game saw Salvatori's Spirit take on defending champion LAUNFD and NBA all-star James Harden, and despite a valiant second-half effort the Spirits fell, 101-92.

The first half looked like a Harlem Globetrotters vs. Washington Generals game as LAUNFD scored 54 points, Harden accounting for half of that total.

But after stretching the lead to 24 points early in the second half, LAUNFD seemed to lose focus. And Salvatori's Spirit kept battling, and cut into the lead. The margin fell to just 7 points by the end of the third quarter and to just 5 points early in the 4th as the Spirits rallied to trail, 77-72.

After that, however, LAUNFD regained control as Bobby LB Brown, a longtime Drew standout who has just signed with the Houston Rockets, made three straight 3-pointers. LAUNFD led the rest of the way, but the final score was a quite-respectable 101-92.

Roderick Williams (East LA) had a team-high 24 pts and a game-high 10 rebs for the Spirits, and Dejean Prejean (LA City/Cal State LA/Germany) had 23 pts. Nashid Beard (LA City/Lamar/Morocco) started and had 6 pts and 5 rebs. Deontae North (South Plains TX/Portland State) came off the bench for 8 pts, 8 rebs, 3 asts and a blocked shot.

Harden finished with 42 pts for LAUNFD, including 5 three-pointers and 17-for-19 from the free throw line. Brown had 19 pts, also including 5 threes, plus a game-high 10 asts.

The next game featured undefeated BB4L, presented by longtime NBA standout Baron Davis, against Birdie's Revenge, presented by and featuring multi-platinum rapper The Game in a distinctively Only-In-LA matchup.

Birdie's Revenge, featuring MVP candidate Franklin Session, took an early lead and held a 41-32 advantage when, midway through the third quarter, Davis moved himself from the coaching box to the backcourt, taking the floor for BB4L.

And from that point on, BB4L took control of the game. Davis had just 5 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts and 2 steals, but his impact on the game was substantial. So was the defense of Casper Ware, who focused on Session, disrupting the Birdies' offense.

The result was a 71-64 BB4L win. Detroit Pistons' forward Stanley Johnson was the top scorer with 26 pts, including 6 threes, and he also had 8 rebs. Ware finished with 15 pts, 5 rebs and 6 asts.

Also appearing for BB4L were Ervin Ware (Mt. SAC), Casper's younger brother, who started and did not score but had 5 asts, 2 steals and a rebound. Van Girard (Cerritos/CS Dominguez Hills) also started and had 2 pts, a rebound, a block and a steal. Tim "Bugatti" Johnson (LA Trade Tech/Cameron) came off the bench for 6 pts, an assist and a steal. Jordan Mackie (Citrus/Humboldt State) had a 3-point field goal.

For Birdie's Revenge, Session finished with 11 pts, 11 rebs, 4 asts and 2 steals. Jarion Henry (Cerritos/CS San Bernardino) had 13 pts, 7 rebs, 3 asts and a blocked shot. Mark Dawson (Pasadena/Long Beach State/France) started and had 6 pts and 3 rebs, and Roshun Wynne (Cuyamaca/Cal State East Bay/NBDL) started and had 6 rebs and 2 asts. Kendrick "Milk" Harris (LA Southwest/Lamar/ABA), Markus Monroe (Glendale/Wayland Baptist/Lithuania), Terrence Townsend (LA City/Morehead State/United Arab Emirates) and Todd Barnes (Pasadena) all saw limited playing time but did not score.

In the finale, ex-LA Clipper guard Mike Taylor (Chipola/Iowa State/NBA/China) turned in a superlative effort with 36 pts, including 6 three-pointers, but his Scrapes & Gravel squad fell, 91-80, to Nick Young, JaVale McGee and #Juglife.

Roy Walker (LA Southwest/The Master's College) started for Scrapes & Gravel and had 2 pts, 6 rebs and 2 asts. Victor Michel (Chaffey/Mexico) came off the bench and did not score but had an assist and a rebound.

For #Juglife, Tre Brewer (Fullerton/SBVC/CS San Bernardino/Singapore) started and had 6 pts, 3 rebs and 2 asts. George McGrew (Antelope Valley/CS Dominguez Hills) came off the bench for brief action but did not score.

McGee finished with 27 pts and 17 rebs, while Swaggy P had 24 pts, including 4 three-pointers, and 8 rebs.

August 13: Drew League, LA Southwest College:

Franklin Session: (Saddleback/CSLA/NBDL) had 21 pts, 9 asts and 4 steals to lead Birdie's Revenge to a 72-69 win over Sky Ryse in the first round of the Drew League playoffs Saturday.

Session fed Roshun Wynne (Cuyamaca/Cal State East Bay/NBDL) for a lay-up that gave the Birdies a 68-67 lead, and scored on a drive to make it 70-67. Birdie's Revenge led the rest of the way, though Sky Ryse had a chance to tie it in the final seconds when Justin Johnson's (Citrus/Concordia/Canada) would-be game-tying 3-pointer bounced off the rim.

Session, one of the top candidates for Drew League MVP this summer, led all scorers with his 21 pts. Mark Dawson (Pasadena/LB State/France) had 16 pts, 8 rebs, an assist and 2 steals. Wynne started and had 4 pts, 3 rebs, 2 asts and 4 steals. Markus Monroe (Glendale/Wayland Baptist/Lithuania) came off the bench for 6 pts, a rebound and a steal, and Jarion Henry (Cerritos/CS-San Bernardino) came off the bench for 6 pts and a rebound. Kendrick "Milk" Harris (LA Southwest/Lamar/ABA) played briefly but did not score.

For Sky Ryse, Johnson had a team-high 16 pts. "Ageless" Nick Sanderson (Canyons/BYU) came off the bench for 14 pts, including 3 three-pointers, and 2 asts. Yashin Ali (LA Trade Tech) had 10 pts, 4 rebs and 2 asts. Mark Peters (SBVC/UC Riverside/overseas) started at point guard and had 6 pts and team-highs of 7 asts and 3 steals. J.R. Lewis (LA Trade Tech/Fresno Pacific) came off the bench for 3 pts, 2 rebs and an assist. Lemar Gayle (Cerritos/CSUB/Germany) coached the team and played briefly but did not score. Kevin Menner (Saddleback/Cal Poly Pomona) also saw brief action but did not score.

In earlier action, Dejean Prejean (LA City/Cal State LA/Germany) poured in a game-high 30 pts to lead Salvatori's Spirit to a 101-84 win over Legacy.

Prejean finished with 30 pts, including 4 threes, plus 3 rebs, 2 asts and 4 steals. Roderick Williams (East LA) had 19 pts and 7 rebs, and Deontae North (South Plains TX/Portland State) came off the bench for 10 pts, 2 rebs, 4 asts and 3 steals. Nashid Beard (LA City/Lamar/Morocco) had 9 pts, 8 rebs, 2 asts and a blocked shot. Isaiah Bailey (Pratt KS/East LA) came off the bench for 4 pts, 4 asts and 4 steals.

For Legacy, Robbie Robinson (Riverside/CSUF/CS San Bernardino) scored a team-high 18 pts and added 4 rebs, 3 asts and 3 steals. Josh Gordon (West LA/Texas A&M-Commerce) had 17 pts, 4 rebs, a game-high 6 asts and 2 steals. Dushone Brown (LA Harbor) came off the bench for 11 pts, 3 rebs, 3 steals and an assist. Tristan Wilson (Yuba/Long Beach State) started at center and had 6 pts and 2 rebs. Jaylen Bland (Canyons/UC Riverside) had 5 pts, an assist, a block and a steal. Desi Barmore (Modesto/CS San Bernardino) started and had 2 pts, while Julius Bilbrew (Antelope Valley) came off the bench for 2 pts, 2 rebs and a steal.

In the next game Tyrone Big 50 Riley (LA City/San Francisco/Europe) had 19 pts and 9 rebs, and James Boyd (Compton) had 7 pts and a game-high 17 rebs for Hank's Bulldogs in an 86-83 loss to COA.

Rodney "Speedy" Blackmon (West LA/E New Mexico/Poland) had 11 pts, 4 rebs, 6 asts and a steal for the Bulldogs, who also got 24 pts from newly-signed New Orleans Pelican forward Chris Copeland. Jordan Crawford had 24 pts for COA, and Brandon Jennings of the New York Knicks had 15 pts and 6 asts.

In the next game, Alan-Michael Thompson (Brunswick NC/Louisiana-Lafayette/France) had 10 pts and 6 rebs for LA Loop, which fell, 88-72, to defending champion LAUNFD. NBA all-star James Harden had 29 pts, 13 rebs, 7 asts, 2 blocks and a steal for LAUNFD, and newly-signed Houston Rockets' guard Bobby LB Brown had 21 pts, including 5 three-pointers, and 4 asts.

Next up were Hank's Houdini's All-Stars, but the 2014 league champions fell, 76-62, to #Juglife, a team led by NBA veterans JaVale McGee and Nick Young.

A.J. Harris (Santa Monica/Post Univ) had 9 pts, a rebound, an assist and 2 steals for the Houdinis, and Antonio Biglow (Mt. SAC/Montana State) had 8 pts, 4 rebs and a team-high 5 asts. Lateef McMullan (Citrus/Portland State/Latvia) had 3 pts, 3 asts and a steal, and Darnell Martin (Mt. SAC/CS Dominguez Hills/Germany) had 3 pts and a team-high 7 rebs. Kwame Alexander (Irvine Valley/CS San Bernardino/Philippines) had 2 pts and 4 rebs, and Jamaal Barnes (Mt. SAC/CSDH) had 3 pts. Shakir Johnson (West LA/Santa Monica/Metro State/MPBA) saw brief action but did not score.

Tre Brewer (SBVC/CS San Bernardino/Singapore) started for #Juglife and had 4 pts, 2 rebs and an assist. Wesley Harris (Compton) saw brief action and scored a point; George McGrew (Antelope Valley/CSDH) saw brief action and grabbed a rebound. McGee had 17 pts and 20 rebs, and Swaggy P had 12 pts and 13 rebs.

In the day's finale, onetime LA Clipper Mike Taylor (Chipola/Iowa State/NBA/Lebanon) had 14 pts, 9 rebs, 3 asts and a steal to help Scrapes & Gravel to a 70-67 win over the #2-seed CitiTeam Blazers.

Roy Walker (LA Southwest/The Master's College) started for S&G and did not score but had 2 rebs and 2 asts. Victor Michel (Chaffey/Mexico) came off the bench and didn't score but had an assist.

Corey Allen (Mt. SAC/South Florida/Albania) scored a team-high 16 pts for the Blazers and added 3 asts and 3 steals. Garrett "G-Money" Nevels (Mt. SAC/Hawaii/Spain) had 8 pts and 2 rebs, and Malcolm Thomas (SD City/SD State/NBA/China) had 7 pts plus game-highs of 14 rebs and 5 blocked shots. Horace Wormely (Pasadena/Vanguard/NBDL/Colombia) had 6 pts, 2 rebs and an assist. Jushay Rockett (Arizona Western/Alaska/Canada) started and had 5 pts and 4 rebs.

August 7: Drew League, Willowbrook:

Tyrone "Big 50" Riley (LA City/San Francisco/Europe) poured in 35 pts and James Boyd (Compton) pulled down what is believed to be a Drew League record 29 rebounds as Hank's Bulldogs edged #Juglife and LA Laker forward Nick Young, 92-88.

The win was huge for the Bulldogs, who not only clinched a playoff berth with the victory but gained a #5 seed, going in just ahead of #Juglife.

And Riley, who helped USF to an NIT berth in 2004-05, led the way with his 35 pts, which included 5 three-pointers. Meanwhile Boyd, who led the state in rebounding in his one season at Compton College, had 7 pts and 29 rebs, helping clinch the win with 5 points in the final minute.

Rodney "Speedy" Blackmon (West LA/E New Mexico/Poland) had 14 pts, 6 asts and 2 steals for the winners. Ricky Gallagher (LA City) helped coach and also played briefly, providing a basket and a rebound.

Tre Brewer (San Bernardino Valley/CS San Bernardino/Singapore) started for #Juglife and had 16 pts and 5 rebs. Wesley Harris (Compton) and George McGrew (Antelope Valley/CS Dominguez Hills) both also started in place of late-arriving Sek Henry and JaVale McGee; McGrew had 2 pts, 2 rebs and an assist while Harris did not score. Sheldon Allen (LA Harbor/CS Dominguez Hills) also saw brief action before McGee arrived but did not score.

Young finished with 25 pts and 10 rebs, and McGee had 20 pts and 8 rebs in three quarters of play apiece.

Earlier, Justin Johnson (Citrus/Concordia/NBDL) had 19 pts, 9 rebs, 6 asts and 2 steals, and Mark Peters (SBVC/UC Riverside/overseas) had 10 pts, 7 rebs and 7 asts to lead Sky Ryse to an 85-65 win over the Reapers.

The excellent play of that starting backcourt was key in the playoff-clinching win. But Sky Ryse also got a huge lift off the bench from Nick Sanderson (Canyons/BYU/CBA), who came off the bench for 15 pts on 5 three-pointers. Sanderson turned 45 earlier this year, but was the third-leading scorer in the game behind Johnson and NBDL standout Richard Solomon, who had 23 pts for the Reapers.

Yashin Ali (LA Trade Tech) started for Sky Ryse and had 10 pts and 4 rebs, and J.R. Lewis (LA Trade Tech/Fresno Pacific) came off the bench for 11 pts and 3 steals. Kevin Menner (Ventura/Saddleback/Cal Poly Pomona) came off the bench for 2 pts.

Jeff Nibo (Chaffey/Valdosta State) started for the Reapers and had 5 pts, a rebound and an assist.

In the next game, Corey Allen (Mt. SAC/South Florida/Albania) came off the bench for a team-high 24 pts, 3 asts and a game-high 7 asts for the CitiTeam Blazers in a 99-77 rout of Metta World Peace's team, the Pandas.

Malcolm Thomas (SD City/SD State/NBA/China) started for the Blazers and had 12 pts, 7 rebs, 2 asts, a block and a steal. Jushay Rockett (Arizona Western/Alaska/Canada) also started and had 6 pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts, a block and a steal. Horace Wormely (Pasadena/Vanguard/NBDL/Colombia) started at point guard and had 6 pts, 3 rebs and 3 asts. Garrett "G-Money" Nevels (Mt. SAC/Hawaii/Spain) came off the bench for 3 pts, 3 asts, 2 rebs and a steal.

Donovan Plunkett (Butte/Dixie State) started for the Pandas and had 10 of his 14 pts in the first quarter, helping the Pandas take an early 24-8 lead. He also had 2 rebs, 3 asts and 2 steals. Kirpatrick McCauley (Santa Monica) also started and had 6 pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts and 3 steals.

David Nwaba (Santa Monica/Cal Poly SLO) came off the bench for 4 pts, 6 rebs, 7 asts and 4 steals before being ejected on a very iffy Flagrant-2 foul call with 4:35 left. Brandon Jamar (LA Southwest) came off the bench for 4 pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts and a blocked shot.

Later in the afternoon, onetime LA Clipper Mike Taylor (Chipola/Iowa State/NBA/Lebanon) registered 18 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts and 3 steals to help Scrapes & Gravel secure a playoff berth with a 74-68 win over Salvatori's ICEO.

Much of the attention was on the San Fernando Valley-ish duel of incoming USC freshman DeAnthony Melton (28 pts, 12 rebs) against Sierra Canyon junior Marvin Bagley (23 pts, 13 rebs). But they largely offset each other, with Taylor providing the extra boost for Scrapes & Gravel to win a game it had to win in order to make the postseason.

Victor Michel (Chaffey/Mexico) had 9 pts, including a key 3-pointer with 1:40 left to give S&G a 70-64 lead. Roy Walker (LA Southwest/The Master's College) had 2 pts, 2 asts and 6 rebs, and his two free throws with 8.4 seconds left clinched the win and the playoff spot for Scrapes & Gravel. Chris Reaves (Citrus/Chaminade/China) had 5 pts, including a 3-pointer that tied the game at 52 early in the 4th quarter after ICEO had led most of the game to that point. Ty Bickham (LA Southwest) also played briefly but did not score.

Jeremy Pope had 14 pts for ICEO, including 3 three-pointers. Kendall Lauderdale (Fullerton) had 7 pts, 2 rebs and 2 asts.

The next game saw Kerry Carter (Citrus/St. Mary's/Germany) had 21 pts, 6 asts and 3 steals to lead Redemption to an 88-80 win over the Jaguars that clinched the Stanley Dill division championship.

Charles "Chuck" Garcia (Riverside/Seattle Univ/Iceland) had a double-double with 17 pts and 11 rebs for Redemption, and Dominique Johnson (SW Tennessee/Azusa Pacific/NBDL/Germany) had 12 pts, 5 rebs and 5 asts. Tom Granado (Citrus/Concordia/Canada) started and had 2 pts and 3 rebs. Josh White (Mt. SAC/Lindsay Wilson) came off the bench and had 2 pts, 2 asts and a rebound.

Bernard Ireland (Riverside/Hope International) came off the bench for the Jaguars and scored a team-high 21 pts, including a pair of threes, and added 4 rebs, 2 asts and 2 steals. Khalil Kelley (Sequoias/Pacific) had 11 pts and a team-high 9 rebs. Kevin Pritchett (Riverside) had 8 pts, 3 rebs and 2 asts, and Olajuwon Anderson (LA Trade Tech) had 6 pts, 6 rebs, 3 asts and a steal. Nicholas Smiley (Santa Monica) had 4 pts, 5 rebs, 2 blocks, an assist and a steal.

August 6: Drew League, Willowbrook:

Josh Gordon (West LA/Texas A&M-Commerce) had 24 pts, including 6 three-pointers, plus 3 asts and 4 steals to lead Legacy to an 82-79 win over Birdie's Revenge in a showdown for a 2nd or 3rd seed in the John Williams division.

Robbie Robinson (Riverside/CSUF/CS San Bernardino) had 19 pts and 8 rebs, including at least 5 spectacular dunks and a 3-pointer that broke a 74-all tie with 1:47 left.

Jaylen Bland (Canyons/UC Riverside) came off the bench for 9 pts on 3 three-pointers plus 3 rebs and 4 steals. Tristan Wilson (Yuba/Long Beach State) started at Center and had 6 pts and a team-high 10 rebs. Marc Wilson (Mt. San Jacinto/Cal State LA) started and had 3 pts, 6 rebs and 5 asts. Dushone Brown (LA Harbor) came off the bench for 6 pts and 3 steals. Desi Barmore (Modesto/CS San Bernardino) had 2 pts and an assist.

The Birdies lost despite another spectacular effort from Franklin Session (Saddleback/Cal State LA/NBDL), who poured in 35 pts and added 4 rebs, 4 asts and 4 steals as he continued his bid to win the league's MVP award. He had two chances in the final seconds to tie the game, but missed a pair of 3-pointers.

Julian Caldwell (Fullerton/Colorado State-Pueblo) had 11 pts, 4 rebs and 3 steals, and Mark Dawson (Pasadena/Long Beach State/France) had 8 pts, 9 rebs and 2 blocked shots. Markus Monroe (Glendale/Wayland Baptist/Lithuania) had 2 pts, a rebound, an assist and 2 steals, and Roshun Wynne (Cuyamaca/Cal State East Bay/NBDL) had 2 pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts and 2 steals. Jarion Henry (Cerritos/CS San Bernardino) had 2 pts, 2 rebs, 3 asts and a blocked shot. Kendrick "Milk" Harris (LA Southwest/Lamar/ABA) played briefly but did not score.

In the next game, Antonio Biglow (Mt. SAC/Montana State) scored 20 pts and Lateef McMullan (Citrus/Portland State/Latvia) scored 12 to lead Hank's Houdini's All-Stars to a 74-66 win over COA and Washington Wizards' guard Trey Burke.

Biglow led all scorers with his 20 pts, and he added 4 rebs and 2 asts. McMullan's 12 pts including 3 three-pointers and he added 3 rebs, 4 asts and a steal. Onetime NBA first-round draft pick Austin Daye, who now plays in China, had 15 pts and 9 rebs. A.J. Harris (Santa Monica/Post Univ) came off the bench for 4 pts, 4 rebs, 6 asts and a steal. Jamaal Barnes (Mt. SAC/CS Dominguez Hills) started but did not score.

Burke finished with 14 pts, including 3 threes, plus 4 rebs, 6 asts and 4 steals for COA.

In the next game, MVP contender Van Girard (Cerritos/CS Dominguez Hills) had a double-double with 19 pts, 11 rebs and 4 steals to help BB4L to an 86-69 win over Salvatori's Spirit, completing a perfect 11-0 regular season for BB4L, the first in The Drew since Problems accomplished the feat in 2008.

Only NBA standout Stanley Johnson (Detroit Pistons) scored more points for BB4L than Girard. Retired NBA standout Baron Davis, who runs the team, took the floor and had 15 pts, 7 rebs and 5 asts. Jordan Mackie (Citrus/Humboldt State) started and had 11 pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts and 4 steals. Tim Johnson (LA Trade Tech/Cameron) also started and had 2 pts, a rebound, an assist and a steal. Aaron Edwards (SBVC/E. New Mexico/Australia) came off the bench for 6 pts, 2 rebs and a steal.

Dejean Prejean (LA City/Cal State LA/Germany) had 10 pts, 10 rebs, 2 asts, 4 steals and a blocked shot for the Spirits. Roderick Williams (East Los Angeles) had 10 pts, 6 rebs, 3 asts and a steal. Nashid Beard (LA City/Lamar/Morocco) had 8 pts, 4 rebs and 2 blocked shots.

The next game saw one of the biggest upsets of the Drew League season when Hank's Panthers toppled Problems, featuring LA Laker forward Julius Randle, 84-69.

Wayne Andrews (Compton/Fullerton/CS Dominguez Hills) came off the bench for 27 pts, including 4 three-pointers, to lead the Panthers. Garrett Jefferson (Citrus/Cal Baptist/Peru) had 18 pts, including 4 threes, plus 5 rebs and 2 asts. Chris Lawrence (Long Beach/Jamestown) had 6 pts, 6 rebs, an assist and a steal.

Randle finished with 20 pts and 13 rebs for Problems, and longtime Drew League star "Money Mike" Efevberha (CS Northridge/NBDL/China) had 19 pts. Overall the Problems lineup featured 7 players: Randle, Harvard forward Zena Edosomwan and 5 NBDL/overseas professionals. D.J. Shelton (Citrus/Washington State/Turkey) had 3 pts and 3 rebs, and Doug Thomas (Southeastern Iowa/Iowa/NBDL/Canada) had 2 pts and 4 rebs.

But the victory was bittersweet for the Panthers. The teams both finished 6-5, necessitating a 6-way tiebreaker to decide the final 4 playoff spots. Despite the result of this game, Problems was awarded the #8 seed while the Panthers were left out of the playoff field.

The next game saw Salvatori's No Shnacks rout Salvatori's Nova Stars, 91-54, behind 30 pts from overseas pro Sean Marshall and 15 pts, 6 asts and 3 steals from veteran NBA point guard Darren Collison.

Adom Jacko (Chaffey/Loyola-Marymount) had 12 pts for No Shnacks, and Ryan Nitz (Chaffey/CS Monterey Bay) also started and had 2 pts and 3 asts. 2015-16 JCHoops.com SoCal Player of the Year Victor Joseph (Chaffey/Cal Poly SLO) had 6 pts, and his CHP teammate Donavan Taylor (headed to Hawaii-Hilo) had 3 pts for the winners.

Deon Marcus (Pasadena) had 8 pts, 7 rebs and 2 asts for the Nova Stars. Michell Barrett Burrell (Fullerton/Waldorf/ABA) had 4 pts, a rebound and an assist.

Unfortunately for No Shnacks, the victory was not enough to gain entrance into the playoff field. No Shnacks joined the Panthers as the two teams eliminated in the aforementioned 6-team tie-breaker.

In the final game of the day, Will Funn (SBVC/Portland State/Mexico) had 16 pts, 3 rebs and a team-high 7 asts for Hard Times in an 87-78 season-ending loss to defending league champion LAUNFD.

Davie Champagnie (Riverside/Martin Methodist) had 8 pts, 8 rebs, 2 asts and 4 steals for Hard Times, and Aaron Cheatum (East LA/Washington State/CS San Bernardino) had 8 pts, 9 rebs, an assist and a steal.

Hard Times lost despite 30 points from former Westchester HS and University of Arizona standout Jordin Mayes. But LAUNFD had sometimes NBA players Bobby LB Brown, John Lucas III and Dijon Thompson as well as current Houston Rockets' forward Montresz Harrell in its lineup.

July 31: Drew League, Willowbrook:

Franklin Session (Saddleback/Cal State LA/NBDL) continued his torrid play, posting a triple-double with 23 pts, 10 rebs, 11 asts and 6 steals to lead Birdie's Revenge to an 84-76 win over Sky Ryse.

It was Session's second known triple-double of the season - he also had one in June against Hank's Panthers - and stamps him as the favorite for Drew League MVP this season.

Stephaun Branch (Mt. SAC/West Georgia) also had a huge game with 17 pts, 5 rebs, 2 asts and 2 steals for the Birdies, who moved into second place in the division with the win. Mark Dawson (Pasadena/LB State/France) had 10 pts and 5 rebs, and Roshun Wynne (Cuyamaca/CS East Bay/NBDL) had 4 pts, 5 rebs, 2 asts and 2 steals. Jarion Henry (Cerritos/CS San Bernardino) started and had 2 pts, 2 rebs and 2 steals. Markus Monroe (Glendale/Wayland Baptist/Lithuania) had 4 pts and 2 steals. Todd Barnes (Pasadena) had 2 pts in brief action.

Justin Johnson (Citrus/Concordia/NBDL) led Sky Ryse with 17 pts, and he also had 3 rebs and 3 asts. Kevin Menner (Saddleback/Cal Poly Pomona) had 13 pts, 2 rebs and 2 steals, and James Ennis (Ventura/LB State/Memphis Grizzlies) had 10 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts, 2 blocks and 2 steals.

Mark Peters (SBVC/UC Riverside/overseas) started and had 8 pts, a team-high 6 asts, 2 rebs and a steal. Kevin Lewis (Compton/Wyoming) started and had 3 pts, 3 rebs, 2 steals and an assist. J.R. Lewis (LA Trade Tech/Fresno Pacific) came off the bench for 7 pts and an assist before it was remembered that he had played the previous day for COA and was therefore ineligible; it seems one cannot play for two different teams in the same weekend.

In an earlier game, Van Girard (Cerritos/CS Dominguez Hills), perhaps Sessions' top competition for MVP honors, had 15 pts, 9 rebs, 3 asts and a blocked shot as BB4L stayed undefeated with an 80-55 thrashing of Salvatori's No Shnacks.

Tim Johnson (LA Trade Tech/Cameron) started alongside Girard and Toronto Raptors' forward Terrance Ross and had 12 pts, 6 rebs, 2 asts and a steal. Charles Jackson (Lassen/S Idaho/Tennessee Tech/NBDL) also started and had a double-double with 10 pts, 11 rebs, 2 blocks and an assist. Ervin Ware (Mt. SAC) completed the starting five but did not score, giving way to his brother Casper after just a few minutes into the game.

Jordan Mackie (Citrus/Humboldt St) came off the bench for 9 pts, rebs, 2 asts and 2 steals. Aaron Edwards (SBVC/E New Mexico/Australia) also came off the bench and did not score but had 5 rebs and a blocked shot.

Sango Niang (Chaffey/Simon Fraser/Germany) led No Shnacks with 10 pts, 7 rebs and a game-high 6 asts. DeShawn Stephens (Santa Monica/SD State/France) had 9 pts, 11 rebs and a blocked shot. Ryan Nitz (Chaffey/CS Monterey Bay) had 3 pts, 6 rebs and an assist, Victor Joseph (Chaffey/Cal Poly SLO) had 3 pts and a rebound, and Donavan Taylor (Chaffey/Hawaii-Hilo) had 1 pts, 2 rebs and a steal coming off the bench. And Adom Jacko (Chaffey/Loyola Marymount) arrived late but had 7 pts, 2 rebs and a steal, all in the 2nd half.

In earlier action, Nicholas Smiley (Santa Monica) had 18 pts and 9 rebs, and Khalil Kelley (Sequoias/Pacific) had 16 pts, 4 rebs and 4 steals in the Jaguars' 93-60 rout of Salvatori's ICEO.

Taj Spencer (Pasadena/Cal Baptist) started and had 8 pts, 4 rebs and 2 steals, and David Hall (Cerritos/Cal State LA) started and had 5 pts, 8 rebs and 2 blocked shots. Bernard Ireland (Riverside/Hope International) came off the bench for 10 pts, 2 rebs and an assist, and Kevin Pritchett (Riverside) came off the bench for 9 pts, 3 rebs and 2 asts. Damian Elam (Southwestern) came off the bench for 9 pts, all on 3-pointers, plus 2 rebs, 4 asts and a steal.

A.J. Gasporra (Citrus/Concordia/Mexico) started the game as ICEO coach but activated himself at halftime in an effort to rally his troops from a 17-point deficit. He helped cut the margin to 11 before the Jaguars pulled away again; he finished with 6 pts, 2 rebs and 2 asts. Jeremy Pope (Cerritos/Biola) came off the bench for 9 pts, all on 3-pointers, and an assist.

In another early game, Deon Marcus (Pasadena) had 14 pts and 6 rebs for Salvatori's Nova Stars in an 89-69 loss to LA Loop. Travon Jones (SD Mesa/ABA) had 14 pts, 3 rebs, 2 asts and 3 steals. Jelani Poston (Coffeyville/Arkansas-Ft Smith) stuffed the stat sheet with 8 pts, 6 rebs, 2 asts, 5 steals and 7 blocked shots. Roderick Evans-Taylor (Chaffey/Cal State LA) had 2 pts and 2 rebs, and Sam Williams (Mt. San Jacinto/Nevada) had 2 pts and 3 rebs. Mitchell Barrett-Burrell (Fullerton/Waldorf/ABA) had 6 pts, 1 rebound, an assist and a blocked shot. Taurus D'Antignac (Compton) and Jalen Jordan (SD Mesa) both played briefly but did not score though D'Antignac did have 3 rebs and 3 asts.

Alan-Michael Thompson (Brunswick NC/Louisiana-Lafayette/France) came off the bench for LA Loop and had 8 pts, 3 rebs, 2 asts, 2 blocks and a steal. Len Springs (El Camino/LA Trade Tech/Northern Arizona) also saw action and had 2 pts and 2 rebs.

In the featured game of the day, Antonio Singleton (LA Trade Tech) started for Hank's Clozers in an 89-73 loss to #Juglife, a team featuring NBA players Kenneth Faried and Nick Young in front of a capacity crowd.

Singleton had 7 pts, 8 rebs and a steal for the Clozers, and Darnell Taylor (Saddleback/CS San Marcos) had 2 pts, 3 rebs, 2 asts and a steal coming off the bench. Shawn Hampton (Pasadena) had 6 pts off the bench. Marquise Harris (Compton/E New Mexico) and Nevell Lenard (Antelope Valley/CSDH) both played but did not score, though Harris had 3 rebs and an assist.

Sheldon Allen (LA Harbor/CSDH) and George McGrew (Antelope Valley/CSDH) each came off the bench for brief action for #Juglife but did not score.

And in the weekend's finale, Travele Jones (Cerritos/Texas Southern/Greece) poured in 33 pts and grabbed 6 rebs for the I Can All-Stars in a 92-86 loss to Problems.

Austin Pope (Cerritos/N Idaho/Hawaii) had 5 pts, 9 rebs, 7 asts and 2 steals for I Can.

D.J. Shelton (Citrus/Washington State/Turkey) started for Problems and had 6 pts, 5 rebs, an assist and 2 steals. Steve Alford (Bakersfield/W Washington/ABA) came off the bench for 2 pts, 2 rebs and an assist. Larry Dew (Chaffey/Cal Baptist) also came off the bench for brief action but did not score.

July 30: Drew League, Willowbrook:

It was the first of two stellar performances by Session, now thriving at point guard after playing a wing position in college and in previous seasons in The Drew.

Stephaun Branch (Mt. SAC/W Georgia) had 6 pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts, 2 blocks and 3 steals for the Birdies. Jarion Henry (Cerritos/CS San Bernardino) also started and had 2 pts, 6 rebs, 2 asts and a blocked shot, and Mark Dawson (Pasadena/LB State/France) came of the bench for 4 pts, 4 rebs and a blocked shot. Julian Caldwell (Fullerton/Colorado St-Pueblo) had 4 pts, 6 rebs and 2 asts, Markus Monroe (Glendale/Wayland Baptist/Lithuania) had 2 pts and 3 asts ,and Roshun Wynne (Cuyamaca/CS East Bay/NBDL) had a point and an assist.

In the first game of the day, David Nwaba (Santa Monica/Cal Poly SLO) had 24 pts, 11 rebs, 4 asts, 2 blocks and 2 steals to help the Pandas to a 77-74 win over One Culture.

Donovan Plunkett (Butte/Dixie State) had 12 pts, 5 asts, 2 rebs and a steal for the Pandas, who won despite the absence of team owner Metta World Peace. Brandon Jamar (LA Southwest) had 6 pts, 6 rebs, an assist, a block and a steal, and Bracin "Sky" Walker (American River) had 4 pts and 3 asts. Kirpatrick McCauley started and had 2 asts but did not score.

For One Culture, Michael Bethea (Ohlone/Grambling) came off the bench and was stellar with 21 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts and a steal. Marcus Morgan (West Valley/CSUF/Argentina) started and had 14 pts, 8 rebs and 2 asts, and Zach Hollis (Antelope Valley/Tampa) also started and had 8 pts and a team-high 9 rebs.

In the next game, Chris Camper (Long Beach/Colorado St-Pueblo) had 9 pts, 3 rebs, an assist and a steal while starting alongside his brothers Julian (El Camino/Cal State LA) and Vince (the reigning Drew League MVP) for Salvatori's New Image in a 77-76 loss to COA.

Julian had 3 pts and a rebound; Vince poured in 36 pts and added 6 rebs and 5 asts. Everett Turner (Santa Monica/CS Dominguez Hills) came off the bench for 7 pts, 5 rebs and 2 asts. Guiressi Grimes (West Hills/Washington Adventist) played briefly but did not score.

J.R. Lewis (LA Trade Tech/Fresno Pacific) played briefly for COA; he didn't score and had 2 asts. But his brief appearance would be a problem later in the weekend for his next team...

Later on, Hank's Houdini's All-Stars, bolstered by the addition of onetime NBA lottery pick Austin Daye raced past Hank's Bulldogs, 89-74.

Daye poured in 36 pts for the Houdinis, who are coached by longtime JC coach Alan Caveness (Compton/Fullerton/Mt. SAC). Antonio Biglow (Mt. SAC/Montana State) had 14 pts and a game-high 9 asts, and Lateef McMullan (Citrus/Portland St/Latvia) had 10 pts, 7 asts and 4 steals. Kwame Alexander (Irvine Valley/CS San Bernardino/Philippines) had 6 pts and 5 rebs. A.J. Harris (Santa Monica/Post Univ) had 2 pts and 3 asts. Jamaal Barnes (Mt. SAC/CSDH) and Josh White (Mt. SAC/Lindsay Wilson) both played but did not score.

Tyrone "Big 50" Riley (LA City/San Francisco/Europe) led the Bulldogs with 16 pts, and he also grabbed 8 rebs. James Boyd (Compton) had 10 pts, a game-high 11 rebs and 4 asts, and Kris Lawrie (El Camino/Colorado St-Pueblo) had 10 pts, 3 rebs, 4 asts and a steal. Rodney Blackmon (West LA/E New Mexico/Poland) had 6 pts, 5 asts, 2 rebs and a steal.

Still later, Kerry Carter (Citrus/St. Mary's/Germany) had 23 pts, 5 rebs, 4 asts and 3 steals to help Redemption to a 92-82 win over Salvatori's ICEO.

Charles "Chuck" Garcia (Riverside/Seattle/Iceland) had 17 pts, 8 rebs, 4 asts, a block and a steal for Redemption. Tom Granado (Citrus/Concordia/Canada) had 8 pts and 8 rebs.

ICEO lost despite the presence of NBA all-star forward Andre Drummond of the Detroit Pistons, who had 25 pts and 21 rebs.

In the day's penultimate game, Salvatori's Spirit took a 16-point first-half lead but eventually fell to defending champion LAUNFD, a team featuring three point guards with substantial NBA experience (Pooh Jeter, Bobby LB Brown & John Lucas III, 97-91.

Dejean Prejean (LA City/Cal State LA/Germany) had 22 pts, 3 rebs, 2 asts and 2 steals, and Roderick Williams (East Los Angeles) had 21 pts and a game-high 11 rebs for the Spirits. Nashid Beard (LA City/Lamar/Morocco) had 7 pts, 3 rebs, an assist and a block. Isaiah Bailey (Pratt KS/East LA) came off the bench for 3 pts, a rebound, an assist and a steal. Kevin McDowell (LA Trade Tech) played briefly but did not score.

Reggie Murphy (Antelope Valley/Henderson State/Republic of Georgia) and Troy Payne (Citrus/Santa Clara/New Zealand) each played briefly for LAUNFD but did not score.

In the day's finale, Garrett Nevels (Mt. SAC/Hawaii/Spain) had 15 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts and 4 steals in his debut for the CitiTeam Blazers in an 86-49 rout of CABC.

Nevels came to the Blazers along with longtime teammate Corey Allen (Mt. SAC/South Florida/Albania) from Hank's Houdini's All-Stars. Allen had 12 pts, 4 asts and 2 steals in his debut for the new team.

Jushay Rockett (Arizona Western/Alaska-Fairbanks/Canada) had 8 pts, 5 rebs, a block and an assist, and Malcolm Thomas (SD City/SD State/NBA/China) had 7 pts, a team-high 10 rebs, 3 asts, 3 blocks and a steal. Horace Wormely (Pasadena/Vanguard/Colombia) had 10 pts, 5 rebs and 2 asts. Taylor Nelson (SD City) came off the bench for 5 pts, 3 rebs and 2 asts.

July 23: Drew League, Hawthorne:

The game was part of a special program at the Air Hangar to celebrate basketball culture in LA, and there were three current and two more recent NBA players participating in the game. Current LA Laker Jordan Clarkson led all scorers with 33 pts while playing for Problems.

BB4L, a team led by longtime NBA standout and current filmmaker Baron Davis, seemed to have things well in hand with a 21-point lead early in the fourth quarter. But Clarkson shot Problems back into the game, cutting the margin to just 4 points after making his 5th 3-pointer of the game with just under a minute to play.

Longtime Drew League veteran Casper Ware converted a 3-point play with 49.1 seconds left, and Girard converted his with 29.2 seconds left to push the lead back to 99-91, keeping BB4L in control.

Girard finished with 20 pts, 1 rebound, 3 asts and 3 steals. Charles Jackson (Lassen/S Idaho/Tennessee Tech/NBDL) started for BB4L and had 12 pts, 6 rebs and 2 steals. Tim Johnson (LA Trade Tech/Cameron) and Jordan Mackie (Citrus/Humboldt St) both came off the bench and each finished with 7 pts, 2 asts, a rebound and a steal. Aaron Edwards (E New Mexico/Australia) came off the bench for 2 pts and 3 rebs, and Ervin Ware (Mt. SAC) started alongside his older brother and did not score.

For Problems, D.J. Shelton (Citrus/Washington State/Turkey) came off the bench for 9 pts, 6 rebs and an assist. Gary Ricks (Indian Hills/Drake) came off the bench and made a 3-point shot. Steve Alford (Bakersfield/Western Washington/ABA) came off the bench and made a basket and grabbed a rebound.

In the first game, DeShawn Stephens (Santa Monica/SD State/France) had a double-double for Salvatori's No Shnacks in a 77-68 win over Hank's Houdini's All-Stars.

Stephens finished with 12 pts, a game-high 14 rebs, 4 asts, 2 blocks and a steal for the winners, which took the lead with an 11-0 run to start the 2nd quarter and led the entire 2nd half.

Travele Jones (Cerritos/Texas Southern/Greece) had 9 pts, 8 rebs, an assist, a block and a steal for the winners. Donavan Taylor (Chaffey/Hawaii-Hilo) came off the bench for No Shnacks and had 3 pts, 2 rebs and a steal.

Garrett Nevels (Mt. SAC/Hawaii/Spain) scored a game-high 22 pts, including a pair of three-pointers, and added 3 rebs, 2 asts and 5 steals for the Houdini All-Stars. Antonio Biglow (Mt. SAC/Montana State) had 14 pts, 3 rebs, 3 asts and a steal, and Corey Allen (Mt. SAC/South Florida/Albania) had 10 pts, 2 rebs, 3 steals and a game-high 8 asts.

Also for the Houdini All-Stars, Kwame Alexander (Irvine Valley/CS San Bernardino/Philippines) had 7 pts, 5 rebs, 2 asts and a blocked shot. Jamaal Barnes (Mt. SAC/CSDH) started and had a rebound, an assist and 2 steals, and A.J. Harris (Santa Monica/Post) came off the bench for 6 pts. Donte Williams (Pierce/Utah Valley State) came off the bench and made a 3-pointer. Shakir Johnson (West LA/Santa Monica/Metro State) played briefly and blocked a shot.

July 9: Drew League, Willowbrook:

The Houdini All-Stars broke a 30-30 tie with a 15-0 run and led by 13 at the half. And despite Antonio Biglow (Mt. SAC/Montana State) leaving with what appeared to be a minor injury, the Houdinis seemed well on their way to running their record to 5-0 after pushing the lead to 21 points at 58-37 midway through the third quarter.

But the Clozers narrowed the gap to just 6 points by the end of the third quarter, and continued to rally in the fourth. Two free throws by Dwayne Polee gave the Clozers a 73-72 lead with 2:34 to go. It was tied again at 74 when Devin Watson hit a 3-pointer for the Clozers with 1:15 left.

Corey Allen (Mt. SAC/South Florida/Albania) scored on a driving lay-up to bring the Houdinis within a point at 77-76, but Watson split a pair of free throws with 36.7 seconds left to make it 78-76. He missed the second shot, but the ball went out of bounds to the Clozers with 33.2 seconds left.

The Houdinis got the ball back one last time with the score still 78-76, and coach Allen Caveness (Compton/Fullerton/Mt. SAC) aka Houdini called timeout to draw up the final play. The ball went in to Nevels, who launched the Money Shot from behind the right elbow to get the win.

Nevels finished with 26 pts, including 3 threes, plus 7 rebs, 5 asts, 2 steals and a blocked shot. Josh White (Mt. SAC/Lindsay Wilson) had 13 pts, and Allen came off the bench for 6 pts, 2 rebs and 2 asts. Biglow had 6 pts and 5 asts in just over a half, and A.J. Harris (Santa Monica/Post) came off the bench in relief and had 4 pts, 5 rebs and 2 asts. Jamaal Barnes (Mt. SAC/CSDH) had 1 point and 1 rebounds. And Shakir Johnson (Santa Monica/West LA/Metro State) joined the team and had a huge impact despite not scoring a point with 9 rebs, 2 steals and 6 blocked shots.

For the Clozers, Shawn Hampton (Pasadena/IBL) had 12 pts, 5 rebs, 6 asts and a steal. Antonio Singleton (LA Trade Tech) had 6 pts, 9 rebs, 4 asts and a blocked shot.

In earlier action, Franklin Session (Saddleback/Cal State LA/NBDL) had 22 pts, 4 rebs, 7 asts and 3 steals for Birdie's Revenge in a 90-53 rout of Hank's I Can All-Stars.

Stephaun Branch (Mt. SAC/W Georgia) started and had 11 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts and a steal. Tim Johnson (LA Trade Tech/Cameron) came off the bench for 10 pts, 3 rebs and 2 asts, and Julian Caldwell (Fullerton/Col State-Pueblo) came off the bench for 6 pts, 4 rebs, an assist and 2 steals. Kendrick "Milk" Harris (LA Southwest/Kentucky State) had 3 pts, 3 rebs and 4 asts, and Markus Monroe (Glendale/Wayland Baptist/Lithuania) had 2 pts, 2 rebs and assist. Geoffrey Frid (Mira Costa/Cal State LA) had 2 pts, a rebound and a blocked shot. Roshun Wynne (Cuyamaca/Cal State East Bay/NBDL) started and didn't score but had an assist, 2 blocked shots and 2 steals.

For I Can, Leon Jacob (Compton/LA Pierce/Texas A&M International/Estonia) had a team-high 11 pts, 3 asts and a steal.

In the first game of the day, NBA veterans Brandon Jennings and Jordan Crawford each scored 22 pts to lead COA to an 88-82 win over Scrapes & Gravel.

Victor Michel (Chaffey/Mexico) came off the bench for Scrapes & Gravel and poured in 17 pts, including 5 three-pointers, one of which was a half-court shot at the end of the third quarter. He also had 3 rebs and an assist.

Sooren Derboghosian (Glendale/Drexel) came off the bench for 4 pts and 2 rebs for the winners. Shannen Garner (LA Southwest) started and had 2 pts, 8 rebs, an assist and a steal for Scrapes & Gravel. Roy Walker (LA Southwest/The Master's College) also started and had 5 pts, 6 rebs, 3 asts and a steal.

In the 2 pm game, Kaimyn Pruitt (Mt. SAC/Adams State) had 8 pts, 10 rebs, 3 asts and a steal for the Pandas in a 71-68 loss to #Juglife. Brandon Jamar (LA Southwest) also started alongside Metta World Peace and his son, Ron Artest III, and had 2 pts, 6 rebs and a blocked shot. Metta had 22 pts, 6 rebs, 2 asts and 3 steals, while Ron III had 12 pts, 2 rebs, a block and a steal.

For #Juglife, Wesley Harris (Compton) played briefly and did not score but had 2 steals. George McGrew (Antelope Valley/CSDH/Japan) came off the bench for 2 pts and a rebound, and Sheldon Allen (LA Harbor/CSDH) came off the bench and grabbed 4 rebs. Occasional NBA forward Jordan Hamilton led #Juglife with 31 pts, 11 rebs, 4 asts and 2 steals.

And in the 3:15 game, Lateef McMullan (Citrus/Portland State/Colombia) came off the bench for 2 pts and 3 asts in a 91-76 victory for LA Loop over Problems.

Alan-Michael Thompson (Brunswick NC/Louisiana-Lafayette/France) came off the bench for LA Loop and had 2 pts, 5 rebs and a blocked shot.

Raysean Hairston (San Francisco/Campbellsville) led Problems with 23 pts, and he also had 2 rebs, 2 asts and 2 steals. Steve Alford (Bakersfield/Western Washington/ABA) had 14 pts, 5 rebs and 4 asts, and Gary Ricks (Indian Hills/Drake) had 6 pts, 6 rebs, 3 asts and a blocked shot. Reggie Murphy (Antelope Valley/Henderson State/Republic of Georgia) started and had 2 pts, 7 rebs, 3 asts, a block and a steal. Larry Dew (Chaffey/Cal Baptist/IBL) came off the bench for 4 pts, 4 asts and 3 steals.

July 3: Drew League, Willowbrook:

Garrett Nevels (Mt. SAC/Hawaii/Spain) scored 26 pts and Antonio Biglow (Mt. SAC/Montana State) had 21 pts to lead Hank's Houdini's All-Stars, a team made up mostly of former JC players, to a 77-69 win over Salvatori's ICEO.

With the score tied at 67, Biglow scored his team's next 7 points as the Houdinis pulled away in the final 2:05 to run their record to 5-0. Darnell Martin (Mt. SAC/CS Dominguez Hills) made one free throw with 21.2 seconds left but missed the second; Nevels grabbed the rebound, was fouled and made two free throws with 15.4 seconds left to make it 77-69 and close out the win.

Nevels finished with 26 pts, including 2 3-pointers, plus 9 rebs, 2 steals, a block and an assist. Biglow had 21 pts plus 7 rebs and a team-high 5 asts. Martin came off the bench for 11 pts, 3 rebs and an assist. Josh White (Mt. SAC/CS Dominguez Hills) had 4 pts, 2 rebs, an assist and a blocked shot, and Donte Williams (Pierce/Utah Valley State) had 4 pts, 2 rebs and an assist.

For ICEO, A.J. Gasporra (Citrus/CS San Marcos/Mexico) had 20 pts, including 3 three-pointers, plus 8 rebs, 5 asts, 3 steals and a blocked shot. Jeremy Pope (Cerritos/Biola) had 9 pts, including 3 three-pointers, and 4 asts.

In the next game, Van Girard (Cerritos/CS Dominguez Hills) had a double-double with 12 pts and 11 rebs to help BB4L to an 88-70 win over defending champion LAUNFD, running its record to 5-0 on the season.

With a packed house on hand, Girard started alongside Ervin Ware (Mt. SAC) and his older brother Casper as well as current Toronto Raptor forward Terrance Ross. Ervin Ware had 3 pts, 2 rebs and 5 asts. Jordan Mackie (Citrus/Humboldt State) came off the bench for 10 pts, 3 rebs and an assist. Aaron Edwards (San Bernardino Valley/E New Mexico/Australia) played briefly and did not score but amassed 2 assists, a blocked shot, a steal and a rather bloody nose after taking an inadvertant elbow.

In earlier action, Salvatori's No Shnacks rallied from a 15-point first-half deficit to post a 73-67 win over the I Can All-Stars.

Sango Niang (Chaffey/Simon Fraser/Germany) had 13 pts, 7 rebs and 4 asts for No Shnacks, and DeShawn Stephens (Santa Monica/SD State/France) had 13 pts, 2 rebs, 3 asts, a block and a steal. Jordan Richard (Riverside/Cal State LA/Mongolia) had 4 pts, 10 rebs and 5 blocked shots. Ryan Nitz (Chaffey/CS Monterey Bay came off the bench for 2 pts, 3 rebs, an assist and a steal.

Travele Jones (Cerritos/Texas Southern/Greece) had game-highs of 18 pts and 13 rebs plus a block, a steal and an assist for I Can. Leon Jacob (Pierce/Texas A&M-Int'l/Estonia) came off the bench and played briefly but did not score.

In the next game, Chris Telesford (LA City/Columbus St/Colombia) had 15 pts, 8 rebs, 2 asts and 2 blocked shots to help COA to an 87-73 win over CABC.

Sooren Derboghosian (Glendale/Drexel) and Madison Higgins (Santa Monica/Fresno Pacific) each played briefly for the winners but did not score. Derboghosian actually started the game (before Russell Bird arrived) and had a rebound an an assist.

Chase Miller (Santa Ana/Montana State) had 5 pts, including a 3-pointers, and 2 rebs for CABC.

In later action, Tom Granado (Citrus/Concordia/Canada) had 10 pts, 5 rebs and a blocked shot, and Kerry Carter (Citrus/St. Mary's/Germany) had 9 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts and a steal to help Redemption to a 94-81 win over One Culture, improving its record to 5-0 on the summer.

Corey Walker (Riverside/CS Fullerton) came off the bench for 4 pts and an assist.

Zach Hollis (Antelope Valley/Tampa) started for One Culture and had 5 pts and 5 rebs. Ian Pinckney (Motlow TN/Davis & Elkins) had 4 pts and 2 rebs, and Justin Johnson (Citrus/Concordia/NBDL) had 2 pts and an assist. Kori Babineaux (San Francisco/Jacksonville) played briefly but did not score.

And in the nightcap, Kaimyn Pruitt (Mt. SAC/Adams State) had 22 pts, 10 rebs, an assist, a blocked shot and 3 steals to help Metta World Peace and the Pandas to a 78-75 win over the Jaguars.

With the Pandas clinging to a 3-point lead and 4.6 seconds to go, Brandon Jamar was subbed into the game to help defend the inbounds pass, and the Pandas prevented the ball from getting to Oregon State standout Stephen Thompson Jr. for a final shot.

Gerard Anderson (Saddleback/CS Fullerton/NBDL) had 2 pts, 4 rebs and an assist. Jamar did not score. World Peace had 24 pts, 6 rebs, 5 asts, 3 steals and a blocked shot.

For the Jaguars, Khalil Kelley (Sequoias/Pacific) had 15 pts, 7 rebs and 3 asts. Nicholas Smiley (Santa Monica) came off the bench for 10 pts, 6 rebs and 4 steals. Taj Spencer (Pasadena/Cal Baptist) started and had 6 pts, 4 rebs and a steal. Olajuwon Anderson (LA Trade Tech) came off the bench for 4 rebs and 3 asts, and Tyree Beals (LA Southwest/NBDL) came off the bench for 2 pts. Kenny Morgan (Chaffey/Hope International) and Kevin Pritchett (Riverside) played briefly but did not score.

June 17: Drew League, Willowbrook:

Dejean Prejean (LA City/Cal State LA/Germany) scored 21 pts and added 5 rebs and 4 steals to help Salvatori's Spirit to a 75-63 win over the I Can All-Stars in the first of 3 games on a special Friday Night Lights session of The Drew.

Prejean was one of two former LACC Cubs in the lineup for the winners. Nashid Beard (LA City/Lamar/Morocco) also started and had 2 pts, 5 rebs, 4 blks and 2 steals.

Current East Los Angeles Huskies' forward Roderick Williams came off the bench for 5 pts, 7 rebs, 2 asts, a block and a steal. Deontae North (South Plains/Portland State) came off the bench for 3 pts and a rebound.

Travele Jones (Cerritos/Texas Southern/Greece) had 12 pts, 6 rebs, 3 steals and an assist. Brandon McQueen (Antelope Valley/Kentucky State) played briefly for I Can but did not score.

In the next game, David Nwaba (Santa Monica/Cal Poly SLO) had 12 pts, 11 rebs, 3 asts and 5 steals for One Culture in a 73-52 rout of the Jaguars.

Justin Johnson (Citrus/Concordia/NBDL) started for the winners and had 5 pts, 3 rebs, 2 steals and an assist. Ian Pinckney (Motlow TN/Davis & Elkins) provided a big boost off the bench with 12 pts, including a pair of 3-pointers, plus 5 rebs and 2 asts. Zach Hollis (Antelope Valley/Tampa) also started and had 3 pts, 3 rebs, 2 asts, 2 steals and a blocked shot. Tristan Wilson (Yuba/Long Beach State/Wayne State) came off the bench for 4 pts, 3 rebs and a steal.

Khalil Kelley (Sequoias/Pacific) had 9 pts, 4 rebs and 2 asts for the Jaguars. Taj Spencer (Pasadena/Cal Baptist) came off the bench for 6 pts, a team-high 10 rebs, 2 asts and a steal. Olajuwon Anderson (LA Trade Tech) started and had 6 pts, 2 rebs and a steal, and Bernard Ireland (Riverside/Hope International) came off the bench for 4 pts, 2 rebs and a blocked shot. Tyree Beals (LA Southwest/NBDL) had 2 pts and 5 rebs. David Hall (Cerritos/Cal State LA) and Kenny Morgan (Chaffey/Hope International) both played briefly but did not score.

And in the finale, the headline was incoming UCLA uber-prospect Lonzo Ball's end-to-end dash for the winning basket with 10 seconds left to give Hank's Clozers a thrilling 92-91 win over the CitiTeam Blazers.

But it would have mattered little without Darnell Taylor and his outstanding defense on onetime NBA 1st-round draft pick and and longtime overseas pro and Drew League standout Marcus Williams.

After Ball's basket, the Blazers inbounded the ball to Williams along the left sideline. Known in The Drew as "Mr. Isolation", Williams went one-on-one against Taylor, but had to settle for a contested fall-away jumper that barely drew iron. The Blazers' Larry Anderson got the rebound, but USC's Chimezie Metu blocked a final putback attempt to clinch the win for the Clozers.

Taylor arrived at halftime and finished with 6 pts, 4 rebs and 2 asts.

For the Blazers, Horace Wormely (Pasadena/Vanguard/NBDL) started and had 13 pts, 3 rebs, 3 asts and 3 steals. Jushay Rockett (Arizona Western/Alaska-Fairbanks/Canada) came off the bench for 11 pts, 4 rebs and an assist.

June 11: Drew League, Willowbrook:

Franklin Session (Saddleback/CSLA/NBDL) posted a triple-double for Birdie's Revenge in a 78-72 overtime win over Hank's Panthers to highlight a day of pro-am action at The Drew.

Session finished with 18 pts, 13 rebs, 10 asts and 6 steals, scoring 4 of those points in overtime. Stephaun Branch (Mt. SAC/W Georgia) started as well and had 10 pts and 3 rebs. Markus Monroe (Glendale/Wayland Baptist/Lithuania) came off the bench for 8 pts, and Julian Caldwell (Fullerton/Colorado State-Pueblo) came off the bench for 7 pts and 8 rebs. Tim Johnson (LA Trade Tech/Cameron) played briefly and had 2 pts an an assist. Kendrick Harris (LA Southwest/Lamar) played briefly but did not score.

For the Panthers, Joseph Morgan (LA Trade Tech/Morgan State/China) scored a team-high 17 pts and also dished out 4 asts. Donald Lee (Pierce/CS Bakersfield/IBL) also started and had 3 pts and 7 rebs. Vince "Hot Dog Water" Harris (Porterville) had 2 pts, 4 rebs and a blocked shot, and Sam Natt (Mt. San Jacinto/Union) played briefly and had 1 pt and 1 reb. Chris Lawrence (Long Beach) and Chris Spencer (Long Beach/Benedict) played briefly but did not score.

In later action, Antonio Biglow (Mt. SAC/Montana State) scored a game-high 25 pts and added 7 rebs and 3 asts to lead Hank's Houdini's All-Stars to a 72-60 thumping of the Pandas.

This game featured a showdown between two of the most distinguished coaches/executives in The Drew: longtime JC coach Allen Caveness aka Houdini vs. NBA veteran Metta World Peace aka Ron Artest. And though Metta took the court for the Pandas - scoring 9 pts and adding 8 rebs, 2 asts and 2 steals - the Houdinis were in control most of the game.

Darnell Martin (Mt. SAC/CS Dominguez Hills had 11 pts and 7 rebs for the victors, and A.J. Harris (Santa Monica/Post) came off the bench for 16 pts and 6 asts. Jamaal Barnes had 8 pts, including the team's only two 3-pointers. Josh White (Mt. SAC) and Donte Williams (LA Pierce) both played briefly but did not score.

For the Pandas, Kaimyn Pruitt (Mt. SAC/Adams State/Germany) had a double-double with 10 pts, 10 rebs, 3 asts and 5 steals. Gerard Anderson (Saddleback/CS Fullerton/NBDL) came off the bench for 4 pts and 4 rebs. Brandon Jamar (LA Southwest) also came off the bench and had 4 pts, a rebound, a block and a steal. Kirpatrick McCauley (Santa Monica) played briefly and had 2 pts and an assist.

In the first game of the day, Lorenzo McCloud (Santa Rosa/Pacific) scored 11 pts and added 6 rebs, 3 asts and a steal to help The Reapers edge the I Can All-Stars, 84-82. Jeff Nibo (Chaffey/Valdosta State) also started and had 9 pts, 5 rebs, an assist and a steal. Travele Jones (Cerritos/Texas Southern/Greece) had 12 pts, 9 rebs, 2 asts and 3 steals for I Can, and Daviyon Draper (Antelope Valley/Florida International) had 6 pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts and 2 steals.

In the next game, David Hall (Cerritos/Cal State LA) had 13 pts and 10 rebs, including a steal & slam with 10.5 seconds left in regulation in the Jaguars' 76-74 overtime win over Hank's Bulldogs.

Tyree Beals (LA Southwest/NBDL) had 10 pts and 8 rebs, and Khalil Kelley (Sequoias/Pacific) had 6 pts, 3 rebs and a blocked shot.

Tyrone Riley (LA City/San Francisco) had 12 pts, 6 rebs and 2 blocked shots for the Bulldogs. James Boyd (Compton) also started and had 6 pts, 10 rebs, 4 asts and 3 steals. Elliott Berry (Pasadena/UC Riverside/Canada) had 7 pts and 4 rebs off the bench, and Rodney Blackmon (West LA/E New Mexico/Poland) had 4 pts and 4 asts. Kris Lawrie (El Camino/Colorado State-Pueblo) did not score but had 3 rebs and 2 asts.

And in the marquee match-up, Eric Williams (Long Beach CC/Tarleton State/Colombia) had 20 pts, 13 rebs, 2 asts, 3 blocks and 2 steals to help LA Loop rout defending champion LAUNFD, 87-67.

Alan-Michael Thompson (Brunswick NC/Louisiana-Lafayette/France) started for LA Loop and had 7 pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts and a steal. Lateef McMullan (Citrus/Portland State/Colombia) came off the bench for 5 pts, 4 rebs and a game-high 9 asts. Though LAUNFD were without James Harden - active NBA players can join the league after July 1st - the champs still had 5 players with NBA experience and two more with extensive NBDL experience in its lineup.