WASHINGTON, DC - Gonzaga’s Terrance Williams and
Dematha’s Hunter Dickinson each scored 18 points with each adding ten rebounds to
help propel Team Uptown in the annual Coach Francis Classic.
Standing 7 feet, Dematha’s Hunter
Dickinson was the tallest player participating in the annual Coach Francis
Classic.
With a full-court weave to the rim
that had the backboard shaking after a powerful dunk Dickinson along with Che
Evan’s who soared through the air for an array of acrobatic rim rattlers of his
own, might have drew the biggest response from the crowd filling the bleachers
at St. Johns College High School in Chevy Chase, Washington, DC on Friday
August 26th.
The nationally-recognized contingent
of the Team Uptown All-Stars defeated an equally adept group of national names
on the Team Downtown All-Stars, 84-76, but only after a missed free-throw clanged
off the front of the rim with under a minutes to play that would have cut
Uptowns lead to two and resulted in a fast-break on the other end was the game ultimately
decided.
Both teams featuring recruits headed
to area powerhouse programs such as, Gonzaga, Dematha, St. Frances, Mt. St. Joe’s,
PVI, Bishop O’Connell, Clinton Christian, Delaney, John Carroll, St. Mary’s
Ryken, and the host school St. Johns College/High School - Myles Stute awakened
the crowd and kept their attention throughout with his combination outside
shooting and slashes to the rim for some very exciting finishes.
Jordan Toles, who has been battling injury and is headed to
St. Frances with new 2020 member Anthony Thomas, is already receiving attention
from colleges. Cameron Byers is headed
to a loaded John Carroll team and will look to take advantage of a national
schedule to showcase his talents.
The teams started out hot as
Keyshawn Johnson and Austin Allison locked in from outside. But no lead was
secure for long as O’Connell’s Dimingus Stevens and Mt. St. Joe’s Tyler
Brelsford lead breaks while each hitting perimeter buckets, another O’Connell
commit Treyvon Todd was very active in the paint looking to block any shot
attempted. Earl Timberlake showed great versatility (Clinton Christion) dishing out a
game high 7-assist and contributing some amazing blocks. Mike Sumner was exciting and explosive with
great size and Cory Barns was his normally tough-self putting in work on both
ends.
“Everyone on either team is used to
being a star on their team, yet everyone
brought in for last time as they said a final good-bye and hello to their high
school careers” Francis said. “It meant a
lot to have the kids and families show up tonight, being here says a lot about
the players but even more about the parents and families who understood the
true value in meaning of the evening.
Sometimes its about more than the game and tonight on so many levels was
about that as it is each year for this Friday night grand finale!
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