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P.E.P FALL CLASSIC SUMMARY

Illinois Warriors rule the weekend in Chicago over Mac Irvin Fire

by Doug Ferguson

Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer. In regards to summer basketball, it couldn’t come to a better climax either. The season’s final championship concluded with a match-up of the two most distinguished teams on the circuit this year. The Illinois Warriors and Mac Irvin Fire were on an inevitable collision course all weekend on Chicago’s west side and it all came to a head on Sunday afternoon……and then they played the game.

Technically it was the semifinals pitting the 17U Mac Irvin Fire and 17U Illinois Warriors. At the same time, the Warriors 16U team lead by blue-chipper Anthony Johnson was disposing of Old Gold in the tourney’s other semifinal. While Johnson was the best player in the gym for this tournament, it was crystal clear that the 17U team he will likely play for next year was the best team.

The Fire/Warriors game was really overshadowed by sloppy play, chippiness and poor officiating. The shortcomings of the game itself though, could not take away from the Warriors dominance. The Fire looked like they felt as if they were too good to hustle and play defense as the Warriors opened up a double digit lead less than halfway through the first half upon which they would only build. The Mac Irvin team picked up a few technical fouls before the end of the first half and pushed their deficit into the 20′s.

In the second half, David Brown, Drew Crawford (Tournament MVP), and James Pointer led the continued onslaught of the national power Fire squad eventually pushing the lead into the 30′s and still showing no mercy. Chris Colvin picked up a frustration technical late in the game by arguing with an official who seemed to be instigating players into unnecessary arguments. In the end though, the Fire could blame nothing except their lackluster effort against an outstanding team playing at their peak for the anticlimactic finish of this tournament.

The two Warrior teams agreed to share the championship rather than playing each other in a final game which would have been a glorified scrimmage.

The Mac Irvin Fire 16U team defeated the Illinois Titans in the finals of the consolation bracket led by Wayne Blackshear and Tracy Abrams amongst others.

The P.E.P Fall Classic is organized and run by Project Eduction Plus of Chicago, which also runs the Chicago Demons AAU program and the event was held at Whitney Young High School in Chicago. High class talent was on display at its best this weekend, with most of the top talent consisting of about three or four teams, but competition was on high as always on the West Side of the “City of Broad Shoulders”. Here are some of the headliners and players of particular interest to the Big East.

Anthony Johnson

Strength- The 2010 prospect has the full package offensively and will be able to step in and score immediately at whichever school he chooses to attend.

Area of Improvement- Weight room!!!! He is very slight and tends to get tossed around some. He sometimes makes it a little more pronounced with some Oscar worthy acting jobs.

Skinny- If they taught a class on how to be a complete offensive basketball player at Whitney Young, the 6-foot-3 Anthony Johnson would not only get an A, he could be the teacher. Despite being the absolute, complete, and total focus of every team’s defensive gameplan when up against the Illinois Warriors U-16 squad, he treated legit defenders like he was playing against my brother’s 12 year old YMCA team.

He has been pegged at times as just a spot up shooter, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. He can get to the rim one on one, finish in transition, and even make the occasional jaw-dropping pass. He was extremely impressive on defense as well, especially causing turnovers with ruthless ball pressure. Oh, and yes, he can still shoot with perfect form and NBA range. He was the most impressive player on the floor as far as showing a skill set best built to excel at the next level. He will lead a very talented guard corps this season at Whitney Young High School.

School List- Ohio State, Marquette, Kentucky, UCLA, Illinois, Notre Dame, Purdue

Mike Shaw

Strength- One of the hardest things to come by in basketball, a power forward with legit size (6-foot-8), but has the skills to play guard if he really wanted (ie. Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, Dirk Nowitzki)

Area of Improvement- As with a lot of players with this particular skill set, the De Lasalle High School sophomore often falls in love with jump shots and forgets that he is 6-foot-8 and can probably dunk at will almost any time he’d like.

Skinny- If Anthony Johnson was the best player on the floor, Mike Shaw definitely has the most upside. If asked, name one person at this event who has the ability to be a lottery pick one day, my answer would be Shaw, the Mac Irvin Fire standout, without even thinking twice. At the age of 15 he is the best player on a team that I finally saw lose for the first time in four tournaments this summer. He is the player that every coach dreams to one day have on his roster. The coveted big man who can play like a guard. There are probably 20 people in the world with a basketball arsenal that can rival Shaw if he reaches his potential, and I’ll say it again, “HE’S 15″.

He is usually ranked among the top 10 players nationally for the Class of 2011, which may actually be selling him short. Aside from Johnson, there may not been a more smooth or consistent perimeter shooter in the gym. He is his point guard’s best friend in transition as they merely need to put the ball in the same zip code of the rim and he will finish it with supreme authority.

Shaw’s college interests have been pretty close to the vest with the exception of the obligatory offer from Bruce Weber and Illinois. It is pretty much the assumption that he is eating at the prime rib buffet when it comes to college choices. Big East powerhouses like Connecticut, Louisville, and Georgetown amongst others are sure to make inquiries (and we hear they have) about Shaw at the very least. Oh, did I mention HE’S 15!!!!

David Brown

Schools of Interest- According to ChicagoHoops.com, Brown will visit Western Michigan and is currently looking closely at Northwestern, Missouri State and Bradley. At other times during the summer he has expressed interest in Cincinnati, West Virginia, DePaul and others.

Strength- Besides being a very complete combo guard, his main strength would probably be just that, his strength

Area of Improvement- Offensive assertiveness. This will probably change though when he is playing on his high school team at Hononegah High School and isn’t surrounded by an All-Star AAU roster as he is with the Illinois Warriors.

Skinny- David Brown is one of the hottest names in Illinois circles of late among players in the class of 2009. With consistent play throughout the AAU season and a very impressive showing at the LeBron James Skills Academy, he is shooting up the charts faster than a Bon Jovi ballad cir. 1988. The main thing attracting college coaches to Brown has got to be his lack of many true weaknesses. Coaches see his intelligence, defense, and overall team play as the formula for a great role player at the college level with the outside possibility for stardom.

He is as strong as an ox. He is very difficult to contain when carving his path to the rim and has that same effect in reverse on defense. He had most people’s #1 player in Illinois, Chris Colvin, completely out of sorts in the Warriors drubbing of the powerhouse Mac Irvin Fire. He can guard both guard positions extremely well and in theory can probably play the 3 too. He seems to never miss a jump shot if left open, although he isn’t really considered a “shooter”. With the Fire pressing and trapping essentially from the opening tip, he (as well as all of the Warrior guards) protected the ball with extreme care. He always seems to make the extra pass when warranted. He is just someone that coaches absolutely love, a guy who keeps mistakes to an absolute minimum.

Chris Colvin

Schools of Interest- Illinois, Florida State, Providence, USC, Illinois, Kentucky

Strength- The penetrate and dish game is his bread and butter

Area of Improvement- Outside shooting and shot selection.

Skinny- This weekend proved again to be another installment of Dr. Chris and Mr. Colvin. Colvin’s game cannot be stopped when he decides to play it. His game is comparable to T.J. Ford when he decides to play to his strengths. When he starts thinking he is Gilbert Arenas is when he starts getting into trouble. Although he made more three-pointers in this tournament than I’ve ever seen him make, there is still little reason for him to EVER shoot one other than keeping the defense honest.

He is great at quarterbacking the break, especially with the all-star cast of finishers filling the wings for the Mac Irvin Fire. There are so many people that can score the ball on both his AAU and high school team (Whitney Young), that in all actuality, he should rarely attempt a field goal that isn’t a layup or dunk. He seemed rattled and completely out of his game with frustration by the IL Warrior defense. Their is no doubt about it, he is one of the few guys out there who can be a difference maker without scoring a point. Some players don’t think that’s a good thing but it most certainly is. If and when Colvin starts to let that be the basis of his game, he can be very special. If not, he will be saddled with bouts of inconsistency.

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