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HALF HOLLOW HILLS WEST 77, CHESTER (PA) 69

Top talent in Morgantown on Saturday for Primetime Shootout’s opening leg

by RAY MERNAGH

First game of the day for NBE was the 10am tip featuring Half Hollow Hills West (Long Island, NY) against Chester (PA). Half Hollow Hills features Tobias Harris, a senior forward that’s headed to Tennessee to play for Bruce Pearl. Every time I see Tobias Harris he’s better than he was the last time and that again would be the case against Chester. Other players I’ll write about from HHHW are junior point guard Tavon Sledge (5’9″), Tyler Harris, Tobias’ “little” brother (he looks to run right about the same 6’8″ as big bro by now) is still listed as a junior but that’s misleading because he will finish high school at HHHW and then go to prep school for a year. So, for basketball reasons, the 15-year-old baby faced Harris will be some school’s 2012 recruit.

Chester is one of those schools that you can tell has a program, even if they might not have a lot of high-major recruits you know you’ll always have to bring it to beat Chester. Half Hollow Hills West found that out right from the jump as Chester’s junior guard Darius Collins hit a 3-pointer to get things rolling. Tobias Harris then matched him with a rainbow 3-pointer from the top of the key. Tavon Sledge went hard to the rack and finished and Tyler Harris got loose on the win for a 17-footer (he has a very smooth left-handed release). Jameer Nelson’s brother, senior guard Maurice, hit a 3 to make it 9-8 Chester. The rest of the quarter featured Tobias Harris scoring in the mid-range, in the post and on a few tip-ins. Tavon Sledge is scary-quick and at times was out of control. To piggyback that comment though, every time he turned it over or made a mistake, he rectified it on the defensive end by using his speed and athleticism. One particular play saw him turn the ball over but sprint back and challenge a shot at the rim with authority (he was called for the foul but the shooter was more than a little shocked at Sledge’s explosiveness. Tyler Harris seemed to force a few shots but his brother would inevitable clean up the miss and score it. Kareem Robinson hit a 3 for Chester then after a turnover Tyler Harris showed some grit by sprinting back and blocking a layup at the buzzer. Things were knotted up 19-19 headed into the second quarter.

The second quarter saw Darius Collins hit multiple three’s while Tobias Harris continued to have his way. Sledge again showed his explosiveness but also seemed hesitant to shoot the ball. Harris faced up and hit a mid-range jumper, then scored on the break as well. Sledge turned the ball over a few times after going in the air and trying to pass. Tauvane Griffin, a sophomore big, made a nice block on Tobias Harris that caught my eye. Catching my eye even more was Chester sophomore forward Erikk Wright, who scored on the break, defended, and generally seemed to embrace the challenge of playing against Harris. Tobias Harris also found Sledge with a look ahead pass that Sledge caught and converted all in the same motion (very difficult play that he made look easy).

Wright’s hustle and Collins’ three-point shooting were enough to let Chester go into the half up 39-38.

The third quarter saw HHHW — and the Harris brothers — take over the game. Erikk Wright worked his way inside for a tip in to put Chester up 43-40 only to be answered by a Tyler Harris three-pointer from the corner. The younger Harris followed that up with a big block on the defensive end. Following a quick jack — too quick — by Nelson, Tobias Harris drew a foul and hit both freebies to give Hills West a 45-43 lead. Wright answered that with a 12-footer from the middle of the lane but then a Hills West layup, a Tobias Harris three and an Aaron McCree three spread the lead to 53-45 and Chester called a TO.

Chester coach Larry Yarbary called out “Wheel” as a play out of the timeout but all it got the Clips was a turnover followed by a Tobias Harris three (56-45 Hills West). The next play showed why the extra year is going to be immense for Tyler Harris as he had a breakaway where he had to pick the ball up off the floor, gather himself and go in for the bucket. He got blocked because he isn’t quite there explosion-wise yet, but with his frame and feet I could see him very easily being at the point — soon — where he can explode off the floor and dunk that for the and-1.

Hiils West sophomore Emile Blackmon — who looks like he has a future at 6’3″ but kind of blends in right now — hit two freebies and then Tobias Harris again cleaned up a miss after a Chester turnover and converted for a 15-point Hills West advantage (60-45). Another three by Tyler Harris makes it 63-45 and then he breaks his man down off the bounce, gets into the middle-lane area, and finds his brother for a layup and foul. 66-49 Hills West at the end of the 3rd.

Chester made a late run that was too late, by forcing some turnovers down the stretch, but Harris always had an answer when his team needed it. The final was 77-69 Half Hallow Hills West.

Evaluations and Recruiting Interest

Tobias Harris — 6’8″ 2010 forward — Continues to improve even as he sits in the position, arguably, as the top scoring four man in the 2010 class. If he gets a reliable three-point shot and figures out how to explode by defenders off the bounce (both of which I would bet will happen at the next level) Tobias Harris has no ceiling on his game. He could eventually become a small forward if he continues with his current work habits (and why wouldn’t he, the kid’s all business). He would fit perfectly at a Louisville or Syracuse. Still shocked a bit by him not ending up in the Big East and heading to Tennessee, but he’ll prosper in Pearl’s system as well.
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Tavon Sledge — 5’9″ 2011 point/combo guard — Claims Big East interest without getting specific today (earlier this week at the Big Apple Invitations Sledge told NBE he is being recruiting by West Virginia, Connecticut, Hofstra, St. John’s, Providence and a “bunch of Big East schools”). Explosive athlete with a killer first-step. One drawback, and it’s a big one, is he doesn’t shoot it well (or just doesn’t shoot it period outside of five feet unless he absolutely has to). At 5’9″ he’ll find the going rough at the high-major level without at least a 15-foot J. If he develops one he’ll be hell on wheels. Can get wherever he wants with penetration. Tends to play out of control a bit. Finished with 17 points.
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Tyler Harris — 6’8″ 2012 forward –Coach says almost the entire Big East is calling and salivating at what he projects to be (on Monday Tyler told NBE that he offers from Seton Hall, Duquesne, Hofstra, Delaware, Tennessee and Virginia Tech. Schools showing early interest include Syracuse, Boston College, Maryland, Wisconsin, Oregon State, Georgia Tech, George Mason and Dayton). Could grow to 6’11″ according to the coach. Has huge feet, good hands and good instincts. Right now, if he wasn’t reclassifying, I’d says he’s a very solid mid-major. But that extra year, along with the growth in both stature and game (see his brother two yrs ago as a chubby kid who’s now a monster) and you can understand why coaches might get giddy projecting him. Time will certainly tell. Smooth left-handed shot. Showed ability to attack shots defensively both on his man and from the help-side. Made the one play off the bounce and found the shooter that caused me to look twice. Finished with 11 points, probably 7-8 boards, 2 blocks and 2 dimes.
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Emile Blackmon — 6’3″ 2012 guard/forward — Not featured on this team but showed a nice stroke and has a good build. Player to keep an aye on in the future.
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Erikk Wright — 2012 forward — No height listed but looked about 6’4″-6’5″. Very young. Great instincts in open floor and half-court. Good hands. Reminded me a bit of former Chester and current Pitt player Nas Robinson. Says he’s getting no interest. After scoring 18 and battling Tobias Harris that will probably change for the youngster. One to definitely keep an eye on to see if he can be consistent after earning MVP along with Harris of this game.

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