Your official Tournament of Champions Live Blog
Thanks to everybody for joining us with this Live Blog tonight! I hope you enjoyed it. If you can’t make it to the Q, we’ll see you again tomorrow for Day Two of the Tournament of Champions, with a 5 p.m. start. Check back tomorrow for additional video interviews with some of tonight’s stars, as well as the other goodies from TAG, including your weekly movie times, your Friday night Show Report and a whole lot more. Thanks again and good night.
- Stats from the final game: Kickapoo – Brodie Wingert 21 points, 12 rebounds; Ryan Rippee 16 points; Tyler Hall 13 points … United Faith – Ian Miller 25 points; Paris Roberts-Campbell 17 points; Hanner Perea 11 points, 8 rebounds
- Kickapoo and White Station have played in the TofC before, in the 2005 Quarterfinals (KHS 52-50) and in the 2003 Semifinals (WS 50-48)
- Friday’s schedule: Consolation – Hillcrest-Chaminade, 5 p.m.; Sagemont-United Faith, 6:30 p.m.; Championship – Christ the King-Milton, 8 p.m.; White Station-Kickapoo, 9:30 p.m.
- Will have some final stats before we wrap this up, but Kickapoo played its best game all year, Wingert balled tonight
Final score: Kickapoo 71, UFCA 67
- Brandon Helsel shooting two (:13.9 to play) – hits both, 71-66
- Ian Miller hits deep three out of busted play, 69-66, with :15.7 to play, UFCA timeout
- UFCA misses again, Wingert makes pair of free throws, KHS 69-63, :29 to play
- Chris Underwood misses front-end of double bonus, makes second, 67-63
- UFCA turns it over, Chiefs have ball with less than a minute, will hold as long as possible
- Each team in bonus, free throw contest underway, Wingert makes a pair, 66-63
- Ryan Thornhill misses a pair of free throws, Chiefs lead 64-63, UFCA ball, 1:26 to play
- Wingert pretty much no-call assaulted at halfcourt, leads to Ian Miller layup, Chiefs lead down to one, 64-63
- Ian Miller hits a pair of free throws, cuts deficit to 64-61, 2:07 in fourth
- Kickapoo’s Cody Anderson fouls out with 4 points
- Wingert called for traveling, has near seizure in reaction to whistle … (sorry Brodie, it was the correct call)
- Ryan Rippee gets easy layup and turnover, Chiefs lead 63-56, with ball (2:51)
- UFCA making a run, five points isn’t too many, 61-56, 3:28 left
- Tyler Hall-Ian Miller collision, a couple scowls, no apparent injuries
- Kickapoo 59, UFCA 53: Q4 (4:18)
- Official attendance: 7,165
- Q4 (5:56) Kickapoo 56, UFCA 52
- There’s one rule about boxing time. If one of you cries, it’s over.
- Kickapoo pushes lead back to nine – ESPN scout next to us says “They’re just a better team.”
End of third quarter: Kickapoo 52, UFCA 45
- Ian Miller keeping UFCA around, Rippee scores again – he’s got 14; Chiefs lead 52-43, 11 seconds left in 3rd
- Kickapoo is absolutely working a team that won 32 games last year, and 30 the year before.
- Ryan Rippee hits another three, gets steal and layup, Chiefs 50, Falcons 39
- Video interview with White Station’s Andre Hollins
- Kickapoo 45, UFCA 37 Q3 (2:34)
- Payton Reed with the glasswork
- This is like the NFL Wild Card playoffs last weekend. The first three games sucked, and the last one was incredible. Chiefs up 6. UFCA’s Ian Miller (Florida State) is pretty good. He should probably handle the ball a little more and take control of the offense.
- Chris Underwood with steal and bucket (with the foul) …. And 1? Yes Kickapoo up 10. 43-33 Q3 (5:12)
- Brandon Helsel block turns into Wingert transition bucket (by the way, Brodie had 15 points and 7 rebounds in the first half)
- Tyler Hall with steal, and layup, pushes it back to 38-33
- UFCA immediately cuts Kickapoo lead in half with 3-pointer
- UFCA comes out late, no warming up to start second half. I’m guess coach Shaun Wiseman had a couple things to say.
- Was that a girl or guy in Technotronic? We never really figured it out.
- What it Technotronic up to these days?
- Halftime Entertainment – Here’s your car, officers
- Unnamed media member rolls by and says “Kickapoo can’t play better in the second half, they should just go home.” And that was meant as a compliment. They were that good in the first half.
Halftime: Kickapoo 36, UFCA 30
- Cody Anderson looks so much like his cousins (Spencer and Shane Laurie) that it’s almost creepy
- Wingert’s offseason is showing big right now. He’s battling with three 6-8s and a 7-footer, very impressive. 15 points so far in first half
- UFCA’s Ian Miller with a fall away 10-foot jumper, 30-28, KHS
- Wingert with a little Kevin Durant jumper, one dribble with off hand and pull, NET! Chiefs lead 29-23 Q2 (3:01)
- Ryan Rippee hits another trey from his spot
- Kevin McHale’s older, (much) larger brother is in the building.
- UFCA’s Namanja Mikic hits consecutive 3s, pulls Falcons to 20-19 Q2 (5:43)
- Wingert just drained impossible 19-footer (only worth 2, but high degree of difficulty), falling away leaning to weak side, hand in his face on the right baseline
- Chris Underwood hits 3 to start second quarter
End of first quarter: Kickapoo 15, United Faith Christian Academy 13
- KHS getting booed for holding for last shot, then doesn’t hold for last shot, misses 15-foot jumper which would have been massive momentum
- Tyler Hall hits 3, Kickapoo gets turnover, Chiefs look (very) good early
- That 7-footer’s name is Peter Jurkin. He just swatted the crap out of Cody Anderson, now he hits the pine. KHS 12, UFCA 11 Q1 (2:21)
- We’re pretty heated about some technical difficulties right now. We’ve got video we’d like to share. I think Allen is going to throw his (very expensive) Macbook Pro
- Wingert off to a good start – 7 points, Ryan Rippee hits trey, Kickapoo leads 12-8
- Sophomore 7-footer from UFCA doesn’t start, supposedly good, entered game (4:27, first) – is absolutely huge
- Brodie Wingert drills 3-ball from left wing for KHS
- Not a good start for the Chiefs, Ian Miller scores off tip
- Kickapoo and United Faith Christian Academy set to jump. Let’s hope for a competitive one (fingers crossed)
- Stat-time!: White Station – Joe Jackson 27 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds; Andre Hollins 23 points, 4 steals; Marvin Williams 12 points, 14 rebounds … Sagemont – Rod Days 18 points; Fab Melo 18 points, 8 rebounds, Will Sheehey 16 points, 7 rebounds
- Entertainment before tonight’s finale – They be doin’ Indian Burns (the funeral)
Final: White Station 87, Sagemont 66
- Fab Melo is scorching White Station’s scrubs (18 points)
- Joe Jackson and Andre Hollins exit to a thunderous ovation. The Q was very appreciative.
- White Station 80, Sagemont 59 Q4 (1:58)
- Just looked closer at the previous game’s box score – Brad Beal shot 26 times
I guess we should mention that the TAG staff as a collective has a major crush on Hannah Storm. No idea she was so ... aged. Just like a wine. Allen almost cried when he found out she was taken.
- Joe Jackson layup (27)
- I forgot Fab Melo was here until he just made a nice little turnaround semi-hook
- Disappointed in the whole “no good games” theme tonight – decent individuals, a couple highlights, but so far, nothing but routs. Hopefully, this means good matchups tomorrow, even on consolation side.
- Joe Jackson FT (25)
- White Station 73, Sagemont 50 Q4 (5:09)
- Joe Jackson FT (24)
- Joe Jackson layup (23)
- Joe Jackson off glass from seven feet (21)
- Rod Days (Sagemont) dunks with two hands, finishes with emphatic backboard smack
End of third quarter: White Station 64, Sagemont 43
- Joe Jackson Free throw (19)
- Joe Jackson layup (18)
- Sheehey and Melo coming to life late – each has 12
- Andre Hollins is a monster (23 points)
- Rod Days looks pretty athletic, but not really sure how good he is, pretty flashy
- White Station 57, Sagemont 33 Q3 (2:55)
- Sheehey is starting to ball in garbage time – pull-up J
- Joe Jackson layup (16)
- Sagemont’s Will Sheehey is committed to Indiana, not showing why the Hoosiers are too interested, got four points (make that six, just had a little putback punch)
- This is WAY too easy for White Station, lead 53-27, Q3 (4:51)
- Joe Jackson layup through Fab Melo (14)
- Fab Melo with a two-handed punch, cocked back, nice follow through, a little shake … then gets punked on other end by Andre Hollins
- Joe Jackson, strokin’, from deeeep (12)
- Interesting question from SGFer Tom Neal – Why don’t the Blue and Gold winners get to play in the Tournament of Champions? Cool idea, but it’d probably be a logistical nightmare.
- Hollins finished with 17 points in the first half, is growing in Q Appeal
- Halftime show – It’s my cat’s birthday (a fight scene)
At the half: White Station 42, Sagemont 25
- Andre Hollins buries 3 at halftime buzzer – he’s getting recruited hard by Memphis and Villanova according to Brooks Hansen from ESPN affiliate, MemphisRoar.com
- Joe Jackson hits the bench, getting right thigh looked at, no … blood on his shorts, getting cleaned up, will be back soon
- Joe Jackson pull-up jumper, 18 ft. (9)
- Q2 (3:06) White Station 33, Sagemont 18
- Fab Melo is like a shorter Roy Hibbert
- Joe Jackson layup (7)
- Joe Jackson blocks a jumper (well out of the kid’s hand, too)
End of First Quarter, White Station 23, Sagemont 11
- Andre Hollins two quick dunks for White Station – including an oop from Joe Jackson
- Northwestern assistant Tavaras Hardy and an Illinois assistant Jay Price were all but pouting that Milton’s Shannon Scott is going to The Ohio State
- Insert bad Gilbert Arenas joke
- Joe Jackson – layup (5) *he’s the clear crowd favorite, so we’re letting you know his every score
- Since the TAG techmaster, Scott, got us hooked on Ski (or “crack in a can”), Mtn. Dew just doesn’t cut it
- Fab Melo looks a step slow, but quick feet with back to basket
- White Station 10, Sagemont 9 Q1 (5:25)
- Joe Jackson – stroke (3)
- White Station and Sagemont getting ready to tip. Ready for WS senior Joe Jackson to go off. He got a loud ovation from the JQH Arena crowd. They, obviously remember last year.
- Just to clarify, KSPR 33′s Mike Scott’s darling wife, Shannon Scott, is not related to Milton’s Shannon Scott.
- Milton had four players in double figures, including Julian Royal, who had 20. Evan Nolte had 18, Shannon Scott had 14 and Dai-Jon Parker had 10. Royal, Scott and Parker are all rated in the top 30 of the 2011 graduating clas.
- Chaminade’s Bradley Beal leads all scorers with 30 points on 11-of-26 shooting. You can see why Florida was more than happy to take his oral commitment.
Final: Milton 78, Chaminade 57
- Beal went nuts in (not quite official) loss, 31 points, hitting the pine
- Chaminade junior Luke Bumgarner down, looks like a leg injury, pause in action
- Exlerator hand dryers fold your skin back while really expediting the hand-drying process
- Clearly, no DeSmet fans here – we don’t hear chants of “ChamiNERD” (very classy, by the way)
- You can tell that Milton doesn’t care about this game anymore, but Chaminade has pulled to within 63-42 with 5:12 left in the fourth quarter.
- Giovanni with another picture perfect G.C.L. – he’s got 4
- More Beal: Pins Jordan Loyd layup against glass
- Looked up and Royal has 18, he did that quietly in the third
End of third quarter, Milton 57, Chaminade 33
- I feel like the Beal updates could get redundant, but I think he finally realized he’s pretty much in this thing alone and taking over – as Allen says “He’s got it. Sick Sick Sick.” He has 17
- Beal with nice two-handed mash, Chaminade still getting mashed, 55-31, Q3 (1:27)
- Beal up to a dozen in scoring to match Nolte
- Milton 51, Chaminade 25 Q3 (3:!2)
- Milton is absolutely loaded. There are no two ways around it. Evan Nolte might be the most complete player on the court.
- That dunk from Royal was not the first dunk of the tourney – Maurice Barrow had one in the opener (it wasn’t eye popping, maybe we ask too much sometimes)
- Royal opens second-half scoring with two-fisted throw – I almost got disruptive
- Wilder Elementary Cup Stackers put on halftime show … good stuff
Halftime: Milton 36, Chaminade 17
- Eric Riley’s dunk is the first of the tourney, over Beal, left handed and received an appreciative exhale from a packed lower bowl. He jumped off both feet from about 8 feet in the middle of the paint
- Excuse me, THE Ohio State …
- Ohio State Buckeye fans are in for a treat with Shannon Scott … handles are great, just buried a three from the corner
- Q2 (2:25) Milton 30, Chaminade 16
- Milton’s Shannon Scott gets the TOC’s first round of “oooooos” from the crowd with drive and behind the back pass to Royal for easy finish
- Beal on the Chaminade bench in foul trouble, Red Devils in danger of getting blown out, 26-14 Q2 (5:49),
- Milton’s Julian Royal (6-8, ranked fifth best forward in country) is a beast – long frame, big hops, great footwork in the paint … 6:24 left in second quarter and he’s got 10, Parker’s got 8
End of first quarter: Milton 19, Chaminade 10
- Bradley Beal hits from (at least) 26 feet out – he didn’t even get his feet set
- Milton leads 15, 7 Q1 (1:55) – the stars (Beal and Milton’s Dai-Jon Parker) haven’t got going yet
- Giovanni with a left-handed G.C.L. – ideal form. Frank must have taught him that. Fundamentals.
- Chaminade’s Brendan Kelly with a monstrous block
- The brakes have been applied – it’s slowed down quite a bit, 7-5 Milton, Beal is on the board
- Milton 7, Chaminade 3; Q1 (6:06)
- This could be a shootout, three buckets in 30 seconds
- Former Drury stud Frank Bennett is an assistant coach for Chaminade
- Doesn’t look like we have too many awesome names in this one, except there is a Jazz for Milton and a Giovanni for Chaminade
- Getting set to tip at JQH for Chaminade-Milton
- Ran into Chaminade’s Brad Beal in the tunnel – he’s a big 6-4 … and is absolutely stroking in warmups
- A few stats from opener: Christ the King – Omar Calhoun 16 points, 7 rebounds; Terrell Hunt 13 points; Maurice Barrow 11 points; Corey Edwards 9 points; Dominykas Milka 2 points, 13 rebounds … Hillcrest: Taylor Sade 16 points; Dorial Green 8 points, 8 turnovers, 5 rebounds; Alex Venegas 7 points
- Glad I saw the “No Disruptive Behavior in Media Area” before I started causing disruptions. Who knows what could’ve happened??
- 15 minutes until next game, here’s some help with the time killin … Mock YEAH ing YEAH Bird YEAH
Just in case you missed this frightening image of Steve Nash from the Suns-Pacers game last night (from Deadspin.com)
- Calhoun and Sade lead their sides with 16 points each in opener
- Getting set for Chaminade vs. Milton: Brad Beal in T-minus 18:30
End of game, CTK 77, HHS 39
- Sade lay up keeps Hillcreat inside the 40-point margin
- Calhoun checks back in with less than two minutes to play – people pay to watch the stars!
- CTK 70, HHS 32 Q4 (3:41)
- Taylor Sade crosses Optimystic, with a little lefty finish
- Yes, the clock is continuing to run
- Dominykas Milka is on the board
- Will they apply MSHSAA’s fourth quarter turbo clock?
End of third quarter – CTK 64, HHS 28
- Sick little move from Dorial – he’s got 6 points
- How did we miss Dominykas Milka? Extremely wide 6-7 stiff – great chops though.
- Optimystic 1-for-1 from the field, drills 3 from top of the key
- Optimystic checks in – 2:54 in 3rd – there was much rejoicing
- Omar Calhoun doing whatever he wants. I need to start counting the times I am saying “Omar” like people said “Omahhh” in The Wire – he scores again – 55-22 (16 total)
- A frustrated Dorial has big block to keep score at 51-22 (4:40 in third quarter)
End of the half: CTK 43, Hillcrest 21
- Hillcrest hits consecutive treys – CTK 43, HHS 21 – less than :20 to play in first half
- If you’re a couple days behind, check out Allen’s Ultimate Tournament of Champions guide. YouTube videos, Player and team bios and a whole lot more
- CTK already pulling everybody back on free throws at 2:20 mark in second quarter
- Hillcrest faithful staying loud, despite score, CTK’s Maurice Barrow answers 3 from Hornets’ Morgan Ruiz, 41-15 Q2 (2:32)
- Crowd still settling in at the Q, lower bowl is about halfway full
- Q2 (4:38), CTK 37, HHS 12 – It’s already out of hand, may see Optimystic sooner than later. Royals point guard Corey Edwards has matched Calhoun’s 9, trying to give crowd a little trickery
- Another block for Dorial and we’ve got a great name sighting for Christ the King … Optimystic Kinard. He hasn’t played, but with a 35-12 lead, we’re hopeful (avoiding the obvious) he gets some minutes
End of Q1 – CTK 27, HHS 10
- Even Christ the King’s mistakes turn into buckets – dribble off own leg turned assist – just as they drew it up – CTK 22, HHS 10, Q1 (1:27)
- Q1 (2:39) – CTK 18, HHS 7 – Omar Calhoun has 9 points
- Christ the King 11, Hillcrest 1; Q1 (4:02) – Royals guards creating a lot of turnovers
- Dorial Green has two blocks already, Q1 (5:12) – Christ the King 5, Hillcrest 1
- Christ the King’s Omar Calhoun opens the tourney with a 3-pointer from the wing … sign of things to come?
The first game between Christ the King and Hillcrest is underway. Stick around, this is going to be fun.
Here it is! The Tournament of Champions is upon us. This is where you’ll find updates from Allen Vaughan and Brett Johnston all night long. Let’s get started.
