Rawle Alkins Shines at The Adidas Uprising Showcase at Rucker Park

By CHRIS RUSSELL

NEW YORK –Under the bright lights of New York’s famous Rucker Park, hometown product Rawle Alkins put on a display for team Black despite finishing on the losing end in a 103-97 loss to team Grey at the adidas Uprising Showcase on Thursday night.

“It was great playing in New York and in front of my fans,” Alkins told SNY after the game. “It was just a great accomplishment by the adidas group and a tremendous event.”

Many of the nation’s top coaches were on hand such as Tom Crean (Indiana), Shaka Smart (Texas), Bobby Hurley (Arizona St.), Johnny Dawkins (Stanford), Dana Altman (Oregon), Mark Fox (Georgia), Kevin Stallings (Vanderbilt), as well as St. John’s head coach Chris Mullin and his two assistants Barry “Slice Rohrssen and Matt Abdelmassih to watch the first ever live period game in Rucker Park.

Miles Bridges Flying High at Nike Global Challenge

By RYAN FISH

CHICAGO — While several of the nation’s best high school players try to make a statement at this week’s Nike Global Challenge, Miles Bridges decided to make an exclamation point during his first game instead.

The 6-foot-7 Bridges shined with 17 points and five boards in 25 minutes as USA Midwest beat Canada 100-87 Thursday afternoon at Whitney Young High School. What was most striking, however, was a number of impressive dunks from the Huntington (W.V.) Prep prospect, including a highlight reel alley-oop slam in the closing minutes.

“I mean, it’s fun,” Bridges said with a laugh when asked about his dunks. “When I get on the fast break, I know it’s gonna happen.”

Troy Brown Jr. Turns Heads at Nike Global Challenge

By RYAN FISH

CHICAGO — It didn’t take long for elite point guard prospect Troy Brown Jr. to make a good impression at the ninth annual Nike Global Challenge.

In the tournament’s opening game Thursday morning, Brown led his USA West squad to an 86-79 victory over the Dominican Republic at Whitney Young High School. The Las Vegas native had 13 points and three assists in 26 minutes on the court, all of which were team-highs. Brown was also active on the boards, grabbing seven of his team’s 56 rebounds.

“It’s really fun playing against the best competition in the country,” Brown said after the game. “It’s really fun having the experience to come to Chicago; I’ve never been here. So I’m just taking it all in and trying to enjoy it.”

Trevon Duval Hits Game-Winner, Talks Recruitment

By JACK LeGWIN & ADAM ZAGORIA

SUWANEE, Ga.- Trevon Duval is about as good as it gets, and he showed out on Wednesday night, hitting a game-winning layup en route to 24 points in a 59-58 win over Josh Jackson and 1 Nation in the UAA Finals.

“It’s crazy that all of these coaches are here watching this game,” Duval told SNY.tv after the win. “Hopefully good things come out of it.”

Playing in front of close to 100 coaches, including Roy Williams, John Calipari, Sean Miller, Tom Izzo, Avery Johnson, Gregg Marshall, as well as assistants from Syracuse, Duke, Maryland, Texas, South Carolina, LSU and Miami, Duval says that he does notice the schools that are present.

“I do notice them,” said Duval, a 2017 point guard from Newark (N.J.) St. Benedict’s Prep. “Especially big coaches that I see on TV all of the time. But I do try to focus on the game.”