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NEW YORK — Rawle Alkins heard the overrated chants. He saw the people walking out.
He also saw Louisville head coach Rick Pitino and St. John’s head coach Chris Mullin sitting in the stands. It was a game, he said, he didn’t want them to see.
The New York native was making his return home this weekend in the Big Apple Basketball Invitational, but Word of God (N.C.) fell to South Kent (CT), 87-80, behind just 11 points and five rebounds from Alkins, the coveted senior. He picked up two fouls early in the first half and was forced to go to the bench. He never found a rhythm after returning later in the half.
“I think I had a terrible game,” said Alkins, who went 0-2 in his return to New York. “It’s tough to play like that in front of all of the fans who came to see me. The crowd was silent the whole game. I made the crowd silent.”
It wasn’t just fans that came to see him. Pitino, Mullin and St. John’s assistant Barry “Slice” Rohrssen also sat in the stands to watch the 6-foot-5-inch guard who had led Christ the King to three straight New York Catholic League championships before departing for the North Carolina school.
Alkins is ranked No. 15 in the ESPN 100. He is currently working with a list of nine schools: North Carolina, N.C. State, Arizona, Louisville, Kentucky, Kansas, UNLV, St. John’s and Indiana.
Alkins told SNY.tv on Saturday that Kobi Simmons, the No.18 player in the ESPN 100 who committed to Arizona on Saturday, has tried to sway Alkins to the desert after making his decision.
Arizona is two under the scholarship limit and will lose Gabe York to graduation and possibly freshman Allonzo Trier to the NBA Draft.
“Me and Kobi are real cool,” Alkins said. “He’s been with me over the summer for every event possible.”
Josh Jackson, the 6-foot-8 McDonald’s Alll-American from Prolific Prep (CA), is considering Arizona, Michigan State and Kansas, among others. He is projected as the No. 3 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft and is ranked as the No. 1 player in 2016 by 247Sports.com.
“Imagine that lineup,” Alkins said of a recruiting class that included himself, Simmons and Jackson.
On Monday, Alkins was hassled on defense by Elijah Waters and was out-matched by the South Kent trio of Myles Powell, Tremont Waters and Matthew Moyer.
The Seton Hall-bound Powell finished with 26 points on five 3-point field goals for South Kent, which tied Brandon Knight for third all-time in the Big Apple Basketball Invitational. He earned MVP honors in front of Seton Hall head coach Kevin Willard.
“That’s a great achievement,” Powell said. “I’ve read a lot about the Big Apple. There’s a lot of great players that came through this tournament, so it’s a great achievement.”
Waters added 18 points and seven assists for South Kent. The point guard is ranked No. 36 on ESPN’s top 60 for the Class of 2017. Duke, Kentucky, Virginia, Stanford, Kansas, Indiana and Miami and St. John’s are just some of the schools pursuing him.
Waters said that Virginia head coach Tony Bennett has watched South Kent play a few times this season.
Waters also said he met with St. John’s coaching staff.
“Coach Mullin is a great guy,” Waters said. “He really knows how to run the program. Hopefully, they get a championship now that they have Shamorie Ponds. I’m pretty sure he’s going to play right into their program, and play well.”
Syracuse-bound Matthew Moyer, ranked No. 54 in the ESPN 100 Class of 2016, added 16 points and 10 rebounds.
ATSON KEYS NOTRE DAME PREP TO WIN
While Alkins struggled, another former Christ the King product was victorious in his return home.
Queens native Travis Atson went for 19 points.7 rebounds, 4 blocks and 4 assists as Notre Dame Prep beat Genesis Academy, 63-52.
Atson left Christ the King for South Kent before transferring to Notre Dame Prep for his senior year. He will head to Tulsa next season.
“I thought Travis showed some great maturity today,” Notre Dame Prep coach Ryan Hurd said. “He struggled a bit from the perimeter but he still found a ton of other ways to help lead us to victory. I was very impressed with his effort and energy.”
