My feature on Michael Gilchrist is now up on Rivals.com. You can read it here.
The Celtics were the hands-down favorites to win the Tournament of Champions before the 6-foot-7 Gilchrist broke his foot in practice. With a nucleus of North Carolina-bound guard Dexter Strickland (pictured), junior guard Kyrie Irving and George Mason-bound forward Paris Bennett, to say nothing of role players like Kevin Boyle Jr., Dean Kowalski and Chase Plummer, the Celtics still have more than enough talent to get it done, but they are a little more vulnerable now.
Top-seeded St. Patrick (22-2) will meet fifth-seeded Linden (13-11) in the Union County semifinals, but that game was moved to Thursday at 7:30 at The Dunn Center from tonight because Kevin Boyle’s older brother, Neil, passed away from cancer Sunday and the wake is tonight.
“It’s one thing if he’s not coaching the game but then his son’s not playing,” said Linden coach Phil Colicchio, who worked with his AD, Steve Yesinko, to get the game moved. “He doesn’t need to be thinking about basketball at a time like this.”
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Kevin and his family.
Colicchio’s team will continue to be without 6-9 St. Joe’s-bound big man David Bruce.
“He’s still in academic tutoring,” Colicchio said.
Pitt-bound guard Isaiah Epps and No. 2 Plainfield meet No. 3 Elizabeth in the first semi on Wednesday night.
The final is set for 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Dunn Center.
Linden upset St. Patrick in the 2007 final, 63-51, two days after the Celtics beat O.J. Mayo’s Huntington (W. Va.) team on national TV. St. Pat’s came back last year to recapture the title 67-56.
STRICKLAND, LANCE CHOSEN FOR SENIOR SHOWCASE
No Jordan?
No problem.
Both Dexter Strickland and Lance Stephenson were mysteriously left off the Jordan Brand Classic roster for the April 18 game at Madison Square Garden.
They were both subsequently chosen McDonald’s All-Americans, and now both have been invited to the Senior Showcase on April 18 in Orlando.
When the rosters were released Monday, Strickland had committed while Stephenson was listed as uncommitted.
Here is the USA roster for the Florida vs. USA All-Star Game:
Isaiah Armwood (Villanova)
Junior Cadougan (Marquette)
Tyler Haws (Brigham Young)
Shawn Kemp Jr. (Alabama)
Jeronne Mayman (Marquette)
Aaric Murray (LaSalle)
Lamar Patterson (Pittsburgh)
Glen Rice Jr. (Georgia Tech)
DJ Richardson (Illinois)
Victor Rudd (Undecided)
Lance Stephenson (Undecided)
Ari Stewart (Wake Forest)
Dexter Strickland (North Carolina)
Mouphtaou Yarou (Villanova)
