SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Less than 12 hours after being spurned for the McDonald’s All-American Game, Alabama signee John Petty took it out on Naismith Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley and St. Anthony’s.
The 6-foot-6 Petty dropped a triple-double of 18 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists en route to MVP honors as Jemison (AL) handed St. Anthony’s its second straight loss, 58-52, at the Hoophall Classic. The Friars had won 41 straight games dating to March 2015 before falling to archrival St. Patrick’s on Saturday at the Dan Finn Classic.
“Yeah, I was kind of surprised, I feel like I deserved to be on there [the McDonald’s Game],” Petty told me. “But my philosophy is God always closes one door and then opens another one so I just prayed about it and stay humble.”
Asked if he will use it as motivation going forward this season, Petty said, “Most definitely. I always come out with a chip on my shoulder and [now I will] get ready for college, I guess.”
John Petty had to bring out the jelly ? @jpetty2324 #HHClassic pic.twitter.com/lCy86w5JU2
— Overtime (@overtime) January 16, 2017
Petty said Alabama head coach Avery Johnson had already checked in to offer support.
“Yeah, I talk to him every day,” he said. “They’re just telling me to keep my head up about the McDonald’s and just get ready to come play.”
Petty chose Alabama over Kentucky, which has four McDonald’s All-Americans this year. (Alabama signee Collin Sexton was also named to the game.)
“I think I just got closer to Alabama faster than I did [Kentucky] and I kind of related to them,” Petty said. “And it’s closer to home, too.”
Legendary Jemison coach Jack Doss, winner of nearly 800 career games, felt Petty was snubbed.
“Well, I coached the McDonald’s Game All-American team last spring and he was better than at least five or six of those players last year,” Doss told me. “We go to the City of Palms and he averaged 26 against two ranked teams; I think Norcross (Ga) was ranked 2 and he had 36. I mean, what makes it tough is we’re an unselfish team. He had, what 10 assists tonight and those could be shots, and we’re so unselfish and we don’t get rewarded on being true basketball players and what’s best for the team.”
John Petty has a bag of tricks ✨ @jpetty2324 #HHClassic pic.twitter.com/PsHVDRZkep
— Overtime (@overtime) January 16, 2017
As for notching a win over Hurley, who has won 13 New Jersey Tournament of Champions titles and more than 1,000 games, Doss called it an honor.
“Well, I love him and I’ve kept up with him,” he said. “It was an honor to play and coach against him. We don’t keep tallies, we just help young men and help them be successful.”
Petty plans to be successful at Alabama next year. Asked what role he will play, he said, “I guess we’re gonna figure that out in the summer. Mostly [Johnson] said he wants to get out and run because we have an athletic group coming in so it should be interesting.”
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