Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Stanley Johnson, USA West Win Nike Global Challenge
North Carolina pledge Joel Berry missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer and the USA West team held on to beat USA South, 98-95, to win the Nike Global Challenge at Trinity Washington University Saturday afternoon.
Uncommitted 2014 wing Stanley Johnson had 23 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists for USA West. He and Ohio State pledge D’Angelo Russell, who had 10 points in the loss, were named co-MVPs of the event.
“If Stanley Johnson is the eighth-best player in the country, I need to see the first seven,” a veteran NBA scout who attended the game told SNY.tv. “He’s a special performer. He did it when it counted.”
North Carolina commit Justin Jackson added 17 points and 11 rebounds in the win. Uncommitted Kelly Oubre added 14 points and Louisville pledge Shaqquan Aaron tallied 11 points.
Berry led USA South with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Alex Owens had 17 points and 10 rebounds and North Carolina commit Theo Pinson added 12 points and 6 rebounds.
Pinson, Jackson, Oubre, Tyus Jones of USA Midwest and Chris McCullough of USA East were named to the All-Tournament team.
The International MVPs were a pair of Canadians, Montaque Gill-Caesar of Huntington (W.V.) Prep and Chris Egi,who is transferring to Montverde (FL) Academy.
The International All-Tournament team included Cheick Diallo, Abdul-Malik Abu, Marial Shayok, Mathias Lassort and Leonardo Demetrio.
In the third-place game, Reid Travis went for 26 points on 9-for-12 shooting and 6 rebounds and Indiana pledge James Blackmon scored 25 points on 10-for-11 shooting, hitting all five 3-point attempts, as USA Midwest routed USA East, 133-108.
Uncommitted shooting guard Rashad Vaughn added 21 points, hitting 3-of-4 from deep, and Ohio State pledge Jae’Sean Tate added 20.
McCullough, a Syracuse pledge, had 21 points and 7 rebounds in the loss. Robert Johnson added 20 points, Bonzie Colson had 18 points and 9 rebounds, Khadeen Carrington tallied 17 points and Isaiah Briscoe scored 13 points.
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
North Carolina pledge Joel Berry missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer and the USA West team held on to beat USA South, 98-95, to win the Nike Global Challenge at Trinity Washington University Saturday afternoon.
