By Darryl Aubrey
7/27/07
RBK Summer Championships Final Day
Open Division Quarterfinals
Game 1
Team Breakdown, FL.- 72 Illinois Wolves – 64
Once again it was the dominant backcourt of elite junior Kenny Boynton and super soph Brandon Knight. The kid they call “KB” struggled
from the field going 5/19 but was 4/9 from downtown finishing with 18pts. While Knight played a solid all-around game with 18pts, 7rbs, 4a and 2stls. The Illinois Wolves were led by John Moran with 19pts.
Game 2
Worldwide Renegade Black, GA. – 71 King of Court, OH – 56
King of Court from Akron, Ohio were winning and advancing at the Reebok solely because of their smart and heady play along with crisp ball movement. But is was no match against the speed and athleticism of Worldwide Renegades of Atlanta. Silky smooth and versatile 6’4 junior combo guard Lorenzo Brown was gliding past defenders with his slick handle and sweet hesitation moves on his way to 17pts on 7/9 and 3/3 from behind the arc. The Renegades were led by 5’10 senior PG Phil Taylor with 19pts on 3/5 from downtown. But the ooohs and aaahs of the contest belong to freakishly athletic and solidly built 6’6 senior SF Dequan Jones of Wheeler H.S. in Marietta, GA. He was all over the rim with tip jams, athletic finishes and blocked shots. Rumor has it that he’ll be somewhere in the SEC and don’t be surprise to see him in a helmet leading the SEC in TD’s…He’s that kind of gifted athlete. King of Court got another solid performance from rising 6’8 senior Delvon Roe who was extremely active on both ends. He finished with another double-double, 12pts, 10rbs and 3stl.
Game 3
Smyrna Stars, GA. – 85 D-1 Sports 16U, NC. – 81
D-1 Sports from Raleigh, NC. Came into the RBK Summer Championships with a team full of underclassmen. They took on a senior laden Smyrna Stars team from Suburban Atlanta. And this game was back and forth to the
end. In the end, powerfully built 6’6 senior WG Justin Brownlee was just too much to handle. His game looked very similar to Eric Gordon, who dominated the Reebok last summer. He went 12/20 from the field and finished with 
27pts, 6rbs, 5a, 4stl and 2blk. But the underclassmen of the D-1 Sports squad was poised in the loss. Led by Sam Grooms with 20pts on 4/8 from behind the arc but the player who solidified his name and his game in the class of 2009 Is 6’3 junior PG John Wall of Word of God Acadamy in Raleigh, NC. He was brilliant in the loss finishing with 18pts, 7rbs and 9a.
Game 4
Belmont Shore, CA. – 74 Southeast Elite, AL. – 66 OT
Brandon Jennings of Belmont Shore put in another solid performance while playing the entire contest for the third time in four games. He slashed, dashed, crossed-over, stepped-back and spin moved his way around the entire Southeast Elite’s defense. He finished with 27pts, 8rbs, 9stls & 2a. But it was teammate 6’6 senior J.P. Olukemi who nailed a corner three with time running out to send the game into overtime. Southeast Elite was outscored in overtime 11-3 and just seem to never recover from the shot that sent the game into overtime. They were led by smooth 6’7 senior Romero Osby of East Lauderdale H.S. in Meridian, MS. He’s always patient and under control, he never takes a bad shot, sweet stroke from downtown, can finish at rim and a solid free throw shooter. Finished with 26pts 9rbs.
Open Division Semifinals
Game 1
Team Breakdown, FL. – 62 Worldwide Renegades, GA. – 59
Kenny Boynton showed the entire repertoire in the first semifinal game erupting for 36pts on 13/28 shooting. He began the game on fire from behind the arc sinking his first three shots, but then cooled off big time finishing 4/14 from downtown. So once he saw that the deep ball wasn’t there…the show began. He showed his mid-range game, floaters, tear-drops, he finished at the glass and sealed the night with a series of hesitation moves and crossovers and rose up and nailed a deep fade-away three-ball from the wing with .04 remaining on the clock
for the victory.
The Renegade’s Dequan Jones was once again spectacular with his off the charts athleticism finishing with 18pts 5rbs and 2blk. The renegades also got 14pts and 5rbs from talented 6’6 senior SF Teondre Williams. Talented junior combo-guard Lorenzo Brown suffered an ankle injury late in the second half and never returned and was scoreless in 14 minutes of play.
Game 2
Belmont Shore, CA. – 82 Smyrna Stars, GA. – 74
The Smyrna Stars found themselves in a hole early and never recovered. The Stars big gun Justin Brownlee was able to use creative handle to get wide open shots, but they just wouldn’t fall for him. He struggled big time in the first half and so did his teammates: they were down 22 at the half. But the Smyrna Stars scratched, clawed and pressed their way back to within 7 late. And Justin Brownlee was spectacular in the second half. He was 0/8 from downtown so he used his controlled handle and strength and athleticism to finish with authority at the rim on several possession finishing 14/33 for 29pts, 11rbs and 4a. He got help in the second half from undersize 6’7 PF Markeith Cummings who was solid finishing with a double-double 20pts and 11rbs and several highlight jams as Smyrna made a late run.
Brandon Jennings was again making his run for MVP of the Reebok with another stellar performance of 24pts, 8a, 5rbs and 4stl. 7’0 senior Jeffrey Withey really benefited from Jennings activity scoring 23pts on 11/13 shooting. And 6’6 senior J.P. Olukemi showed that he has a solid skill set and can score in a variety of ways tallying 17pts.
Chamionship Game
Belmont Shore, CA. – 78 Team Breakdown, FL – 73 OT
Be careful what you wish for…you just might get it. And we did. A classic match up. East Coast vs West Coast, Slasher vs. Scorer, Lefty vs. Righty, Brandon Jennings vs. Kenny Boynton…
WHAT A GAME. Team Breakdown pretty much had control of the game from start to finish leading by 9 at the half. Although Boynton and Jennings did not shoot well from the field going 5/18 and 6/18 respectively. They dominated the game with flare and creativity. Boynton is what I call a guard with PURPOSE. Not a lot of wasted time with the handle, crossover, hesitation then go… While Jennings relies on his handle a little more, but is just as effective. Team Breakdown got a big time contribution from 6’10 senior Eloy Vargas a Dominican kid that gives great effort despite limited feel for the game. Very active and a huge game finishing with 21pts 17rbs 2blk and 4stl.
But in the end it was the Brandon Jennings show. Trailing by 3 With 6 seconds remaining, Jennings took the inbound pass, went the length of the court and gave Boynton a crossover and step-back and took a 25ft fade-away (should’ve been an And-1) to tie the game And send it to overtime…WOW.
Both teams exchanged missed free throws in OT to keep each other in it, but after J.P. Olukemi missed the back end of a one n’ one, Team Breakdown threw a poor outlet pass that ruined their chance for a victory. Awesome Game…Brandon Jennings deserved the MVP.
*More on the Las Vegas AAU tournaments tomorrow.
