iS8/Nike Pool Play: Day One

The iS8/Nike Fall Tip-Off Classic ignited on Saturday with a full day of pool play competition. NYCHoops.net was on hand for the majority of games. Here are brief recaps of each.

Ben Gordon All-stars cross off X-Men, 58-42

18-9 The Mount Vernon Knights a/k/a Ben Gordon All-stars pulled ahead, 18-9 early due to Long range scoring by Jason Douglas-Stanley '18 and a midrange attack from midrange by Jamie Wiltshire. The All-stars lead increased to sixteen points with four minutes still remaining in the half as Demetre Roberts '18 joined in offensive.

The X-men did receive buckets down-low from Eric Reid, but the punishing defense of the Ben Gordon All-stars would result in the Westchester squad still in front 38-21 at the half

Early in third lead grew to 20 points as the Ben Gordon All-stars big man Greg Calixte '17 dominated the board which created fast breaks and transition buckets Down 25 points at the top of the start of the fourth quarter, the X-men would eventually succumb to the All-stars by a staggering 26 points.

Calixte was high man for the Ben Gordon All-stars with 21 points. Khalid Muhammed led the X-Men with 11 points.

B.B.A. Hoops holds off Juice All-stars, 53-44

Two high level combatants would meet in the second contest of the day as the Juice All-stars a/k/a Abraham Lincoln Railsplitters faced off against B.B.A. Hoops aka St. Anthony HS (NJ). It would mark Dwayne "Tiny" Morton's return back as Railsplitters head coach but Juice fall behind by 5 points early

Both team were somewhat depleted as B.B.A. Hoops were equipped with mostly their bench along with recent transfers. Juice was sans Jahlil Tripp who was away on a family trip (no pun intended). The NJ team would get it done as guard Asante Gist and sophomore big Alonzo Frink scored. B.B.A. Hoops also received a post presence from Daniel Mading

B.B.A. Hoops was ahead 18-9 after the first quarter and their lead swelled to 14 points before Juice showed signs of life but they still trailed at the half, 37-22.

PG Tyler Bourne '18 and new transfer Cahiem Brown began to heat up for Juice in the third quarter and with 5:10 left in the, Donald Flores '17 and Bourne cut lead to 41-32 as Juice steps up the defense. At the 2:07 mark, an and1 by Brown cut B.B.A. Hoops lead to a mere five points. The NJ reps did manage to hold serve as a buzzer beater by Gist sent B.B.A. Hoops back up by double digits

Flores and Bourne again close lead to four point with 2:50 but a turnover by Brown broke Juice's momentum. Missed freethrows by B.B.A. Hoops gave Juice a chance but it would be too little too late.

Gist would lead B.B.A. Hoops with 11 points while Brown scored a game high 14 points for the Juice All-stars.

Juice All-stars (NC) Net Zero On Day 1

The Juice All-stars traveled all the way from the state of North Carolina to play in the iS8/Nike but would walk away empty handed on day one against New York talent.

Juice NC loses to 2Gz, 68-47

Juice NC fell behind early versus previous iS8 champion 2GZ Entertainment in a competitive opening quarter. Robert Colon and LeJuan Brown provided the bulk of the out-of-state team's offense but Tareq Coburn displayed his above the rim skills and put 2GZ ahead by three to begin the third

With 6:15 three ball by Colon and a dunk by Brown would more than counter 2GZ's effort and tie game at 16. After a defensive stop Jordan Brown would finally put Juice NC on top, 21-19. The game would soon be knotted at 28 but Coburn would break the tie with 30 secs and 2Gz would further pull ahead 34-28 at half as Shamorie Ponds scores a layup.

In the third quarter, 2GZ began to extend its halftime lead 14 points with 4:30 as Rasheen Dunn '16 scores and dunks.

In a ten point hole at the end of three quarters, Juice NC would soon run out of gas.

Ponds paced 2GZ Entertainment with 14 points with Dunn adding 11 points. Colon scored a team high 14 points for the Juice All-stars NC

Juice NC falls to Eagles, 53-48

Looking to rebound from their earlier loss, Juice NC appeared to enter the game with renewed determination against the Eagles aka Robeson HS. The North Carolinian unfortunately run into a buzz saw in 6'6" Isaac Kante '16 would dominated the boards for the Eagles.

Trailing by only one point at the end of the warm up quarter, Kante would extend the Brooklyn squads lead. Perimeter shots by Zach Reeves gave Juice NC brief lead but Kante quickly reversed the momentum sending them into the locker room at the half, down 28-17.

Juice NC was soon down by 12 points and in need of a recharge. A half court heave by Colon would provide that voltage, leaving Juice NC suddenly only down by nine to begin the final stanza.

Cameron Campbell's fourth quarter offense cut Eagles lead down to 38-31 and midway through the 4th, Juice NC further decreased its deficit to three points with three minutes left to play. Juice NC unfortunately would get in its own way. A turnover on an Inbound with 1:30 along poor clock management down the stretch allowed the Eagles to run down clock and get the win

Kante was high man for the Eagles with 13 points. Colon led the way again for Juice All-stars NC with 13 points.

In other action:

Brooklyn Ballers blown out by Fearless/Matrix, 63-32

NYC Finest survives Hoops 4 Health, 70-64