SOUTH JAMAICA, NY - On Saturday, NYCHoops.net was at the iS8/Nike Tip-Off Classic and got a preview of two of the more elite players and teams. The games featured two teams from Brooklyn. The Vikings with players from South Shore HS and the Killa Dawgs with players from Thomas Jefferson Campus.

In an incredibly competitive game, the Vikings countered an aerial assault by Showtime’s Jamier Nelson. A steady stream of buckets from 6’7” Shamari Mitchell ‘25. 6’5” Nevion Legree ’25 came up clutch and the Vikings were up by four going into the second quarter.

Aggressive inside play from 6’5” Regi Pierre (Knox School’25) narrowed the gap to a single digit but collective play from the Vikings kept Showtime at bay 26 – 25 at the half. While the Vikings held the lead, Showtime was beginning to gain a momentum advantage.

A surge early in the third quarter, spearheaded by 6’8” Devin Clarke (Brentwood’26) and Kameron Quinn (North Babylon ’25) briefly gave Showtime the upper hand but the Viking s regained their lead going into the final quarter as Mitchell and Legree fired up the Viking on offense and defense.

Showtime did manage to knot the game at 54 with7:16 left in regulation and once again took a lead but seemed to be running upstream. The Vikings eventually pulled ahead and stayed ahead.

Legree was the high scorer for the Vikings with Mitchell adding 22 points along with double double-digit rebounds on both ends of the court.

This game was over before it began as the Killa Dawgs applied relentless pressure on both sides of the court. Connor Sprattley ‘25 and Jahda Swann ’26. Castle Athletics a modicum of pushback with offense from Craig Yancy (Wings Academy ’27) and Joel Caba Castillo but honestly the only thing that prevented a complete blowout was when the mercy rule ended the game early.

Sprattley led all scorers, lead the Vikings with a game high 33 points. Swann added 27 points. Yancy and Castillo paced Castle Athletics with 16 points apiece.