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Slam Dunk closes out successful tournament

Paul VI guard Dug McDaniel glides to the hoop in the Paul VI 59-50 win over Imhotep Charter. DAN COOK PHOTOS
Kenny Riedel
December 31, 2021

West Catholic (Pa.) 63, Gray Collegiate (S.C.) 58 (OT)

West Catholic of the vaunted Philly Catholic League made the most of a last-minute COVID call-up to Slam Dunk, outlasting Gray Collegiate behind 15 points from senior swingman Nasir Griffin and 12 from junior guard Adam Clark. After his team erased an early 10-point deficit, Gray junior point guard Montraivis White hit a put-back floater with two seconds left in regulation to send the game to an extra frame. Catholic opened overtime with a 10-3 run and converted 10 of 14 free-throws in the period to secure the win. White led the way for Gray with 17 points, four three-pointers, and three steals, while junior forward Avantae Parker added 13 points and nine rebounds.

St. Paul VI (Va.) 59, Imhotep Charter (Pa.) 50

Michigan-bound senior point guard Dug McDaniel poured in 11 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter and junior off-guard Deshawn Harris-Smith enjoyed a 19-point, 11-rebound night as St. Paul VI won the battle of the Panthers. St. Paul VI jumped on top 18-6 after one quarter, but Imhotep gradually rallied and closed the gap to two early in the fourth. That’s when McDaniel took control, hitting a jumper, two free-throws, and a corkscrewing drive in a 55-second span to widen the lead to eight. The teams traded baskets from that point on. Top-15 junior Justin Edwards paced Imhotep with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks.

National Christian Academy (Md.) 43, No. 19 (ESPN) Westtown (Pa.) 42

Junior guard Isaiah Coleman scored the Eagles’ final eight points and helped them stave off a furious Westtown rally in a contest that was decided on the final possession. The favored Moose trailed by 12 points after Coleman canned a deep three-pointer late in the third period, but they stormed back on the shoulders of senior guard Jameel Brown, who scored nine of his game-high 19 points in the final five minutes. Westtown cut the gap to 43-42 on two Brown free-throws with 55 ticks remaining, but National Christian drained the clock and never allowed the Moose another look at the bucket. Coleman finished with 17 points and four threes for National Christian, which also got 13 points and six rebounds from senior guard Rob Lawson. Duke-bound Westtown center Dereck Lively, the nation’s top-rated senior, was limited to five points and seven boards.

Cape Gazette’s Slam Dunk MVP: Simeon Wilcher, G, Roselle Catholic (N.J.)

Cape Gazette’s Slam Dunk Top Team: AZ Compass Prep (Ariz.)

Cape Gazette’s All-Slam Dunk First Team

Kylan Boswell, G, AZ Compass Prep (Ariz.), 22 points, 9-14 FG, 4-8 threes, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals (2 games)

Justin Edwards, F, Imhotep Charter (Pa.), 21 points, 7-15 FG, 2-4 threes, 13 runs, 4 blocks (1 game)

Jamarques Lawrence, G, Roselle Catholic (N.J.), 44 points, 18-30 FG, 6-15 threes, 5 rebounds, 11 assists, 5 steals (2 games)

D.J. Wagner, G, Camden (N.J.), 21 points, 9-14 FG, 2-6 threes, 6 steals (1 game)

Simeon Wilcher, G, Roselle Catholic (N.J.), 50 points, 19-24 FG, 4-5 threes, 8 rebounds, 11 assists, 4 steals (2 games)

Cape Gazette’s All-Slam Dunk Second Team

Sadiku Ibine Ayo, F, Our Saviour Lutheran (N.Y.), 40 points, 18-36 FG, 3-10 threes, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks (2 games)

Darren Buchanan, F, Woodrow Wilson (D.C.), 29 points, 2-4 threes, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals (1 game)

Deshawn Harris-Smith, G, St. Paul VI (Va.), 19 points, 7-13 FG, 11 rebounds, 3 assists (1 game)

Kaylene Smikle, F, Westtown (Pa.) girls, 23 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3-7 threes (1 game)

Akil Watson, F, Roselle Catholic (N.J.), 37 points, 13-20 FG, 7-9 threes, 12 rebounds (2 games)

Cape Gazette’s All-Slam Dunk Third Team

Dylan Andrews, G, AZ Compass Prep (Ariz.), 25 points, 10-16 FG, 4-9 threes, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals (2 games)

Jameel Brown, G, Westtown (Pa.), 36 points, 8-17 threes, 7 rebounds, 5 steals (2 games)

Tyrese Fortune, F, Seaford (Del.), 23 points, 8-14 FG, 3-5 threes, 15 rebounds, 3 steals (1 game)

Josh Ola-Joseph, F, AZ Compass Prep (Ariz.), 26 points, 11-13 FG, 2-4 threes, 5 rebounds (2 games)

Avantae Parker, F, Gray Collegiate (S.C.), 28 points, 10-16 FG, 3-4 threes, 14 rebounds, 3 steals (2 games).

West Catholic’s Zion Stanford powers to the hoop in the 63-58 win over Gray Collegiate.
West Catholic’s Adam Clark drives to the paint in the win over Gray Collegiate.
West Catholic’s Kaseem Watson hits a three.
West Catholic’s Kareem Watson hits a jumper over Gray’s Tory Kelly.
West Catholic’s Kaseem Watson gets a rebound put back.
West Catholic’s Shemar Wilbanks-Acqui throws one up after being fouled.
West Catholic’s Marcus Branker puts in a lay-in over Gray’s Avantae Parker.
West Catholic’s Nasir Griffin drives baseline on Gray’s L.J. Britt.
West Catholic’s Isaac Cole hits over Gray’s Clay Robinson.
Zion Stanford dunks on Gray’s Avantae Parker.
West Catholic’s Marcus Branker is covered by Gray’s Avantae Parker, left, and Calvin Hall.
West Catholic’s Adam Clark glides to the hoop over Gray’s L.J. Britt.
Gray’s Avantae Parker goes strong to the hoop.
Gray’s Avantae Parker is swarmed by the West Catholic defense.
Gray’s Tory Kelly hits a fall-away.
Avantae Parker goers for a loose ball.
West Catholic’s Nasir Griffin goes in for a slam.
Gray’s Montraivis powers in the paint on West Catholic’s Nasir Griffin.
Paul VI Deshawn Harris-Smith grabs a rebound over Imhotep Charter’s Ma’Kye Taylor.
Imhotep’s Ronny Rapheal goes up and under for a deuce.
Paul VI and Imhotep players dive for a loose ball.
Paul VI forward Brenden Robinson snags a rebound from Imhotep’s Justin Edward.
Imhotep’s Justin Edward saves a ball on the baseline.
Imhotep’s Rahmir Barno puts in a running lefty.
Imhotep’s Amaury Hunter, right, snags a rebound from Paul VI forward Jaquan Womack.
Imhotep’s Ronny Rapheal drives baseline to the paint.
Imhotep’s Mo Abdullah goes strong to the basket.
Paull VI guard Deshawn Harris-Smith jams a dunk.
Paul VI guard Dug McDaniel glides to the hoop.
Paul VI Darrin Harris drives on Imhotep’s Rahmir Barno.
Paul VI forward Christian Gurdak gets called on the charge of charge Ronny Rapheal.
Westtown’s Dereck Lively drives on National Christian’s Moussa Ngonn.
Paul VI guard Ben Hammond goes strong to the basket.
Paul VI guard Dug McDaniel drives baseline to the paint.
Imhotep’s Justin Edward, right, strips the ball from Paul VI guard Dug McDaniel.
Gray versus West Catholic players battle to a jump ball.
West Catholic’s Zion Stanford hits over Gray’s Calvin Hall.
West Catholic’s Isaac Cole plays tough defense.
Gray’s Tory Kelly, right, looks to go up strong on West Catholic’s Kaseem Watson.
Gray’s Tory Kelly hits a deuce.
Paul VI guard Dug McDaniel drives to the basket.
Deshawn Harris-Smith eyes the hoop from the foul line.
Paull VI forward Christian Gurdak hits in the paint.
Play ball.
Dug McDaniel hits a foul shot for Paul VI.
Westtown’s Mat Mayock drives baseline.
Westtown’s Dereck Lively looks to pass inside.
Westtown’s Quin Berger drives around NCA’s Isaiah Coleman.
Westtown’s Seyphon Triplett flies in for a dunk.
Westtown’s Dereck Lively looks over NCA’s Jaden French.
Westtown’s Dereck Lively jams a dunk.

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