High school basketball will take center stage one more time on Saturday, June 28 when the Demetrious Johnson Charitable Foundation presents its annual high school All-Star Basketball Game.
The DJCF/Lions Choice/American Airlines National High School Basketball Game will be held next Saturday at Harris-Stowe State University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The annual event pits a group of high school stars from around the country against a group of local stars from the two-state (Missouri-Illinois) area. The game also provides an opportunity for fans of the local colleges such as Missouri, Saint Louis U., Southern Illinois and Illinois to watch some of their top recruits in action in an all-star setting before they embark on their collegiate careers. Future SLU players Kwamain Mitchell and Willie Reed will play in the game along with future Missouri Tigers Steve Moore and Kim English.
Some of the top players scheduled to play with the Missouri-Illinois stars are former McCluer North teammates Anthony Booker and Femi John along with former Gateway Tech standout Derron Hobbs.
In 1997, Demetrious Johnson started the game as a showcase to the great Class of ’97 that featured top players such as Larry Hughes, Johnnie Parker, Brian Grawer and Matt Baniak. In the next decade, the DJCF All-Star Game has mushroomed into one of the nation events of the summer.
Several DJCF All-Star alums have made their way into the National Basketball Association, including local players Larry Hughes (Chicago Bulls), Blake Ahearn (Miami Heat) and national stars Deron Williams (Utah Jazz), Richard Jefferson (New Jersey Nets), Keyon Dooling (Orlando Magic), Renaldo Balkman (New York Knicks).
Tickets are currently on sale for $10 at Harris-Stowe State University. You can also call (314) 654-2542. We will have the complete rosters for the game in next week’s American.
Eagles on the wing
I would like to congratulate the St. Louis Eagles Basketball Club on 20 years of great success as one of the nation’s top summer basketball clubs. The organization will celebrate its 20th anniversary in a big way with a special celebration dinner on Saturday night at the Ballpark Hilton. I will serve as co-master of ceremonies for the event along with my colleague Mike Claiborne, who actually coached the Eagles for a couple of tournaments over the years. It should be a great evening of celebration as we re-live 20 years of great memories while following some of the exploits of some of the area’s best talents. The list of great players who have gone through the Eagles program over the past two decades is endless from the likes of Erwin Claggett to Larry Hughes to David Lee and Tyler Hansbrough.
Earl live at MoHist
Public High League basketball fans can join me next Tuesday (June 24) at the Missouri History Museum (Lindell and DeBaliviere in Forest Park). I will be having a book signing and presentation for my book, “The PHL in the STL” on the history of basketball in the Public High League. The presentation will be held at the Lee Auditorium at 7 p.m. By the way, I am currently working on my next two projects on local sports history. I am working on the DVD version of “The PHL in the STL,” which will have rare video footage of the former PHL greats of the past. I am also working on my second book, which will chronicle the history of prep basketball in St. Louis County.
JJ commits
Miller Career Academy basketball standout Jerome Jones recently gave a verbal commitment to attend Missouri State University. The 6’5” Jones was an All-Public High League performer as a junior in 2008, averaging 17.9 points and 5.3 rebounds a game. Miller should be one of the area’s top players as a senior next season. He becomes the second PHL player to commit to new MSU coach Cuonzo Martin. Former Gateway Tech standout Derron Hobbs signed with the Bears in April for the upcoming 2008-09 season.
Happy campers
Local basketball standouts Bradley Beal (Chaminade) and Julian Johnson (Whitfield) participated in the Nike Hoops Jamboree last weekend at Saint Louis University. The annual camp brings to St. Louis more than 100 of the naiton’s top high school underclassmen. I watched the 6’2” Beal play a couple of times and he was very impressive with his offensive skills. Beal is one of the top sophomores in the state of Missouri. He has a nice future ahead of him.