Harding Group Basketball/Team Phoenix captures 2014 ARC Memorial Day Invitational 8th Grade/14U title in San Diego, Calif. behind MVP performance of point guard Josh Johnson. Program takes third place in 7th Grade/13U division.
The Phoenix-based Harding Group Basketball travel club ventured to San Diego, Calif. for Memorial Day weekend with a core group of eighth graders looking to capture its second consecutive championship at the ARC Memorial Day Invitational.
Harding Group Basketball, whose eighth grade team is known as Team Phoenix, had lost to Los Angeles-based Earl Watson Elite’s 2019 club on Sunday morning after a sub par start to the game. After quickly falling behind in that game, Team Phoenix made a valiant comeback only to fall short.
In Monday afternoon’s title game rematch, the tables were reversed. Team Phoenix started well and Earl Watson Elite played catch up. Behind a spectacular effort from 5-foot-11 2019 combo guard Amani “Mookie” Harris, Earl Watson Elite cut a 12-point halftime deficit to four points late, but could get no closer as a solid all-around team effort propelled Team Phoenix to a 67-62 victory.
Leading the way for Harding Easley’s program was the inside-outside duo of 5-foot-7 2018 point guard Josh Johnson and 6-foot-3 2018 forward Wesley Harris. Johnson nearly matched Amani Harris shot for shot and also did a good job of controlling tempo and handling Earl Watson Elite’s full court pressure defense. With Harris and 5-foot-5 2019 point guard Bryce Zephir, Earl Watson Elite usually has a big advantage in the backcourt, but that wasn’t the case against Team Phoenix.
Johnson was named 8th Grade/14U division MVP after netting 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting to go along with three steals, three rebounds, and six assists against only two turnovers. Johnson, who has an explosive first step and knows how to hit the correct man in transition, also did a good job of getting to the free throw line, making 8-of-14. Had Team Phoenix made its free throw attempts late, the five-point margin might have pushed double digits.
On the other hand, Harris might have got Earl Watson Elite back in the game regardless. The game of the Inglewood, Calif. native and and younger brother of former Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) and Texas A & M standout guard Dash Harris Jr. continues to blossom. He’s pushing six feet, can cover plenty of ground with his penetration and has an above average outside shot. Very few defenders at the middle school level can keep Harris in front and on a few occasions in the second half, Team Phoenix defenders gave him plenty of space and were backpedaling (instead of denying) and he was still able to blow by and finish. Harris scored a game-high 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting. He also had four rebounds and two steals.
Wesley Harris was a load to handle underneath for Earl Watson and Team Phoenix’s top interior threat also hurt the opponent with slashing drives on the left side of the basket off feeds from Johnson, 5-foot-9 2018 guard Caleb Easley (the son of Harding Easley who finished with four points and played solid defense) and 6-foot-1 2018 wing Naseem “Nas” Vigil. Harris was also able to neutralize 2019 Earl Watson big man Kobe Craig, who usually makes his presence felt. Craig didn’t get credit for a blocked shot and finished with four points.
Vigil had a big outing in the championship game for Team Phoenix. He put pressure on the defense with his dribble drive ability and unique back to the basket game. Not many middle school players can back down defenders and finish off glass or with short turnarounds, but Vigil can. He also can square and drive in either direction. Vigil finished with 13 points, and made all three of his free throws, including two late when Earl Watson Elite was threatening.
Vigil also gave his team a spark by hitting a 27-foot 3-pointer from the left wing at the halftime buzzer off a Earl Watson Elite turnover. Team Phoenix led 35-23 at halftime and 51-40 with just under six minutes remaining before Earl Watson Elite made its late push. Team Phoenix did have some trouble closing out games, but kept its composure down the stretch in its final game.
Mason Halverson, a 6-foot-2 2019 forward, also gave coach Joseph Bullock of Team Phoenix a huge lift off the bench with his energy and rebounding. He had a key offensive rebound put back off a missed free throw by a teammate late in the title tilt.
Five-foot-11 2019 forward Lucas Hobbs of Earl Watson Elite was active on both ends of the floor and finished with 18 points and seven rebounds. He shot well around the basket, but missed six 3-point field goal attempts as Earl Watson Elite shot a low percentage from beyond the arc.
Zephir missed his only 3-point attempt and finished with eight points.
Harding Group Basketball Takes 3rd In 7th Grade/13U
The Harding Group Basketball 7th grade club, which goes by the Arizona Bobcats moniker, took third place at the ARC Memorial Day Invitational with a 53-44 victory over the L.A. Rockets travel ball club.
The HGB/Arizona Bobcats cost itself a spot in the title game after blowing a late lead in a Saturday night contest. They might have pulled it out had 6-foot-2 2019 post Christian Antigwe not been lost down the stretch courtesy of a bloody mouth that required stitches and an elbow injury which felled another starter. In the third place game, HGB closed out strong behind a core of players that actually contribute to the 14U club.
Antigwe, the lone 2019 prospect who started in the 14U title game, controlled the paint versus the L.A. Rockets. He finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. In the 14U title game, Antigwe had three points in five rebounds.
Five-foot-9 2019 combo guard Sterling “Isaiah” Wilson had four points in the third place game. He contributed perimeter defense for the 14U team.
Fiery 5-foot-7 2020 point guard Dalen Terry had a solid all-around effort for the wining 13U club and also came off the bench for the 14U club. One of the top long term prospects at the John Lucas Future of the Game West Camp in Las Vegas earlier this month, Terry finished with seven points, eights assists and two steals.
At the Lucas Camp, Terry played primarily on the wing, but for his travel club he does a good job as a quarterback on offense and as a vocal leader. He excels at passing with either hand in transition or off penetration, his pressure defense is solid and Terry does a good job of getting his hands on balls in passing lanes. Terry also hit a big 3-pointer late to help hold off the L.A. Rockets.
Ronnie Flores is the Publisher and Editor of GrassrootsHoops.net. He can be reached at ronlocc1977@yahoo.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores
Leave a Reply