Jr. Drew League All-Star Game Report
On Championship Sunday, the future of the Drew League took the floor at LA Southwest College in the Jr. Drew League All-Star Game. Jacoby Kelly scored 14 points and grabbed 6 rebounds to lead his team to a 40-34 victory on the same floor that Baron Davis, Nick Young and Stanley Johnson played on later in the afternoon.
By Dave Rogahn
For many if not most of the grade school-aged players it was the first chance to play in front of a crowd this large on a floor – it’s a regulation-sized college floor – this large. And it was a chance to be part of the grand finale of what many believe to be the top pro-am basketball league on the West Coast if not in the world.
The players were divided into two teams for the game. The team in the black jerseys took an early 4-0 lead, but the team in the white jerseys went on a 14-2 run to take a 14-6 lead midway through the first half and still led, 16-13, at the half.
The team in the black took a 19-18 lead when Devon Bush scored on a driving lay-up early in the second half, but the team in the white went right back in front. Two straight baskets by Bryan Lee off passes from Tre McDonald made it 30-21.
The team in the black cut the margin to three at 36-33 with about 3 minutes to go, but Jacoby made four straight free throws, the second pair after a steal, to push the lead back to 7 at 40-33 and clinch the win for the team in the black.
Jacoby led all scorers with his 14 points, his 6 rebounds tied for team-high and he also had 2 blocked shots and 2 steals.
Lee had 10 points. Allen Caveness Jr., one of two sons of the legendary Drew League coach known as “Houdini”, sparked the first-half run and finished with 4 assists and 3 steals; Aidyn added 2 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steal as the brothers accounted for one-fourth of the black team’s 16 steals.
For the team in the white, Bush had a team-high 10 points plus 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Darrell Henry had 8 points and 4 rebounds, and Eric Click had 8 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals.
Trevor Williams had 2 points and hauled in a game-high 13 rebounds. Chase Watkins had the game’s only 3-pointer.
Box Score
2016 Jr. Drew League All-Star Game
Sunday, August 21st @ LA Southwest College – 1 pm
Black 34:
X-Chase Watkins – 1 fg, 1 3pt, 2 reb, 1 ast, 3 pts
01-Jordan Autrey – 1 reb, 1 stl, 0 pts
14-Phillip Wright – 2 reb, 1 ast, 0 pts
18-Brandon Releford – 1/2 ft, 7 reb, 1 ast, 1 pt
20-Eric Click – 4 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 8 pts
X-Darrell Henry – 2 fg, 4/4 ft, 4 reb, 1 ast, 8 pts
03-Trevor Williams – 1 fg, 13 reb, 1 ast, 2 pts
09-Jordan Peters – 2 reb, 1 blk, 0 pts
15-Devon Bush – 5 fg, 2 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl, 10 pts
17-Lawrence Brown Jr. – 1 fg, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 pts
16-Jesse Aceres – 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 0 pts
team rebounds: 6
Totals: 14 fg, 1 3pt, 5/6 ft, 43 reb, 10 ast, 2 blk, 7 stl, 34 pts
White 40:
02-Jacoby Kelly – 4 fg, 6/7 ft, 6 reb, 2 blk, 2 stl, 14 pts
06-Aidyn Caveness – 1 fg, 2 reb, 1 stl, 2 pts
14-Ky Lewis – 2 fg, 2 ast, 3 stl, 4 pts
16-Adrian Expo – 2 fg, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 4 pts
20-Michael K – 0/2 ft, 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 0 pts
08-Tre McDonald – 1 fg, 3 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk, 2 stl, 2 pts
10-Isaiah Brown – 1 fg, 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 pts
12-Bryan Lee – 5 fg, 0/1 ft, 1 blk, 1 stl, 10 pts
17-Jadyn Polk – 1 fg, 3 reb, 1 stl, 2 pts
03-Allen Caveness Jr. – 3 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl, 0 pts
team rebounds: 2
Totals: 17 fg, 6/10 ft, 32 reb, 13 ast, 6 blk, 16 stl, 40 pts
Halftime Score: White 16, Black 13
Black led 4-0 early when White went on a 14-2 run to lead, 14-6.
Black took a 19-18 lead on a driving lay-up by Bush early in the 2nd half.
White went back in front and led, 30-21, after two baskets by Lee.
Black got within 3 at 36-33 but 4 FTs by Kelly sealed the win for White.