The 8th annual Jerry Tarkanian Classic Finals were held on Saturday December 21st at Bishop Gorman HS (Las Vegas NV) for all bracketed Divisions other than the Pangos Elite 8 prep school bracket whose title game was held on Thursday December 18th. All tourney games were live-streamed (and are available for re-play) by BallerTV.com: https://www.ballertv.com/events/tarkanian-classic-boys-2019
100-plus college coaches from programs coast to coast attended this year’s Tark Classic as well as 75-plus media, recruiting scouts and video-outlets and 15+ NBA teams.
In the Platinum Division Championship Game, it was upstart Centennial (Corona CA) who completed a Cinderella tourney run by finishing off tourney host, back-to-back defending champ and Fab50 #5 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas NV) 71-55. Platinum Division MVP 6-1 2020 Paris Dawson (Portland State signee) led the Huskies with 27 points (including 5 “threes”). Corona Centennial’s path to the 2019 Tark Classic title also included impressive wins over Fab 50 #17 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia PA) 68-64, Fab 50 #41 Coronado (Henderson NV) 83-48 and Fab 50 #19 Mater Dei (Santa Ana CA) 63-53 in the semi-finals.
In the Platinum Division 3rd Place Game it was Sheldon (Sacramento CA) over Mater Dei (Santa Ana CA) 70-62 in 2 overtime periods as all-tourney pick 6-8 2020 Marcus Bagley scored 23 points.
In “The 8” Division, Desert Pines (Las Vegas NV) bested Oak Ridge (Orlando FL) 59-46 in the title game behind 17 points by division MVP 6-3 2022 PG Milos Uzan.
In the “Pangos Elite 8” prep school bracket, sensational senior PG Daishen Nix sparked Trinity (Las Vegas NV) over AZ Compass Prep (Chandler AZ) 73-65 in the championship game that was held on Thursday night December 18th. Nix tourney video highlights: https://twitter.com/CourtsideFilms/status/1207433720388407297
In the Orleans Division Final, Miramar (FL) edged Durango (Las Vegas NV) 59-56.
In the Select Division title game, Rangeview (Aurora CO) was decisively victorious over Corner Canyon (Draper UT) 76-49.
In the Eastbay Division Final, it was Timpview (Provo UT) over Ft. Lauderdale (FL) 68-44.
In the Premier Division championship game, Maple Mountain (Spanish Fork UT) knocked off city rival Spanish Fork (UT) 69-58.
In the Gatorade Division Final, Provo (UT) beat Basic (Henderson NV) 50-42.
Below are my 2019 Tarkanian Classic Platinum Division All-Tourney selections (in alphabetical order):
Paris Dawson 6’1” 2020 Centennial (Corona CA)
Pit-bull combo-guard is always in attack-mode. After losing three key players due to transfer prior to the season, Dawson and his fellow Huskies were young men on a mission this season to prove wrong those that assumed it would be a rebuilding year for Coach Josh Giles’ squad. Playing fullcourt pressure “small ball” Dawson was the ringleader for a team that would knock off 4 Fab 50 ranked squads en route to the 2019 Platinum title, averaging 22.3 ppg in the process and earning division MVP honors. Dawson is a steal for Portland State (was a Fall signee) and was fearless all tourney long here in Vegas, pushing the rock with speed in transition and knocking down big shot after big shot. 2019 Tark Classic video-highlights by Courtside Films:
https://twitter.com/CourtsideFilms/status/1208621094892032001
Chibuzo Agbo 6’6” 2020 St. Augustine (San Diego CA)
Strong and bouncy wing forward headed for Texas Tech showed his high-major worth here.
2019 Tark Classic video-highlights by Beach City Hoops:
https://twitter.com/FullTimeHoops1/status/1208434072298504193
Devin Askew 6’4” 2020 Mater Dei (Santa Ana CA)
Confident floor-general bound for Kentucky is a bona-fide 2020 McDonald’s All-American candidate. 2019 Tark Classic video-highlights by Courtside Films:
https://twitter.com/CourtsideFilms/status/1208611009608343553
Marcus Bagley 6’8” 2020 Sheldon (Sacramento CA)
Younger brother of Marvin Bagley III (Duke/Sacramento Kings) is starting to make a major name of his own. Strong and athletic wing scorer averaged 23.5 ppg with a tourney high of 35 points in win over Westchester (Los Angeles CA). Marcus is headed to Arizona State where his grandfather “Jumpin Joe” Caldwell was a Sun Devil Hall of Famer and would later be the #2 pick of the 1964 NBA Draft (picked by the Detroit Pistons). 2019 Tark Classic video-highlights by Courtside Films: https://www.courtsidefilms.com/news_article/show/1073457
Monty Bowser 6’5” 2020 Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland CA)
Cal signee is an active forward in transition with plenty of bounce.
Jaquan Carlos 5’11” 2021 Thomas Jefferson (Brooklyn NY)
Quick PG has offers from St. John’s, NC State and Cincinnati.
Zaon Collins 6’0” 2021 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas NV)
Cerebral PG plays to win. Crafty playmaker is an underrated athlete and defender that led the Platinum Division with 9.3 assists per game. 2019 Tark Classic video-highlights by Courtside Films: https://twitter.com/CourtsideFilms/status/1208632556431663105
Keith Dinwiddie 6’2” 2020 Fairfax (Los Angeles CA)
San Diego State signee with a feathery shooting touch was filling the nets all tourney long here – averaging 24.8 ppg including a 35 outburst (7 “threes”) vs. Jefferson (Brooklyn NY). Underrated athlete with exceptional mid-range game as well as 3-ball range. Early favorite for 2020 LA-City CIF Player of the Year.
Freddie Dybala 6’2” 2020 Centennial (Corona CA)
Tough as nails wing player that always seemed to make huge shots throughout the course of the tourney. Capped off an impressive tourney with 8 points/8 rebounds vs. Gorman in the title game.
Guy Flauntroy 6’0” 2021 Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro MD)
Quick and speeding lead-guard is hard to contain off the bounce and is a pesky defender.
Jaden Hardy 6’5” 2021 Coronado (Henderson NV)
Very talented high-scoring combo is athletic and quick with the ball and difficult for defenders to contain. Hardy averaged 25.8 ppg and had colleges like Kansas, UCLA, Arizona, Michigan, UNLV, Texas, Auburn and Texas Tech watching him closely here. 2019 Tark Classic video-highlights by Courtside Films: https://twitter.com/CourtsideFilms/status/1208845507143118849
Jared McCain 6’2” 2023 Centennial (Corona CA)
Hot-shooting young lead guard scored an impressive 17.2 ppg during Centennial’s fantastic dash to tourney title including an opening game explosion (30 points) vs. Fab 50 #17 Neumann-Goretti. 2019 Tark Classic video-highlights by Baller TV:
https://twitter.com/BallerTV/status/1207422915915862018
Will McClendon 6’3” 2021 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas NV)
Long-range sharpshooter played a pivotal role in Gorman’s 3rd straight trip to the Platinum championship game, averaging 21.5 ppg in the process. One of the West Coast’s top junior prospects.
Duncan Reid 6’4” 2021 Skyridge (Lehi UT)
Junior wing shooter with legit 3-point range averaged 20.5 ppg here.
Detrick Reeves 6’3” 2020 Marion (AR)
Unsigned senior SG has a strong build and major scoring ability – averaged 25.5 ppg with a high-game vs. Coronado (Henderson NV).
TJ Wainwright 6’3” 2021 Westchester (Los Angeles CA)
Crafty combo-guard with confident and deep perimeter stroke made 12 “threes” in 4 tourney games and helped lead the Comets to a 3-1 record, averaging 12.8 ppg. 2019 Pangos All-American Camp Top 60 Game selection is one of the most underrated junior guards nationally.
Mwani Wilkerson 6’6” 2020 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas NV)
Explosive forward with very improved scoring skills is one of the nation’s top unsigned seniors. Top schools on his list include USC, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt, LSU and UNLV. 2019 Tark Classic video-highlights by Courtside Films:
https://twitter.com/CourtsideFilms/status/1208870941519994880
Cameron Young 6’6” 2020 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia PA)
Swiss-army knife swingman was active all-tourney long. Bowling Green signee had 21 points in Neumann-Goretti’s 79-75 win over Skyridge (UT) in the Platinium Consolation Final.
Following are my All-Tourney selections of the 2019 Tarkanian Classic “The 8” Division (in alphabetical order):
Milos Uzan 6’3” 2022 Desert Pines (Las Vegas NV)
Savvy high-octane lead guard is a play-maker on the rise in the West Coast junior class. Uzan (son of Desert Pines head coach Mike Uzan) was fantastic in leading the Jaguars to “The 8” title and garnering division MVP honors along the way. Milos had 17 points vs. Oak Ridge in the title game and 24 points vs Mayfair and its 5-star guard duo Josh Christopher and Dior Johnson. 2019 Tark Classic video-highlights by Courtside Films: https://twitter.com/CourtsideFilms/status/1207691673368551424
Matthew Bewley 6’8” 2023 Northeast (Ft. Lauderdale FL)
Talented young forward is 50% of the Bewley freshman twin duo that have real high-major potential.
Lamont Butler 6’2” 2020 Poly (Riverside CA)
Butler is a consistently productive PG with an excellent basketball IQ. San Diego State-bound point guard led his Riverside Poly squad to “The 8” consolation title. 2019 Tark Classic video-highlights by Ball is Life West: https://twitter.com/ballislifewest_/status/1207772527293956096
Josh Christopher 6’5” 2020 Mayfair (Lakewood CA)
Outstanding wing scorer is a Top 10 national talent with real pro potential! Ultra-explosive off the bounce with perimeter range beyond the 3-point arc, Josh is a hard to guard match-up for most defenders. 2019 Tark Classic video-highlights by Courtside Films:
https://www.courtsidefilms.com/news_article/show/1073248
Mike James 6’6” 2021 Oak Ridge (Orlando FL)
James began the tourney with a nice 21 point effort versus Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth CA) and continued his fine play in “The 8” division, leading Oak Ridge to the title game. Top 100 national-caliber junior.
Julian Strawther 6’7” 2020 Liberty (Henderson NV)
Gonzaga signee averaged 36 ppg here. One of the nation’s elite scorers.
Other “The 8” Division all-tourney picks include: 6-6 2021 Rodney Henry (Oak Ridge/Orlando FL), 6-4 2021 Sione “Sisi” Lose (Capital Christian/Sacramento CA), 6-4 2021 Dayshawn Riley (Desert Pines/Las Vegas NV) and 6-0 2021 Cruz Valeriano III (Washington/Milwaukee WI).
The all-tourney team for the Pangos Elite 8 Prep School Division is as follows:
* Daishen Nix 6’5” 2020 Trinity (Las Vegas NV) MVP
* MarJon Beauchamp 6’6” 2020 Dream City Christian (Glendale AZ)
* Frankie Collins 6’2” 2021 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler AZ)
* Omer Kucuk 6’3” 2020 Spire Institute (Geneva OH)
* Makur Maker 6’11” 2020 CIBA (Irvine CA)
* Carlos Rosario 6’6” 2020 Veritas Prep (Santa Fe Springs CA)
* Kai Soto 7’1” 2020 TSF (Atlanta GA)
* Tre White 6’5” 2022 Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio TX)
