Mass Rivals Stay Hot in Las Vegas Heat

Mt. Haladyna Erupts in Vegas

Rivals Stay Hot out in the Desert

 - After losing their two pool-play games at the Basketbull HOFNI, the Mass Rivals, after two wins yesterday, have reeled off  8 wins in a row.  In their first game yesterday morning in pool-play at the Adidas Super 64 in Vegas, the Rivals blew out the Kansas City Rebels at El Dorado HS by a score of 70-31 behind a balanced attack.  In their second game last night, the Rivals went up against a real tough squad in Prodigy Elite out of SoCal that is coached by former McDonalds All-American Cameron Murray (brother of Tracy Murray).  Although they did not have a player over 6'5, Prodigy gave the Rivals all they could handle.  Prodigy used their 3/4 court press to jump out to a 15-4 lead, leaving the Rivals in a hole which it would take them basically the whole game to erase, until mid-way through the second half, when the Rivals finally took a lead which they'd never relinquish, eventually pulling away for a 67-54 win.  The Rivals are back in action today in their final pool-play game...If they win, they advance to the Super 64 Championship Bracket.  Check out Rivals Day 1 Notes below.

Day One Notes

- The St. Johns Prep duo of Mike Carbone and Steve Haladyna really led the Rivals to the win in the night-cap.  The frontline gets the attention, but these guys flat out know how to win.  Haladyna definitely raised a lot of D1 Coaching eyebrows with his play last night, specifically after a play on which he rose up out of no where on the break and and slipped in a dunk shot over a Prodigy defender for an and-one.  He had 20 points for the game.

- When 2015 PG Dimitry Floras is locked in 100% mentally, he is dangerous with the rock.  

- The front-line of Vonleh, Kuaku, and Auguste is the longest in New England and has a lot of college coaches on the Rivals Trail.

 

- In the big gyms at Rancho HS, where the Super Pool games are played, it is not easy to pick out all of the college coaches in attendance, but in a smaller gym, this is much easier.

- Auburn had three coaches at both games following Zach Auguste.  Other schools who had coaches at both games for Auguste were Virginia Tech, Alabama, Minnesota, Clemson, and Marquette, who had Head Coach Buzz Williams at both games.  Phil Martelli of St. Joes, Steve Donahue from BC also came to watch Auguste yesterday morning.

- Following Noah Vonleh at both games were UNC, Syracuse, and Georgetown.  For North Carolina, assistant coach Steve Robinson was at the morning game while Head Man Roy Williams was at the night game.  For Syracuse, asst Mike Hopkins was at both games while asst Gerry Macnamara was also at the night game.  For the Hoyas, an asst coach checked out the morning game while John Thompson came to check Vonleh out last night.  Also, Florida and Pitt each had an assistant coach at the morning game.

- Among the schools/coaches following Cedric Kuakumensah and/or Steve Haladyna were UVM, Harvard, Penn, and TJ Sorrentine from Brown.

- Vin Pastore was a big hit with both the college coaches and the Prodigy fans in terms of entertainment value.  Throughout the whole game, he had the gym in stitches with his one-liners from the sideline.

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