FINAL: Local teams descend on Rock Hill sports center for MLK basketball showcase
The Herald will be reporting on the eight local teams in the 14-team basketball showcase in the Rock Hill Sports and Event Center on Monday.
Follow along for updates.
College coaches show to see Rock Hill’s Robbie Ouzts
South Carolina head football coach Will Muschamp and Virginia Tech head football coach Justin Fuente were on hand in the Rock Hill Sports and Event Center on Monday to see Robbie Ouzts — a junior forward on the hardwood and a highly-touted tight end on the gridiron.
The Gamecocks and Hokies have each offered a football scholarship to the three-star recruit.
Muschamp is still at the facility, and he likely will remain here until the game’s night cap. He is recruiting Ger-Cari Caldwell, an in-state wide receiver who will sign somewhere to play football on Feb. 5 — and Caldwell plays basketball for Northwestern.
Northwestern is scheduled to play at 8 p.m.
Fuente and Muschamp declined to speak to The Herald.
York’s Malik Proctor shines
In the day’s opener, York erased a 10-point deficit and defeated Catawba Ridge, 57-50, behind a 20-point performance from Malik Proctor.
“We’ve always told him this: He is our engine, and as he goes, we go,” York head coach Justin Zaleski told The Herald after the game. “When he plays well like he did today, you see the results in the end. When he got going in the second half, our entire team got going, and he was really the catalyst for our success in the second half.”
Proctor, a senior, played essentially the entire game — which isn’t out of the ordinary. York is a young team, often starting three sophomores, Zaleski said.
Event draws sizable crowd
Visit York County CEO Billy Dunlap said that the first thing people say to him when they come into the Rock Hill Sports and Event Center is, “Wow.”
This is the first event Visit York County has put on in the center, and although the main gym — one with stadium seating with individual chairs and open backboards — isn’t complete, it has still drawn a sizeable crowd.
Approximately 100 people are watching the one court in action, and more fans are expected as the night goes on.
“The facility speaks for itself, and the city of Rock Hill continues to set the pace with that,” Dunlap said.
Mason Grigg rises to propel Northwestern past Chapman
There was an audible gasp of anticipation every time Northwestern senior guard Mason Grigg was alone on the fast break. And it happened several times. He flushed it with one hand, off the alley oop — any way. Grigg finished with 21 points.
Ger-Cari Caldwell also showed his hops, but he didn’t cash in on a dunk. The senior dunked on his team’s first possession, but the ball was whistled dead prior to his finish. Caldwell finished with six points.
Caldwell was the center of attention for at least one person on Monday night. Muschamp, after the game, took pictures with Caldwell’s family and a long line of Gamecock fans that were in attendance. Come his exit from The Rock Hill Sports and Event Center, Muschamp turned in a 9.5 hour day on the recruitment trail.
Waymon Jenerrette scores 17 in the fourth quarter
South Pointe used a 49-point second half effort to defeat Spartanburg, 70-62. Waymond Jenerette had 17 points — 16 of which were in the fourth quarter. The Stallions played some of their best basketball of the season in their win on Monday.
Nation Ford doesn’t trail
Nation Ford defeated Chesnee, 48-25. The Falcons never trailed, and the second half never came within 10 points. Petey Tuipulotu scored 12 points, and Tyler Thaxton scored 14.
Jordan Herman shows off his jump shot
Fort Mill defeated Fairfield Central in the third game of the holiday showcase, 69-52. Keyan Mims scored 18 points, and Jordan Herman led the way with 25 points. Both scored at will all game — especially Herman, who proved he had a jump shot in his arsenal.
Clover’s Donavan Fitzgerald hurt?
Clover took care of business against Eau Claire, winning 49-35. The Blue Eagles were led by Markus Mastase, who scored 14 points, knocking in both of his free throw attempts and hitting two threes. Donavan Fitzgerald, Clover’s other leading scorer, walked gingerly off the court early in the first quarter and didn’t return. All of Clover’s 14 players recorded playing time in the win, and only four didn’t score.
Rock Hill loses
Rock Hill lost to Brookland Cayce, 63-44, in the second game of the MLK showcase. Although 11 of the 12 players who played for the Bearcats scored, only one had double digits. It was Keshon Fletcher, who scored 10 points.
Catawba Ridge makes more free throws than field goals
York defeated Catawba Ridge, 57-50, in the showcase’s opening game. The Copperheads built a lead because of a flurry of free throws in the first half. But the Cougars responded by cutting a double-digit halftime deficit to one by the end of the third and didn’t look back.
York’s Malik Proctor led all scorers with 20 points and went 7-for-10 from the free throw line. The Cougars had two other players in double figures: Zay Brown with 10 points and Jamil Trapp with 16.
Catawba Ridge had more made free throws than made field goals (23-11). The Copperheads were paced in scoring by Luke Krawczyk with 13 points and Davante Gonzales with 11.
Holiday showcase
11 a.m. — York Comprehensive vs. Catawba Ridge: York wins, 57-50.
12:30 p.m. — Rock Hill vs. Brookland Cayce: Brookland Cayce wins, 63-42.
2 p.m. — Clover vs. Eau Claire: Blue Eagles win, 49-35.
3:30 p.m. — Fort Mill vs. Fairfield Central: Yellow Jackets win, 69-52.
5 p.m. — Nation Ford vs. Chesnee: Falcons win, 48-25.
6: 30 p.m. — South Pointe vs. Spartanburg: Stallions win, 70-62.
8 p.m. — Northwestern vs. Chapman: Trojans win, 82-56.
This story was originally published January 20, 2020 at 10:56 AM.
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