SoCalHoops Tournament & Recruiting News

Slam-N-Jam NIT Starts Tomorrow;
Complete Pool Play Schedule--(July 19, 2000)

If it's near the end of July, then it's time for the 17th Annual Slam N Jam NIT, which is held a few miles down the road from where the Best of Summer will also be occurring, just to the south in Long Beach at Cal State Long Beach's old gym and the "Goldmine"  and, this year for the first time, right across the 405 Fwy at Carson HS, making it particularly easy for those coaches and fans who want to see both the Best of Summer and the NIT.  In other words, the South Bay-Long Beach-Compton-Lynwood area will be packed with college coaches and most of the top players in the west and a few of the better teams from outside the region as well.    

While this year's tournament doesn't feature the high profile east coast teams we've become accustomed to watching every summer, particularly the top Nike programs like Riverside Church, this year's tournament will still feature 36 teams, among them some of the top travel teams in the region.

The tournament will also be spread out over a six days, which is a bit unusual, and we don't really know the schedule once pool play ends, nor do we know when the finals will be held.  Top Prospects, Inc., is the top seed for this year's Slam N Jam, and according to a press release which Issy Washington sent us, Craig Smith (6'-7" Sr. PF) will be playing for TPI as the lone senior on the roster.  Who else will be playing is realy a mystery, but it looks like many of the teams which were also at the Big Time who aren't attending the Best of Summer (and that's not many) will be at the NIT.  Among the teams with some of the top players who were at the Big Time tournament will be BWBA, Oregon Nike, Inland,  ARC Burbank, California BBall, Portland Elite, I-Can, ICH (Inner City Hoops), the H-Squad, and others. While "The Hood" is going to be playing, we don't expect to see Tyson Chandler with them, since he's back east at the Peach Jam and then we understand he'll be with Cedric Bozeman and Jamal Sampson at the Nike Super Showcase as well, returning home at the end of July to rest for the Nike Portland Challenge which will take place in August, after the dead period kicks in.

The tournament field, by numbers is a bit down from previous years, but the talent should be as solid as ever, and one look at the pools and the schedule will convince you that Issy will be putting on a tournament full of excellent prospects.

Here are the pools:

The tournament, at least for the first two days will play games at Long Beach State's East and West Gyms, and at Carson HS;  on Saturday, the final day of pool play, all of the games will shift over to Long Beach State, so this should be very enjoyable and easy to watch the games.  Here's the schedule for the first three days:

We'll try to get some additional information on some of the teams, including rosters shortly.  

See you there. . . .

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