No players from Hampton Roads or from teams in the area were on the list of 64 released Monday for this week’s Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, though the 71st annual event is filled with connections from the state.
As usual, rosters for eight teams named after local businesses or organizations are filled with eight college seniors whose NCAA eligibility recently expired. The tournament will run Wednesday night through Saturday in Churchland High’s gym, and dozens of pro scouts — many from overseas — will attend and/or watch online.
Since the June 25-26 NBA draft is only two rounds, few of these players likely will be chosen, though the tournament has a storied history. Current Golden State standout Jimmy Butler played in it, as did Rick Barry, Earl Monroe, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and NBA all-time assists leader John Stockton.
According to PIT organizers, 14 of last year’s 64 participants have played an under an NBA contract this season, and 400 PIT alumni are playing pro ball around the world.
The tournament will be preceded by a celebrity luncheon at noon Wednesday, featuring 2012 PIT MVP Kyle O’Quinn from Norfolk State.
Max Shulga and Richmond-area native Joe Bamisile, who both played the past two seasons for Atlantic 10 champion VCU after beginning elsewhere in college basketball, are the only current PIT players who competed for a team in Virginia this season.
But several PIT entries who finished with other universities once played for teams in the state. Ole Miss’ Sean Pedulla and Kansas State’s David N’Guessan were at Virginia Tech, Texas’ Kadin Shedrick and Tennessee’s Igor Milicic Jr. originally played for UVA, Penn State point guard Ace Baldwin came from VCU, and Louisville’s Terrence Edwards starred for James Madison and graduated from there.
The only player from this year’s Final Four on the list is runner-up Houston’s J’Wan Roberts.
Three Clemson players are in: Chase Hunter, Ian Schieffelin and Viktor Lakhin.
Here are the rosters:
K&D ROUND’S
Jonas Aidoo (Arkansas), Zach Freemantle (Xavier), Jonathan Pierre (Belmont), Nate Santos (Dayton), Chase Hunter (Clemson), Jaden Akins (Michigan State), Nolan Hickman (Gonzaga), Sean Pedulla (Mississippi).
Coaches: Jim Markey, Chris Fuhrmann and Deon Thompson.
SALES SYSTEMS, LTD.
Daniel Batcho (Louisiana Tech), J’Wan Roberts (Houston), Ian Schieffelin (Clemson), David Joplin (Marquette), Wooga Poplar (Villanova), Johnell Davis (Arkansas), Kobe Sanders (Nevada), TY Johnson (UC Davis).
Coaches: Kenneth Harris, PJ Honore Jr. and Damon Jones.
PORTSMOUTH PARTNERSHIP
Oumar Ballo (Indiana), Great Osobor (Washington), David N’Guessan (Kansas State), Matthew Cleveland (Miami), Jahmai Mashack (Tennessee), Zeke Mayo (Kansas), Augustus Marciulionis (Saint Mary’s), Ace Baldwin Jr. (Penn State).
Coaches: Evan Kee, Erik Johnson and Dominique Johnson.
NORFOLK SPORTS CLUB
Viktor Lakhin (Clemson), CJ Huntley (Appalachian State), Tyson Degenhart (Boise State), Jahmyl Telfort (Butler), Tamar Bates (Missouri), Cam Carter (LSU), Erik Reynolds II (Saint Joseph’s), Deivon Smith (St. John’s).
Coaches: Webb Hatch, Jim Corrigan and Mickell Gladness.
PORTSMOUTH SPORTS CLUB
Moussa Cisse (Memphis), Andrew Carr (Kentucky), Cameron Matthews (Mississippi State), Adama-Alpha Bal (Santa Clara), Joe Bamisile (VCU), Chance McMillian (Texas Tech), Earl Timberlake (Bryant), Chucky Hepburn (Louisville).
Coaches: Charles Thomas, Craig Frost and Dexter Pittman.
ROGER BROWN’S RESTAURANT
Kadin Shedrick (Texas), Julian Reese (Maryland), Obinna Anochili-Killen (Marshall), Kobe Johnson (UCLA), Khalif Battle (Gonzaga), Terrence Edwards Jr. (Louisville), Sebastian Thomas (Rhode Island), AJ Hoggard (Vanderbilt).
Coaches: Bill Mann, Junior Burrough and Andrea-Gardner Williams.
JANI-KING
Nelly Junior Joseph (New Mexico), Igor Milicic Jr. (Tennessee), Saint Thomas (Southern California), Gabe Madsen (Utah), Chris Youngblood (Alabama), Curtis Jones (Iowa State), Bez Mbeng (Yale), Steven Ashworth (Creighton).
Coaches: Mike Holland, Roland Ross and Tocarra Ross.
MIKE DUMAN, INC.
Samson Johnson (Connecticut), Cesare Edwards (Georgia State), Jaemyn Brakefield (Mississippi), Patrick McCaffery (Butler), John Poulakidas (Yale), Max Shulga (VCU), Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M), Darius Johnson (Central Florida).
Coaches: Jeremy Jordan, Gregory Ackles and Tyler Robinson.
Schedule
Wednesday:
Sales Systems, Ltd. vs. K&D Round’s, 7 p.m.
Norfolk Sports Club vs. Portsmouth Partnership, 9 p.m.
Thursday:
Wednesday night’s losers play, 3:15 p.m.
Roger Brown’s Restaurant vs. Portsmouth Sports Club, 7 p.m.
Mike Duman, Inc. vs. Jani-King, 9 p.m.
Friday:
Thursday night’s losers play, 3:15 p.m.
Semifinal (Wednesday night’s winners play), 7 p.m.
Semifinal (Thursday night’s winners play), 9 p.m.
Saturday:
Seventh-place game, 11 a.m.
Fifth-place game, 1 p.m.
Third-place game, 5 p.m.
Championship game, 7 p.m.
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