This weekend, Portland once again plays host to the Rose City Showcase, an elite AAU tournament featuring teams from the Pacific Northwest and around the country.  This tournament rules; I can't believe it's been a year since the last one.   The list of current and future NBA players that have come through the RCS is ridiculous and I need not list them all off for you, but here's a sample: Dwight Howard, Martell Webster, Rodney Stuckey, Kevin Love, Tyreke Evans, and my current BFF Wayne Ellington.  

Last year, we saw Grant High's Mike Moser take a leap forward, expanding his game with outside range and real intensity that propelled him to a UCLA scholarship.  We also saw the breakout of Nigel Williams-Goss, the #1 middle-schooler in the country.   We also saw Freddie Jones and Ime Udoka chillin'.  

This showcase is a great chance to mentally condition yourself for the NBA's Summer League, as it is scheduled similarly: games run back-to-back-to-back-to-back with little delay.  A basketball junkie's dream.  

The showcase kicks off tomorrow night at Lewis and Clark College (0615 SW Palatine Hill Road, Portland, OR 97219).

• 5 PM -- Derrick Rose All Stars vs. Team Oregon
• 6:15PM -- Emerald City Pioneers vs. Friends of Hoop
• 7:30PM -- Seattle Rotary Select vs. MBA Elite
• 8:45PM -- I-5 Elite vs. Team A.C.C.E.S.S.

The must-see game tomorrow night is Rotary versus MBA. Rotary features Josh Smith (a top 10 prospect nationally in the Class of 2010) and Tony Wroten, Jr. (the #1 prospect nationally in the class of 2011).  Smith is a huge, bruising Power Forward with the potential to break a rim this weekend and go one-and-done to the NBA.  Check out this youtube for a taste of Smith's game.  Wroten might have the flashiest game of anyone from the Northwest since Jamal Crawford and also has one-and-done written all over him even though he's only a rising junior in high school.  Here's a youtube.  MBA is stacked top to bottom and stars LaQuinton Ross, another top 10 prospect nationally in the class of 2011.  Here's a youtube. 

The best high school player in Portland this year, hands down, is Jefferson's Terrence Jones and he will be playing in the nightcap for Team I-5 Elite.  He knows how to put on a show and is guaranteed to provide a few "WOW" moments with his all-around offensive game.

For a full preview and total coverage all weekend long, check out Tim Brown over at Oregonlive. 

For schedules and team information, check out the Rose City Showcase online.

I'll have a tourney recap with some pictures on Sunday. I hope to see you out there.  Tickets are always affordable so you've got no excuse: support local hoops!

-- Ben (benjamin.golliver@gmail.com)

PS Mad because there was no Blazers news in this post?  Read my somewhat lengthy offseason Q and A with the Portland Mercury.