Rose City Showcase

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.