Desert Classic News From George Rodecker

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

Correction from a previous post: It's Tony Parker, the
Franco-American point guard.

http://www.sportsline.com/u/ce/feature/0,1518,3855998_54,00.html

Desert Classic: Day 2
By George Rodecker
Special to SportsLine.com


PHOENIX -- Nebraska's Kimani Ffriend was the most impressive player on
the second day of the Desert Classic.

During a scrimmage (two 15-minute halves) in which no stats are kept,
Ffriend scored nearly 20 points, dominated interior play at the
offensive end, and delivered tenacious defense.

Ffriend, who skipped Portsmouth citing injuries, has skyrocketed up the
pros' list of prospects. He has the opportunity to thrust himself into
the draft mix with a solid performance in the three games he'll play
between tonight and Saturday.

Rashad Phillips continues to impress scouts with his speed and the
ability to create havoc for defenders. Philips might be one of the new
breed of point guards. As NBA teams start to put the Speedy Claxtons and
Earl Boykins on their rosters, opponents will need someone capable of
defending diminutive, lightening quick lead guards.

Phillips has burning speed, an uncanny ability to find room for his
shot, and has made that shot more often than anyone else here. Phillips
remains a solid candidate for the late first round or early second round
of the draft.

Martin Rancik continues to do all the little things well. He gives a
consistent solid effort every minute on the floor, with energy and zeal.
Rancik enjoys the contact that playing inside offers, yet can handle the
ball and create opportunities for himself. Some scouts believe that, at
the very worst, he's a mid-second-round pick.

Play of the night
Near the end of Wednesday's second scrimmage, Horace Jenkins fed Terence
Morris the ball out near the 3-point line. The 6-foot-9 Morris calmly
set up himself for the shot and, as he released the shot, UCLA's 6-1
Earl Watson delivered an emphatic block, sending the ball careening off
of Morris.

Who else was hot
Oregon's Bryan Bracey -- solid, up-and-down-the-court effort; good with
the ball; playing with lots of energy.
Michigan State's Charlie Bell -- tough on both sides of the ball;
perhaps second only to Phillips as the top defensive guard.
West Virginia's Calvin Bowman -- getting rebounds in bucket loads;
playing strong defensively; running the floor like a two guard.
Horace Jenkins, from William Paterson (D-III) -- better second day with
better ball distribution and decision-making.
Florida International's Carlos Arroyo -- intelligent player who does a
lot of little things very well; gets teammates involved; has great
defensive anticipation skills; quickly joining upper echelon of point
guards here.
Quotes ...
Detroit Mercy's Rashad Phillips: "I just want to play my game and play
it hard. There are lots of battles out on the floor. I want to go out on
the floor and show that I'm one of the best guards in the country. My
long-distance shooting will be my trump card, I can hit jumpers with
people guarding me, and I can create good scoring opportunities for my
teammates too."

Michigan State's Charlie Bell: "I came here to play hard, just go out
and give it all I've got and make my team better. I've eliminated a lot
of the distractions that could surface here by signing with an agent
before the camp begins. It's taken any of the extra pressure off me, now
I can just go out on the floor and show people what I can do. This is my
chance to show what I am all about, versus what I've done for the past
four years playing as part of a team."

Denver Nuggets assistant coach John Lucas: "We don't often have this
kind of opportunity to evaluate potential NBA players. This camp allows
us to come here and see the available talent and form our own opinions
about the players. We get to watch them in this environment and watch
them play against similar talent and see just what they can do. I get to
see who can shoot the ball, who can handle it, it's not just about
getting points, it's about who can play at the next level."

... and notes
Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich and Portland Trail Blazer coach
Mike Dunleavy joined other head coaches in attendance. Jerry West, who
previously ran the Lakers' contingence, stopped by. TCU's Billy Tubbs
entertained many people with his tales over dinner.

Thursday will include morning practices and an early afternoon
shoot-around before the evening's doubleheader.