AL Challenge Memorial Day Classic Report

Ivan McDowell, Southeast/Mid-South Editor

May 29, 2007 – The Alabama Challenge has made it to the final eight round of Nike’s Memorial Day Classic, going 4-0 in pool play. Their success was partly due to the interior exploits of 6’8 forward JaMychal Green, who along the way dropped 19 points on the Illinois Warriors in an easy win. The 16-year old, was a beast all weekend, listing as one of the best big men at the tourney. JaMychal was a force around the basket in the Challenge’s next game against The Family, who was not as strong as last year, scoring 18 points in that contest and getting help on the perimeter from Andrew Steele, who tallied 22. Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kansas and Kentucky are all on Steele’s recruiting list.

Green also scored 18 versus the St. Louis Eagles, using his superior size and strength down low to overwhelm foes. JaMychal led the Challenge with 22 in their final win of the day over Team Florida. When he is aggressive, JaMychal is difficult to handle in the lane.

JaMychal Green is rounding into one of the best frontcourt players in the South.

Georgia Tech, Auburn, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Marquette have all inquired about this dynamite young post player. His recent dominance has also garnered the attention of Roy Williams and North Carolina, whom Green says recently jumped in on him.

His teammate Steele uses his strength and quicks to get into the lane and has a knack for finding a way to put the ball in the hole. He didn’t shoot the jumper that much, but didn’t have to either. Drew averaged 13 points per game in the Challenge’s first four games, while also using dribble penetration to find Nick Williams on the wing or Green inside.

Williams, a Marquette commit, played well also. Despite struggling in the early games with his jumper, Nick played to his strengths with his energy and scored on a number of follows and chippies.

Nick did have had his jumper working against Team Florida, making three J’s from deep, while continuing to take the ball strong to the hole on his way to 18 points in a blowout victory. Despite his early commitment to the Golden Eagles, Williams is still listening to overtures from Florida State, Ole Miss, Miss State, Oklahoma, Cincinnati, Florida, Alabama and Auburn. Stay tuned!

Malcolm Armstead was part of a backcourt two-headed dragon.

When Andrew Steele wasn’t breaking defenses down, 6’1 Malcolm Armstead did for the Challenge. He looked a little heavy (he had on a t-shirt and extra shorts under his jersey) but consistently got by his man on dribble penetration. Armstead didn’t look to shoot the jumper as much, but like Steele he worked with his supporting cast.

I first saw Armstead at last summer at the Nike Peach Jam where he displayed a crafty left-handed dribble, but showed little willingness to go right in a match up versus Boo Williams.

At the MDC, Malcolm showed the propensity to get in the lane with either hand, especially against the St. Louis Eagles. Armstead added 8 points to go with 4 assists in that tight 69-66 win. Malcolm currently likes South Carolina, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Memphis, Georgia and Murray State. He currently has no leader.