Local high school juniors steal this year’s Big Time spotlight

Spencer Patterson

Wednesday, July 14, 1999 | 9:45 a.m.

A year ago, the annual adidas Big Time Basketball Tournament turned into a coming out party for one of the top local senior classes Las Vegas has seen in years.

Though Clark's Kevin Gaines and Cheyenne's Demetrius Hunter were drawing rave reviews long before the event began, area classmates Marcus Banks, Jason Burns and James Bayless opened the eyes of more than a few college recruiters during the five-day tournament.

All five of those 1999 graduates went on to sign Division I college scholarships, and several others are slated to join them in the college ranks this fall at two-year junior colleges.

Now, as the college basketball world descends upon Las Vegas for this year's Big Time Tournament, the stage would seem to be set for another local explosion.

The only problem is, it's hard to find a legitimate Division I prospect among this year's senior class.

"A lot of coaches have been calling and asking who to recruit from Las Vegas while they're here, and I couldn't give them a name of a senior," Durango coach Al LaRocque said.

Added Bishop Gorman coach Jeff Wagonseller: "We do have a little bit of a lapse this year, but I'm just hoping some of the seniors are going to surprise people."

Whether that happens remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: The local seniors should get their chance to impress, thanks to a crop of area juniors that will likely have college coaches turning out in droves.

Although they're still a year away from making any college decisions, 2001 graduates such as Durango's Chey Christie and Gorman's Jason Carter are already attracting significant attention from recruiters.

Christie, a 6-4 shooting guard, moved to town last year and had an immediate impact for the Trailblazers, helping Durango reach the 4A state semifinals. His brother, Tony, is a 1999 graduate of Clemson, where he starred for the Tigers' basketball team.

Last month at the Nike Jamboree, an all-star camp in San Diego for incoming sophomores and juniors, Christie garnered a spot among recruiting web site Pac West Hoops' top 10 junior shooting guards.

"He can be as good as he wants to be," said LaRocque, who estimated he's already fielded "hundreds" of phone calls from colleges interested in Christie.

Carter, a 6-8 center, also came to Las Vegas from out of state last year and made a big impression, establishing himself as the top returning big man in the state. Already a force in the low post, Carter has spent the summer working on his strength and his outside shot, much to Wagonseller's delight.

"He's been to several camps this summer and he's much stronger," Wagonseller said. "People forget he's still only 15. Everybody's expecting him to walk in and be a college-type player."

Another junior with local ties expected to make an impact this week is Justin Burns, the brother of 1999 Durango graduate Jason Burns. After spending his freshman year at Durango, the younger Burns played in Mississippi last year but is considering coming back to town this fall.

Justin Burns is listed on pre-tournament rosters for both Durango and Gorman, although LaRocque said he expects the 6-7 forward to suit up in Trailblazer purple and gold this week.

Either way, there's a good chance Burns won't attend any area high school this year. With his brother heading to Georgetown in the fall, Justin may land at Maryland prep school Montrose Christian Academy, located just outside of Washington D.C.

Also hoping to attract recruiters are Gorman juniors Paul Bania, a 6-6 forward Wagonseller terms a "diamond in the rough," and Dinard Taylor, a 5-8 point guard who will try to overcome concerns about his height this week.

As for the seniors, it's anyone's guess who might emerge as this year's Marcus Banks -- a player who went from relative unknown to hot commodity with a strong Big Time performance.

But when all is said and done, whoever it is may ultimately owe a debt of gratitude to the area's bumper crop of junior standouts.