Clark’s Gaines pours in 20 to pace U.S. squad

Steve Carp

Monday, March 29, 1999 | 9:48 a.m.

TAMPA, Fla. -- It took Kevin Gaines a long time to be part of Sunday's fifth annual Hoop Summit. But once the Clark High star stepped on the floor, he virtually never left.

Good thing, too. Because the USA Junior Select team needed Gaines' 20 points to defeat the World All-Stars 107-95 at the University of Tampa.

The 6-foot-3 senior, who was recently named a Parade Magazine All-America and is headed for Michigan, said he wasn't worried that it took more than eight minutes for coach Ron Carling to summon him to the floor. He just wanted to make sure he gave Carling a reason to leave him out there.

"I knew I'd get in," he said. "I was just concentrating on playing my game."

And Gaines' game is scoring, rebounding and hustling. In addition to his 20 points, second to Casey Jacobsen's 31, Gaines had seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. He also had four turnovers in his 29-minute stint, which isn't bad considering how out of control these all-star games tend to be.

"I thought I played OK," he said. "I probably could've done better. But it was a lot of fun. I played with some of these guys last summer and to be back with them in a game like this was special."

Gaines came in with 11:42 to play in the first half and the USA trailing 26-16. His attacking style spurred the Americans and they took a 49-47 lead with 2:45 to go in the half.

He had 10 at halftime in a 51-51 game. And because he was playing so well, Carling started him in the second half. He came out momentarily six minutes into the half, then returned for good, hitting a shot-clock-beating long 3-pointer with 2:45 to go for his highlight-reel moment. It brought the crowd of 3,432 at the Martinez Sports Center to their feet.

"I like playing in front of a big crowd," he said.

Gaines will play in two more all-star games before he has to start getting serious about his collegiate future. In two weeks, he'll play in the Capital Classic in Washington, D.C. Later in April, he's in an all-star game at UCLA.