Nation’s No. 1 guard shooting for 2nd title

Spencer Patterson

Monday, July 17, 2000 | 10:27 a.m.

Years from now, when his days as a basketball recruit are far behind him, Kelvin Torbert will probably still have a warm place in his heart for Las Vegas' adidas Big Time Tournament.

After all, it's the 312-team event that catapulted the player many consider the top guard in the class of 2001 into the national spotlight.

Three years ago, as a sophomore on the 1998 Michigan Mustangs, Torbert helped his squad capture the Big Time title, earning a spot on the all-tournament team.

"It's what propelled him to that high level," Michigan Mustangs coach Chris Grier said. "It was his first major national exposure."

Last year, the standout from Flint's Northwestern High returned for his second Big Time go-round with the Mustangs, this time as one of the clear-cut stars of the team. Michigan advanced to the semifinals, losing to the eventual champion New Orleans Jazz.

Now a senior-to-be, Torbert is back once again. And not only are he and his Michigan teammates among the favorites to walk away with the title, Torbert is one of the elite recruits in this year's senior class.

"He's the best player in this tournament, and the best guard in the country," said All-Star Scouting Service's Bob Gibbons. Torbert was ranked No. 5 in the nation on Gibbons' pre-summer list of prospects, and the scouting guru said Torbert is likely to move into the top three after this tournament.

A solidly built athlete with deadly shooting range and an explosive first step, the 6-4 Torbert helped his stock rise again on Sunday, scoring 27 points to lead the Mustangs to a 90-87 win over a strong Belmont Shores (Calif.) squad.

He has narrowed his list of prospective colleges to six schools: Michigan State, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Duke, North Carolina and Michigan, with the Spartans rumored to be the favorite.

"He's always been a tremendous athlete, he's always been a beast physically and he always works on his fundamentals," Grier said. "He's tough on himself, but he's realistic about basketball. He knows even Michael Jordan made mistakes out there."

For Torbert, though, being evaluated by college coaches is just part of the Big Time experience. He's also here to represent his home state and to take home another title.

"We've got a real competitive team; we've all got that winning tradition," Torbert said. "I'm a senior, and being here for the third time they expect me to lead them. I know what it takes to win here."