Columnist Spencer Patterson: Las Vegas basketball event full of stars

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, April 19, 2001 | 10:20 a.m.

Spencer Patterson covers high school sports for the Las Vegas Sun. He can be reached at 259-4085 or at spencer@lasvegassun.com.

When Chad Groth originally hatched his plan for this week's Las Vegas Boys Basketball Invitational, his idea was simple: Bring together Southern Nevada's top young players and fill the stands with college coaches.

"The goal I had was to give the kids in Las Vegas more exposure," said Groth, a former scout for the Harlem Globetrotters. "I see the hidden talent here, but the only times people see them are at the Big Time and Holiday Prep Classic. This is another opportunity for them to get seen."

A quick glance at the rosters for the three-day event confirms that Groth indeed secured the best the area has to offer. Among the local players slated to participate are all four local members of the Sun's all-state first team -- Bishop Gorman's Jason Carter and C.J. Watson, Valley's Sam Jackson and Western's Tim Day -- along with numerous all-conference and all-division selections.

At the same time, the tournament -- which begins tonight at UNLV's South Gym and continues Friday and Saturday at Valley High School -- will feature several highly rated out-of-towners, including Californians Michael Strawberry, Tony Key and D'Angelo Collins, as well as Arizona's Maurier Indui.

Groth has also secured commitments from several top colleges, including Pac-10 powers Arizona and UCLA. He said new UNLV coach Charlie Spoonhour also plans to attend, and has shown interest in working closely with area high school coaches to make sure Southern Nevada's top players remain in town.

Ten teams, each featuring area and out-of-state athletes, will compete in the three-day event. Coaches include former UNLV star Anderson Hunt, former NBA player Mike Brown and current Harlem Globetrotter Jamal Livingston.

Other local players scheduled to participate: Durango's Martrel Johnson, Foothill's Harvey Perry Jr., Bishop Gorman's Justin Burns, Dinard Taylor and Mark Hill, Western's Brandon Weaver and Wendell West and Cheyenne's Keith Richardson.

Cansdale, a 5-8 shooting guard, chose Mississippi. Nevada's 2001 Gatorade Player of the Year, she averaged 22 points, eight rebounds and five steals as a senior.

Hitchens, a 5-10 forward, selected Texas-Pan American. The three-year varsity starter led the Skyhawks in scoring last season, averaging 15.5 points to go with seven rebounds and 2.4 steals per-game.

Also this week, two of Southern Nevada's girls track stars made their college decisions. Cheyenne's Shameka Davis, a former state champion who has posted the area's top times in the 100, 200 and 400 meters this season, will attend Nebraska. Mojave's Tricia Floyd, another top sprinter and a key member of last year's Rattlers' state championship team, signed with Notre Dame.