Bishop Gorman basketball gains victory, experience at Oregon event

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

With four elite Division I prospects on its roster, you can easily argue the Bishop Gorman High basketball team is one of the nation’s most talented.

That talent, however, is very inexperienced.

That is something the Gaels are trying to correct during the holiday break, competing in a pair of top-notch tournaments in an attempt to prepare for the rigors of league play when they return to local competition next week.

Gorman on Monday had its way against Hillboro High of Oregon in a 95-50 victory in the first game of the 16-team Les Schwab Invitational in Portland, Ore.

But it was a different story last week.

Gorman went 2-2 in the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., dropping both games despite having fourth-quarter leads. They fell 59-51 to Riverside High of Reserve, La., and 72-63 to Dwyer High of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Gorman coach Grant Rice said the defeats are nothing to hang their heads about. The tournament is widely considered one of the most competitive of the holiday season, and the setbacks came to the defending Louisiana and Florida state champions.

“I felt like we could have played better,” Rice said. “But we had leads in both games and it came down to one or two possessions at the end of the game. We just didn’t get it done.”

Shabazz Muhammad, the third-overall recruiting prospect by Rival.com for the class of 2011, led Gorman Monday with 26 points and nine rebounds. Muhammad is the lone Gorman player to receive significant minutes last winter, when the Gaels' senior-loaded roster won its second straight state championship.

“For as talented as we are, we are still inexperienced,” Rice said.

Ryan Parks had 12 points Monday, Ben Carter had 10 points and seven rebounds, and Rosco Allen added eight points and eight rebounds. With a comfortable lead, Rice was able to rest his starters for most of the second half.

Gorman returned from Florida Thursday, took Friday and Saturday off for the Christmas holiday, and left Sunday for Oregon. The Gaels (6-2) practiced for one hour Monday before arguably their most impressive performance of the season in dominating Hillsboro.

Gorman on Tuesday will play Central Catholic of Portland, a team with two Division I signees.

“When it comes down to it, the schedule we are playing is to get us ready (for local) play,” Rice said.