Everybody was headed to Court #1.
The crowd at the Nike Memorial Day Event in Atlanta wanted to see one of the best young players in the Class of 2018, the son of the great Shaquille O'Neal, a talented 6'8 wing player with a bright future.
What the crowd got was a whole different story.
The Chattanooga Elite Gray came out of the box like a missile crushing the California Supreme, one of the illustrious EYBL programs to the tune of 69-46.
The Choo-Choo crew got out to a 12-0 lead behind some high arching deep shots from Class of 2019 mover Shannon Walker (McCallie) and moved the dial to scorching before the California dudes knew what was up.
Junior Clay (McCallie) was magnificent with his leadership and ball skills keeping the Supreme off balance and making pin point drops for easy benefactors including Jordan Starling (McCallie) and James Gibson (Cleveland), who also impressed with some deep and timely shooting.
Starling played with confidence blocking some dunk attempts and playing big on the glass.
The Elite got off to a rousing start with an easy 60-43 smoking of Team Winston in their pool play opener. They caged the Carolina Raptors in their second contest 69-40 before making short work of the Supreme.
Bracket play would provide another formidable foe in Nike South Beach, yet another EYBL team.
The Elite provided the intense defensive effort that is so sorely lacking in summer basketball and drowned the Jersey boys by the score of 60-49.
Clay and Walker again were fabulous on offense and setting the defensive tempo that continued when guys like Jeremy Elston (Tyner Academy) and Justin Dozier (East Hamilton) entered the game.
Dozier showed his offensive potential in the game against the California Supreme making tough shots to the bucket and raining some deep threes when the Supreme had silly notions of a comeback.
Mac Hunt (McCallie) played important minutes in each and every game knocking down his patented deep stroke when vital buckets were called for and showing a much improved effort on the defensive end and on the glass.
To the Final Four we go and who should be awaiting not only another EYBL group but the state representative, Team Penny, one of the best 15 and under teams in the nation.
The Elite fought hard and despite shooting poorly from the charity stripe fell in a close battle to the powerful Memphis force 60-56.
This was a team effort and a group of young men who proved they belong in the big time summer basketball scene.
