It's time to find out if Gerry McNamara is healthy again.

McNamara's Syracuse University career ended with him watching the last five minutes of the Orange's 66-58 loss to Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA Tournament from the bench due to an injured groin.

As a result, McNamara, who hasn't played since that March 16 loss, will spend this week in Sacramento, Calif., working out with Guss Armstead, a trainer who works with agent Bill Neff's clients.

Busy New Orleans agrees to deal with guard Jackson

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The New Orleans Hornets agreed to terms Sunday with free-agent guard Bobby Jackson, adding another veteran presence to an improving team. Jackson's agent, Andy Miller, said Jackson had agreed to a multiyear deal with the Hornets but wouldn't disclose the terms. read article

Battle for NorCal supremacy ends in tie.........Lee Hubbard

Piedmont's Chazny Morris dominated the senior girls game with 18 points

Capital Christian High School was the site of the inaugural Sac vs. Bay showdown featuring Northern California's finest girls and boys basketball players in four games that pitted each region's underclassmen and graduating seniors against the other to answer the question once and for all, "which area produces the best players." The answer would have to wait at least until next year's game as the areas settled for a stalemate, winning two games apiece.

First, the event was first class as the participants were treated to a banquet dinner the night before, hotel rooms, customized uniforms and shoes. The Showcase also honored the legacies of former Berkeley High great Gene Ransom and Franklin High of Sacramento's Ernest Lee.

"I am honored to be at this event," said Ransom. "This is an excellent event and a great way to be remembered and events like this will help the youth of today."

Most of the top players from both regions were on hand to play in the game including Decensae White, who flew back from Texas Tech just to take part in the game. The more than 2,000 fans were entertained to live DJ music in between time-outs and breaks, the Warriors Team Thunder acrobatic stunts, and a day and nighttime of hoops that made this a very memorable event and the best all-star game Northern California has seen. Here is a breakdown of each game:

Sac underclass girls 84, Bay underclass girls 78

The Bay Area underclass girls came in with most of the big name players. Jazzmine Jackson (Sacred Heart Cathedral), Alexendria Mitchell (Berkeley High), Casey Morris (Piedmont) and Danielle Robinson (Mitty) were not able to get the job done against the Sacramento girls.

After leading for most of the game, the Bay area girls could not withstand the three point assault of Carly Woods (Bella Vista), who made five 3-pointers. She led the Sacramento all-stars with 20 points, while Christin Gowan (East Union) finished with 13 points and Jessica De La Cruz (Galt) added 8.

The Bay Area girls were led by Katie Batlin (Miramonte High) who finished with 15 points. Erica Helms (Deer Valley) contributed 11 points and Jackson finished with 8. One of the Bay area's best sharpshooters, Brittney Blythe was suited up, but did not play due to an injured wrist.

Bay underclass boys 105, Sac underclass boys 95

After seeing the Bay Area girls lose a game they should have won, the undeclass boys from the Bay were determined not to let this game slip away. They were led by the power dunks of game MVP Wendell Mckines (Richmond High), who finished with 20 points, and the dynamic backcourt play of Jeremy Franklin and Kareem Nitoto (San Leandro) who added 17 points apiece.

The Sacramento boys were led by Elston Turner's (Roseville) 19 points. Dallin Rogers (Union Mine) and Bo Henning (Christian Brothers) each had 12 points and Nate Garth (Capital Christian) contributed 11.

Bay senior girls 80, Sac senior girls 67

Sacramento was headlined by Baylor-bound Jessika Bradley (Sacramento High) but the Bay area's Chazny Morris (Piedmont) dominated the game with 18 points and timely passes to lead her team to a 13-point win.

Morris, who is headed to the University of Missouri-Kansas City, is a steal for the Kangaroos who play in the Mid-Continent Conference. She showed the ability to beat defenders off the dribble, shoot the jumper and make plays in this up-tempo game. When it looked like Sacramento was going to make a run, Morris countered with either a score, pass or defensive stop to curtail the Sacramento charge.

Myleka Emerson (El Cerrito), also UMKC-bound and Washington State-bound Kenyana Martin (Hercules) aided Morris in the scoring department with 12 and 10 points respectively. The pair of Morris and Emerson should be the starting backcourt for the Kangaroos the first day of practice, as the two compliment each other's games.

The leading scorer for the Sacramento senior girls was San Diego State-bound point guard Quenese Davis (Rio Americano) who finished with 15 points. Jasmine Scott (Valley High) added 14 points while Bradley had 11.

Sac senior boys 87, Bay senior boys 77

The Sacramento seniors were stacked with the most talent not only in Northern California, but arguably two of the best in the entire state. Cal-bound Ryan Anderson (Oak Ridge), Sacramento High's Kevin Galloway (USC), Justin Graham of Ripon (San Jose St.), Tokay's Julius Thomas (Portland State), Zach Graves of Kennedy-Sacramento (Montana) led the cast. Not to be overlooked are Div. I prospects 6-foot-11 Terrence Jennings, lightening quick point Jamelle Barrett and high flying wing Royal Edwards (Capital Christian). The team could have gained an even bigger advantage with Notre Dame-bound Joe Harden (St. Mary's) and Adrian Oliver (Modesto Christian), who is headed to Washington but the two were no-shows.

"We are not going to lose this game," said Eugene Crockett, a huge 6-foot-9 post from Sacramento High, from the edge of his seat at the start of the game.

It did not look like they were, as Sacramento jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the first half behind buckets from Anderson in the paint. The Bay however fought back behind the Ivy League guard play of Harvard-bound Jeremy Lin (Palo Alto)and De La Salle's Lincoln Gunn (Princeton), and the competitiveness of future Santa Barbara guard Justin Joyner (De La Salle), who is one of the preeminent guards at running a team in any kind of setting.

In fact, the Bay area jumped out to an 8-point lead capped by a Brandon Adams (San Ramon Valley) monster jam, before Barrett (Foothill) gave the Sacramento team a spark. The 5-foot-10 guard came into the game and immediately gave the Sac team a lift with a drive to the basket, a pass for an easy bucket and speed to change the tempo of the game.

One of the best plays of the game was a flip from Barrett into a streaking Galloway, for a rim-rattling dunk, which had the Sacramento partisan crowd going crazy. With Galloway and Barrett in the game, Sac took a 3-point lead, 40-37 at half-time.

Following the break, Sacramento began to take control behind the play of 6-foot-10 Anderson and 6-foot-6 all everything Galloway, who willed their team to a big lead. They were aided by the surprising play of Jennings (Capital Christian), who at 6-foot-10 hit jumpers, drove to the basket on one play and scored tough points in the paint.

Even with the big lead, the game was not over as Joyner stepped up huge. On three straight plays, he scored nine points on three 3-pointers to keep the game close. However, Sacramento had too much size in Anderson, Jennings and Crockett and too much Galloway as they won by 10 points.

Anderson was the leading scorer with 22 points in the game, Galloway added 15, while Jennings scored 10. For the Bay Area, Joyner led the team with 16 points, Adams (San Ramon Valley) was next with 10 points and Lin finished with 8.

Summer hoops league tips off...Current and former Kings will make up some of the players....Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of professional summer-league basketball is the unknown.

The Sacramento Professional Developmental League opens tonight at Capital Christian High School and will provide area basketball fans with opportunities to see players at all levels of the game.

Mike Bibby, Ronnie Price, Kevin Martin, Jason Hart and Shareef Abdur-Rahim of the Kings are slated to appear at various times during the league's season, which ends June 30 with an All-Star Game.

Former Kings favorite Bobby Jackson also is on the roster with Price and Martin. However, Jackson will become a free agent June 30, and his participation will be tagged to his need to stay healthy while he is without a contract.

Matt Barnes of the Philadelphia 76ers and Galt's Philip Ricci, who played last season in Spain, also are slated to play. read article

Martin working hard during off season... If Kevin Martin is going to listen to anyone, it might just be his former high school coach.

But even Zanesville High's Scott Aronhalt can't seem to convince the Kings shooting guard to slow down his hoops act during the offseason, no matter how many times he stresses the importance of keeping his frame intact. Aronhalt couldn't keep Martin from competing in his hometown Gus Macker tournament in early June, when Martin competed in two games in the three-on-three event. read article

Serra's Decensae White will lead the Bay Area against the Sacramento squad...Northern California prep basketball has traditionally been synonymous with the San Francisco Bay Area. The Bay Area has produced a plethora of collegiate prospects over the years from Phil Smith and Phil Chenier to Gary Payton, Mark Madsen and Leon Powe. It is an area rich in different styles of basketball, with a long list of players who have gone on to achieve collegiate and professional success. The Sacramento region also has a solid basketball history. The growing region has produced Bill Cartwright, Kevin Johnson, Yogi Stewart, Phil Ricci and Matt Barnes. read article
 

Marty Mac's World: He's just what these basketball players need...The Sacramento Professional Developmental League is many things to many people. Around these parts, it's a summer showcase for the area's best players to play in a controlled setting and be pushed by legitimate competition. It's a proving ground and educational platform for the young and up-and-coming.

And to quite a few players, it's often the nightcap of a day-night doubleheader. You can find quite a few of the same hoopers who play in the evenings at Capital Christian High School in the league playing at Basketball Town under the direction of skills coach Guss Armstead.

Armstead, who also doubles as a pseudo-drill sergeant, has full-court games going alongside each other that last five minutes or the first team to seven. read article

Anderson, Thomas step it up in basketball league ... Two local high school basketball stars are among the chosen few that are lacing them up this week as play begins in the 21st annual Sacramento Professional Developmental League.

Folsom High's Kyle Thomas and Oak Ridge High's Ryan Anderson are two of only a handful of elite high school basketball players that will compete head-to-head with an impressive group of pro and college basketball players in the SPDL.

Notable NBA players expected to participate include Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin, and Ronnie Price (Kings), Bobby Jackson (Grizzlies, free agent), and home-grown Matt Barnes (Sixers, free agent). All but Price competed in the SPDL last summer. Although not listed on any official team's roster, the Kings' Shareef Abdur-Rahim has also expressed interest in playing in a few SPDL games. Other top players from professional leagues in Europe and Asia are sprinkled across the rosters of the four league teams.

Make no mistake that the SPDL is a league composed of many highly-skilled players. Read Article
 

Home Cookin': Art imitates life for hoopster Pugh...Jameel Pugh had a movie part not too long ago and was told to just be himself. Simple enough. He ran. He jumped. He dunked. He grinned. That's pretty much what Pugh has been about since his Grant High School and Sacramento State days, as a 6-foot-5 aerial wizard who won dunk contests near and far, and dazzled with an outrageous athletic ability that was matched only by his personality and good heart. Pugh played himself in a yet-to-be released HBO series about a pro team. It's a project that Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof oversee. Vlade Divac plays the role of a veteran player, and Don Nelson is the coach. And as is the norm with such endeavors, Pugh's not sure if his footage will make it. read article Sac-Bay Showdown to feature regions' best ... Regional rivalries usually make for intense competition, and soon there will be a legitimate yardstick to compare the best high school basketball players from the Sacramento area against those in the Bay Area. ... Former Kings guard Bobby Jackson will be among the featured speakers at the banquet. The Showdown, featuring the top prep players from both regions, actually will be a day-long competition with four games

Phil Ricci - Spain

Each year, 150 of the top high school basketball players troughout the country receive an invitation to the prestigous Reebok ABCD Invitational Basketball Camp, which takes place July 4-9 in New Jersey. In the past, the process of selecting participants was limited, for the most part, to members of shoe company sponsored teams. However, Reebok Grassroots Basketball has now created the Next Factors Spotlight Training Camps, a two-day audition open to all, which is making its way across the country in 12 cities with the goal of identifying unknown talent.

This past weekend, the Next Factors Camp convened at Sacramento High School with over 80 participants from throughout Northern and Central California. Sac High was a logical choice for the event considering the school's best all-time player, Kevin Johnson, a former NBA great with the Phoenix Suns, was an unknown prospect out of high school, who went on to have a great career at Cal and then the NBA.

"This was brought to Sacramento so that the undiscovered basketball player could get discovered," said Chris Rivers, Director of Reebok Grassroots Basketball. "The Sacramento area has always been considered the step-sister to the Bay Area within the basketball community, but it has produced a lot of talented players. I did not want to miss out on the next Ryan Anderson or Kevin Galloway."

One player from among the Next Factors field was selected to participate in the ABCD Camp, while five underclassmen received invites to Camp Next, a mini-version of ABCD, which takes place June 23-25 in New Jersey.

"As many ranking and recruiting services that are now around the country, there are still kids that feel they have been overlooked or feel they have not had their true talent assessed," continued Rivers.

Players were selected based on a combination of skill level and athleticism by a panel of six evaluators, which included high school, junior college and basketball talent evaluators.

"This was a great opportunity for players," said Brian Hamilton, head of Play Hard Play Smart, a Reebok affiliated club team. "Kids can play their way into camps. Whereas in the past, club teams had all of the pull."

Here is a list of the participants who received invitations to ABCD Camp and Camp Next, as well as others who were seriously considered based on their performance.

Invited to ABCD Camp:

Armon Johnson, 6-3 Jr. G, Oakland High - Look up the word "shooting guard" in the dictionary and you will find a picture of Johnson, who has a solid handle and can score from anywhere on the floor. A lefty with a solid stroke, Johnson looked under control at all times, and his play, demeanor and feel for the game were so far ahead of his peers, he was a unanimous pick by the evaluators despite the fact he only participated on Sunday.

Invited to Camp Next:

Armond Armstead, 6-5 So. CF, Pleasant Valley - Armstead's play was consistent the entire weekend. A wide body, who knows how to push his weight around, Armstead was effective in the paint scoring down low. He also has the ability to hit the mid-range jumper and he has a non-stop motor. Armstead has a nose for the ball as he either grabbed the rebound himself or kept the ball in play.

Collin Chiverton, 6-5 So. WF, Mitty - Standing at 6-foot-5, Chiverton is a lanky scoring guard who can shoot the ball from deep. Over the two days, he hit threes, attacked the basket off the dribble and made the game look easy. He was the most impressive underclassman at the event, and a unanimous selection.

Brenton Thomas, 6-3 So. WF, Monte Vista - Thomas is an athletic guard who played like the Energizer Bunny with abandon the entire weekend. He kept playing and playing and playing... On the defensive end, he swarmed on defenders and he is a very good shot-blocker for his size. Offensively, besides a nice pull-up jumper, his skills are somewhat raw and in need of refinement. However, his tremendous athleticism allows him to make plays that others cannot.

Lucas Devenny, 6-7 Fr. Post, Piner High - Devenny is a 6-foot-7 wide body in the mold of a Greg Osterstag. He is a young "big" who knows how to use his body on the court. He was very assertive during the drills and productive in games. Devenny is not a prolific scorer, but he is active, rebounds the ball well and makes his presence felt when he is on the court.

Nate Garth, 6-1 Jr. PG, Capital Christian - Garth is a heady play-maker who has a nice feel for the game. He separated himself from the rest of the field with his solid passing and good decision-making. When he tried to attack the rim, Garth was flustered on occasion, but he was able to regroup to hit several three-point shots from way behind the arc.

Drake Uu, 6-4 So. SG, Rio Americano - A bouncy scoring guard who knocked down open jumpers and whose play was very solid over the weekend.

Players who received serious consideration to ABCD:

Jamelle Barrett, 5-10 Sr. PG, Foothill High/Prep School - Barrett is an exciting guard who makes plays. He has a knack for getting to the basket and drawing the defense to setup easy scores either for himself or his teammates. At times, he looked as if he was playing out of control, but more often than not, Barrett's playmaking ended with a solid result.

Terrence Jennings, 6-11 Sr. Post, Capital Christian/Prep School - Standing at close to 7-foot, Jennings is an athletic freak, who can run as fast as a guard and jump high. He dunked in traffic, blocked shots and made his presence felt. However, his play was inconsistent. At times, he was content to be a 6-foot-11 guard and play on the perimeter. Nevertheless, Jennings is a very good prospect who will be headed to prep school at the end of the summer.

Kareem Nitoto, 6-3 Jr. CG, San Leandro High - Nitoto is a scoring athletic combo guard who is very good at taking defenders off the dribble and getting to the rim. He also attacks the gaps to make plays and a tough hardnosed defender, who is very good at using his body to get physical with opponents. He was probably the second best junior guard at the camp besides Johnson, who was selected to go to ABCD camp.

Players who received serious consideration to Camp Next:

Gabe Strong, 6-4 So. WF, Oakland Tech - An athletic wing, Strong is bouncy and he plays above the rim. He is also a very strong rebounder on both ends of the court. On the offensive end, he struggled with his jump shot and his ability to create. Nevertheless, he was one of the top underclassmen at the camp.

John Williams, 6-6 So. WF, Berkeley High - Williams has the ability to play point forward in the open court, similar to Lamar Odom. Displaying his versatility, he also slid down to the block on occasion to rebound and score in the post. A very good-looking prospect who played well over the weekend.

Jarrett Cunningham, 6-2 Fr. CG San Leandro High - Cunningham is a very good-looking prospect who can play either guard position. Playing on the same team as Armani Johnson, he tended to defer on the offensive end, but when he did take initiative, he drove to the basket, made plays and impressed the evaluators with his play.

Others Players of Note:

Alim Moore Jr., 6-1 Fr. PG, St. Mary's (Berkeley) - Moore is a rangy guard who is a very good ballhandler. He got to the basket, made nice pinpoint passes to teammates for easy scores and he played with composure, in a camp setting typically not conducive to unselfish play.

Chris Webber, 5-10 So. PG, Leigh - Webber is a pass first guard, who uses his ability as a passer to help others get easy shots. He drew praise for his play from the various coaches at the camp.

Edric Egberuare, 6-2 So. SG, Prospect - Egerberuare is a very good-looking guard who can shoot the jumper or use his athleticism to stretch out and get to the basket. He plays with a motor and makes plays.

Kelly Kaigler, 6-2 So. SG, Oak Grove - An athletic and rangy guard, who drove to the basket with passion. Kaigler plays hard and it showed as he competed whenever he stepped out on the court.

Ian Salter, 6-8 So. Post, Marin Catholic - Salter was an active big man, who played hard and put the ball in play every time he touched it. With some Kurt Rambis in him, Salter is tough, plays non-stop and while you wonder what he is doing at times, it usually turns into something productive. Talk about it in: NorCal Scouting Report

Tigers Sign Jake Kelly for 2006-07 ... The women's basketball team picked up the California's top three point shooter for the second straight season ... Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific women's basketball program and Head Coach Lynne Roberts has announced the signing of Jacqueline "Jake" Kelly (Fair Oaks, Calif.) for the 2006-07 season. Kelly becomes the fourth player signed by the Tigers for next season joining Courtney Bunz (Lincoln, Calif.), Emma Head (San Diego, Calif.) and Daniela Nopuente (Daly City, Calif.).

All-state basketball teams...Jake Kelly of Sacramento Waldorf was named the girls State Division V Player of the Year.

Oak Ridge's Anderson raises confidence, game...The Bee's All-Metro boys basketball team....Ryan Anderson's reasoning for having one of the best seasons in California is simple...."I just had a lot of confidence in myself," he said. "That's the biggest thing - confidence."...The Oak Ridge High School senior built the self-esteem in his game after a grueling summer....The work paid off with a season unmatched by any local stars as Anderson was named The Bee's 2005-06 Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

They don't get much newer than the one she has navigated this season as the only senior on the Cal women's basketball team.