Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Rawle Alkins Drops 26, Wins MVP as Team Rose Wins adidas Nations Championship
Rawle Alkins scored 18 of his 26 points in the second half Monday night as Team Rose beat Team Wall, 113-93, to win the adidas Nations championship in Long Beach, Calif.
The 6-foot-5 Alkins won MVP honors while shooting 9-for-16 from the field and 6-for-8 from beyond the arc in the victory.
“When we play together, we’re all amazing as a group, as a unit,” Alkins told ESPNU . “We were unstoppable.”
Alkins recently named his Top 10 schools and plans a visit to Kentucky for Big Blue Madness in October.
Alkins won three New York Catholic League titles at Christ the King High School, but will attend a prep school for the 2015-16 season, he announced.
“I worry about tomorrow, I don’t worry about future years, I worry about tomorrow,” Alkins said.
Mario Kegler and Kobi Simmons had 19 apiece in the win.
Markelle Fultz led Team Wall with 16 points in the loss, and Payton Prichard added 14.
Dennis Smith Jr. did not play for Team Wall because of a knee injury, but was invited by Alkins into the Team Rose huddle for the celebration.
“This is my man, man, this is family,” Alkins said. “Even though he got hurt last night, I just wanted him to know he’s part of the adidas family.”
“I respect these guys a lot,” Smith Jr. said while on crutches. “For Rawle to pull me over like this, it shows he has a lot of respect and I appreciate it.”
Asked how his knee was holding up, Smith Jr. said, “It’s better, I’ll be back soon.”
FREE THROWS
**As reported by SNY.tv, several players will visit UCLA following the event, including Gary Trent Jr., EJ Montgomery, Trevon Duval, DJ Harvey and Jaedon LeDee.
**Markelle Fultz, a 6-4 guard out of DeMatha Catholic (MD), will head to Louisville for an official visit beginning Wednesday and will then visit Arizona beginning Aug. 10.
**Many players in the adidas event will also participate in the Big Strick Classic on Saturday in New York, including Edrice “Bam” Adebayo, Mustapha Heron, Trent Jr., Harvey and Duval. Full rosters are here.
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
Rawle Alkins scored 18 of his 26 points in the second half Monday night as Team Rose beat Team Wall, 113-93, to win the adidas Nations championship in Long Beach, Calif.
The 6-foot-5 Alkins won MVP honors while shooting 9-for-16 from the field and 6-for-8 from beyond the arc in the victory.
“When we play together, we’re all amazing as a group, as a unit,” Alkins told ESPNU . “We were unstoppable.”
Alkins recently named his Top 10 schools and plans a visit to Kentucky for Big Blue Madness in October.
Alkins won three New York Catholic League titles at Christ the King High School, but will attend a prep school for the 2015-16 season, he announced.
“I worry about tomorrow, I don’t worry about future years, I worry about tomorrow,” Alkins said.
Mario Kegler and Kobi Simmons had 19 apiece in the win.
Markelle Fultz led Team Wall with 16 points in the loss, and Payton Prichard added 14.
Dennis Smith Jr. did not play for Team Wall because of a knee injury, but was invited by Alkins into the Team Rose huddle for the celebration.
“This is my man, man, this is family,” Alkins said. “Even though he got hurt last night, I just wanted him to know he’s part of the adidas family.”
“I respect these guys a lot,” Smith Jr. said while on crutches. “For Rawle to pull me over like this, it shows he has a lot of respect and I appreciate it.”
Asked how his knee was holding up, Smith Jr. said, “It’s better, I’ll be back soon.”
FREE THROWS
**As reported by SNY.tv, several players will visit UCLA following the event, including Gary Trent Jr., EJ Montgomery, Trevon Duval, DJ Harvey and Jaedon LeDee.
**Markelle Fultz, a 6-4 guard out of DeMatha Catholic (MD), will head to Louisville for an official visit beginning Wednesday and will then visit Arizona beginning Aug. 10.
**Many players in the adidas event will also participate in the Big Strick Classic on Saturday in New York, including Edrice “Bam” Adebayo, Mustapha Heron, Trent Jr., Harvey and Duval. Full rosters are here.
