It was the last time that Stanley Johnson would get to play in his favorite high school basketball showcase in front of his hometown crowd.
And he definitely stole the show.
The 19th annual Nike Extravaganza tournament hosted by Mater Dei high school draws the cream-of-the-crop when it comes to high school basketball teams, and for the 19th time, that was again the case.
Aside from Mater Dei, three powerhouse out-of-state teams descended upon Meruelo Athletics Center on the Mater Dei campus, including Las Vegas Bishop Gorman – led by a pair of highly-regarded juniors in 7-foot Stephen Zimmerman and 6-foot-9 Chase Jeter.
DeMatha Catholic of Maryland also ventured west for a Saturday matchup with Los Angeles Westchester and Chicago Whitney Young, led by 6-foot-10 Duke-commit Jahlil Okafor and 6-foot-9 Georgetown-commit Paul White were in the house for the most anticipated game of the weekend on Saturday against Mater Dei.
The games kicked off Friday with the marquee matchup between Mater Dei and Sun Valley Village Christian, led by 6-foot-8 sharpshooting forward Bennie Boatwright.
Johnson led top-ranked Mater Dei past Village Christian, 79-60, scoring 34 points to help keep the Monarchs undefeated on the season.
Monarchs’ sophomore center MJ Cage added 18 points for Mater Dei, while junior guard Rex Pflueger finished with 17 points.
Mater Dei would take the floor again on Saturday night against Okafor and Whitney Young.
The game was scheduled for an 8:45 p.m. tip-off, but many newspaper deadlines were broken due to the 10:10 start of the final game of the showcase.
Despite the late start, the product displayed on the hardwood didn’t disappoint.
Johnson was hitting step-back 3-pointers and finding teammates, Okafor was showing off his patented post moves and the supporting casts from both teams made their presence felt.
Mater Dei came out on top, however, 69-57, behind 27 points from Johnson and 16 points from Pflueger.
Okafor finished with 17 points for Whitney Young, while point guard Myles Reynolds scored a team-high 21 and White added 11 for the Dolphins.
Johnson said that in his four years at Mater Dei, this year’s Nike Extravaganza had the most talent.
“Every year we bring a good cast (of teams) out and I think this year was one of the best,” he said. “The Nike (Extravaganza) is our showcase and we have to protect our home court.”
Johnson wasn’t the only player who was excited to take part in two-day event, as many players were enamored with the atmosphere and intensity each team brought to the floor:
Riley O’Hern, junior guard, Foothill: “It was fun. It was a great atmosphere and we got to play in front of a bunch of scouts.”
Stephen Zimmerman, junior center, Bishop Gorman: “It was amazing. I love coming out here and playing against all of these great players.”
Chase Jeter, junior forward, Bishop Gorman: “It was a great environment and Mater Dei has great history. It was a great chance for us to show our stuff as a team and as individuals.”
Jordan McLaughlin, senior point guard, Etiwanda: “This is a big stage to play on. This is what players live for and when you get out here you want to play to your full potential and show your abilities.”
Tyler Dorsey, junior guard, St. John Bosco: “This is one of the top (events) every year. We always get a tough matchup and it’s a great event.”
Paul White, senior forward, Whitney Young: “Mater Dei is a very prestigious school when it comes to high school basketball. This game was special to us. I came here my sophomore year and it’s always a good crowd here and they’re very supportive of their home team.”
Rex Pflueger, junior guard, Mater Dei: “It’s an honor just to play in it. But playing in it (as a member) of Mater Dei is just a different experience. I got to see how much effort and work was put into it and it’s really something spectacular.”
In total, 14 games were played between 27 teams, including the Mater Dei girls team which defeated Playa Del Rey St. Bernard, 71-28, on Friday night.
Mater Dei coach Gary McKnight, who has been at the helm of all 19 Nike Extravaganza showcases, said that providing this kind of opportunity is a team effort.
“I think this has evolved into the premier event in Southern California with the crowd the entertainment and the whole atmosphere,” he said. “But we couldn’t do it without all the volunteers. It was very nice and a great atmosphere for the kids.”
Contact the writer: dugland@ocregister.com
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