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Donaldson Leads East Hoops Victory

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By JEFF BERLINICKE

Tribune correspondent

Published: March 14, 2009

Updated: 03/14/2009 12:23 am

TAMPA - It was not a night for basketball purists.

Jefferson High School hosted the annual All-Star High School Basketball Classic on Friday to benefit the United Negro College Fund and passing and defense were all but forgotten. The teams, made up of seniors throughout Hillsborough County, were divided into East and West teams and no shot clock was necessary. With a running clock, the teams, in both the boys and girls game, raced up and down the court, trying shots that would have put them on the bench in any game that counted.

The large crowd had fun and so did the players. Andrew Donaldson, of King High, was named Most Valuable Player as his East team won, 70-53, in the nightcap and he put it into perspective.

"We all wanted to win, but we all also wanted to have a good time and we did," said Donaldson, who led the East with 21 points. "It is what it is. We came out to have a fun time and winning is the most fun you can have."

The East had only eight players and four scored in double digits. After Donaldson, Eric Diggs (King) had 13, Dexter Barge (Durant) scored 12 and Jaquan Holliday (Riverview) added 10. The East jumped out to a 35-30 halftime lead and used its dominant height advantage to control the boards and the inside during the second half. The West cut it to 39-37 early in the half before the East scored 13 straight points to put the result beyond doubt.

In the girls game, Chamberlain senior Arrena Houston hit a 3-point shot at the buzzer to lead the West past the East, 47-44. Houston was named the game's Most Valuable Player and said that, with the buzzer running down, she wanted the ball.

"That was my shot and I wanted to take it," Houston said. "I didn't want anyone else to take it. I was confident and I always want the ball at clutch time."

Both teams traded the lead until the West had the ball with seconds remaining and Houston drained her jumper from the top of the key.

The evening also featured a slam dunk contest that consisted of a lot of misses, but Charles Murphy (Newsome) thrilled the crowd after leaping over a seated teammate with a tomahawk slam. Matt Goldman (Jesuit) won the 3-point contest. On the girls side, Morgan Penick (East Bay) won the 3-point competition.

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