Georgetown recruit shines in regional game

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A year ago, it was future Georgetown point guard Matt Causey who dazzled the Jordan Capital Classic crowd with his fancy passes and expert dribbling, garnering MVP honors in the regional game.

Last night it was future Hoya Jeff Green who drew the loudest cheers from the regional game crowd at Comcast Center. Green finished with 19 points, five rebounds and four assists but Saint Joseph's-bound Abdulai Jalloh took MVP honors for his play with the White team in its 121-96 victory over the Red team.

Green, a 6-foot-8 forward from Northwestern High School, wowed the crowd with several thunderous dunks. There was a sequence in the first half when Green threw down an alley-oop that actually was intended for another teammate on a three-on-one. He then raced to the other end of the court to foul future Maryland Terrapin James Gist on a dunk attempt.

"I like it when the crowd gets into it," Green said. "I wanted to get some dunks and give the fans what they wanted."

Green and his future teammate at Georgetown, 7-foot-2 center Roy Hibbert from Georgetown Prep, fielded more questions about the Hoyas' search for a coach than for their performances in the game.

Both players said they had committed to the program, not the coach, and would honor their commitments.

"I don't have any idea," Hibbert said. "I'm just waiting to find out like everyone else. I talked to Coach [Chuck] Driesell and Coach [Jaren] Jackson [assistants at Georgetown under Craig Esherick] and a lot of the players. There's been a few names thrown out."

Green needs a qualifying score on the Standard Achievement Test to be eligible on the Hilltop next season. Hibbert said he will concentrate on adding muscle to his 270-pound frame to compete against Big East competition.

Gist scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Red team. Jared Gaither also will also attend Maryland next fall, but the 6-foot-9, 300-pounder will play for Ralph Friedgen and the football team, not Gary Williams on the basketball court.

"[The Maryland football coaching staff] was OK with it," Gaither said. "They just wanted me to get it over with. They said, 'Have fun in the game, get it over with and get focused on football.'"

Virginia-bound Tunji Sorye scored four points, added six rebounds and four blocked shots.

An announced crowd of 9,275, which included a large group of celebrities, was at Comcast to see some of the nation's top high school stars, highlighted by the potential No.1 pick in this summer's NBA Draft, Dwight Howard, who played in the late national game. Howard was named MVP of the national game, finishing with 18 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks as his Black team defeated the White 107-96.

Notes -- The list of celebrities included Michael Jordan, whose brand of apparel sponsors the Classic; last year's co-MVP, LeBron James; NFL stars Terrell Owens and Marvin Harrison; legendary Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach; and hip-hop artist Kanye West. Many Classic alums -- including Wake Forest's Justin Gray and Chris Paul, Georgia Tech's Jarrett Jack, former Maryland star Keith Booth and nearly the entire current Terrapins team also were in attendance.

Missing was Sebastian Telfair, a prep star from Brooklyn who has been on the cover of national magazines and had his high school games televised nationally. He was scheduled to play in the game but withdrew. Telfair could be the first point guard to skip college and go straight to the NBA.