With dozens of pro basketball scouts watching, some of the nation’s better college players whose eligibility recently expired competed Wednesday on the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament’s first night at Churchland High.
Jani-King beat Portsmouth Sports Club 85-79 as Cleveland State’s Tristan Enaruna scored 25 points for the victors. Mississippi State’s Tolu Smith III had 18 points, while UNLV’s Keylan Boone added 10.
Virginia Tech’s Hunter Cattoor, the 2022 ACC Tournament MVP, had nine points, five rebounds and three assists for Jani-King, which led 70-51 after three quarters and advanced to a semifinal at 7 Friday night against Mike Duman Auto Sales.
For Portsmouth Sports Club, Joel Soriano of St. John’s had 28 points and 12 rebounds, while Alabama’s Aaron Estrada and Villanova’s Tyler Burton, a former Richmond Spiders star, added 13 apiece.
Mike Duman Auto Sales 93, Norfolk Sports Club 86: Six of Duman’s eight players scored in double figures, led by Florida’s Tyrese Samuel and Nevada’s Jarod Lucas with 19 points apiece. Samuel made 8 of 11 shots.
Illinois’ Quincy Guerrier added nine points and 11 rebounds for Duman, and Eastern Kentucky’s Isaiah Cozart had 11 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
For Norfolk Sports Club, which led 39-36 at halftime, Xavier’s Quincy Olivari had 20 points and eight rebounds, and Washington State’s Isaac Jones had 20 points and seven rebounds.
Thursday’s schedule
Portsmouth Sports Club will face Norfolk Sports Club in a consolation game at 3:15 p.m.
Four teams will make their first appearance Thursday. Sales Systems, Ltd., will face Portsmouth Partnership at 7 p.m., followed by Roger Brown’s Restaurant against K&D Round’s Landscape Services at 9.
Among the players scheduled for Thursday night: former Virginia Tech player Tyrece Radford for Sales Systems; North Carolina State’s DJ Horne for Portsmouth Partnership; former George Mason player Josh Oduro of Providence for Roger Brown’s; and James Madison’s T.J. Bickerstaff for K&D Round’s.
