Portsmouth Invitational Day 3: Semifinals
The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament hit Day 3 of 4 on Friday with an early consolation game and the tournament semifinals. K&D Round’s Landscaping and Roger Brown’s Restaurant won the day’s semifinals and will meet in the Championship game Saturday night.
In the first game, Sales Systems, Ltd. outlasted Portsmouth Sports Club, 89:85.
Sales Systems, Ltd. – Portsmouth Sports Club, 89:85
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Before the first semifinal was held, a representative from a European club, who asked to remain nameless, remarked that this year’s PIT had been very beneficial to them. Not wanting to name any particular names, he did say that there were a few guys that they felt strongly about.
The first semifinal pitted K & D Round’s Landscaping and Portsmouth Partnership. K & D’s roster, includes big men Brandon Davies, a WCC First Team pick from BYU, and Mouphtaou Yarou, a 6’10” Center from Benin, Africa, who plays at Villanova. While Portsmouth Partnership includes Stan Okoye, the Big South Player of the Year from VMI, and Jake Cohen, the Southern Conference Player of the Year from Davidson.
K & D’s outlasted a hard fight by Portsmouth Partnership that came down to the last seconds of the contest. K & D’s will face Roger Brown’s in the championship on Saturday night.
At halftime of each semifinal game on Friday the Sun Wheelers wheelchair basketball team from the Portsmouth area held a scrimmage.
Semi-Final Game 1
K & D Round’s Landscaping – Portsmouth Partnership, 82:79
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The second semifinal featured Roger Brown’s Restaurant, anchored by Wichita State’s Carl Hall and Siena’s O.D. Anosike, who lead the NCAA in rebounds this season. On the other side of the court was Chery Bekaert, featuring Indiana’s Jordan Hulls and Oregon’s E.J. Singler, a Pac-12 First Team Selection.
As Hull took to the floor, a large group of fans with Indiana red on were seen taking pictures and video as he warmed up. Every touch he had during the game drew a visible response and every basket or assist he got had the contingent on their feet. After the contest they were asked if they, assumed to be family, traveled the country with the team. Turns out they weren’t family, they were a group of die-hard Indiana fans from the area that showed up at the PIT to show their support for Indiana basketball and Hull personally. He graciously took pictures with them all as a group and individually, and signed numerous items for them. As the walked off the court, one of the dads was heard saying, “what a nice kid”.
While most of the players at the PIT have gone out of their way to accommodate the kids asking for programs and shirts to be signed, one NBA scout made a comment that “some of these kids need to check their attitudes at the door…”
Wichita State’s Carl Hall takes time out after the last game of the night to sign autographs and take pictures with the kids in attendance at the 2013 PIT.
Roger Brown’s held off a fast closing Cherry Bekaert squad that came from 14 down to fall a point short of the Saturday Championship game.
Semi-Final Game 2
Roger Brown’s Restaurant – Cherry Bekaert, 68:67
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And just how do you go about cleaning up a set of bleachers full of programs and bottles, a power blower of course. Churchland High School maintenance specialist Martin Terrell got the idea one day after cleaning leaves out of his driveway. “It works there, why not in the bleachers?”