Action from the Parkview Basketball Tip-Off Classic

Mill Creek 55, Riverdale 50

LILBURN, GA -- Two games into the high school season parity found a way to creep into the picture. Mill Creek knocked off Riverdale, a top team in 4A, in the second round of the Parkview Basketball Tip-Off Classic in an exciting 55-50 win.

Spencer Gay, an unsigned 6-foot-5 senior, earned the respect of the number of high school coaches in the crowd. Gay was Mill Creek’s top player in the game, scoring 16 points, grabbing four rebounds and collecting a pair of blocks and assists.

Gay had help from Jermaine Jackson, who scored 17 points. The strong bodied senior guard was the spark in the second half on both sides of the ball.

Chris Barnes, a Georgia signee, was a non-factor in the first half and missed out on a couple of key offensive rebounds late in the game. The 6-foot-8 forward finished with a quiet 11 points, four blocks and three rebounds.

Turnovers plagued the game from start to finish as both teams struggled to protect the ball and execute crisp passing.

Mill Creek will play Southwest Atlanta Christian on Tuesday for the championship while Riverdale will play the tournament host Parkview.

GEORGIAHOOPS Player of the Game: Spencer Gay, Mill Creek

Southwest Atlanta Christian 60, Parkview 51

For the first time in a long time, Southwest Atlanta Christian does not have a McDonald’s All-American leading the way for Courtney Brooks. So what do the Warriors do in the first year post-Crittenton/Howard? They put the ball into the hands of the most experienced player – Jahaziel Howard.

Dwight’s little brother is carving out his own niche and looking like a solid Division I player in his own right. The 6-foot-5 versatile wing scored 19 points to lead SACA to a 60-51 win over Parkview.

Howard did a little bit of everything, mostly in the first half as he scored 14 points in the first 16 minutes. The Warriors relied on the dynamic rebounding of 6-foot-7 junior Joel Lamb, who collected 10 boards, and the quick strike scoring of 6-foot-3 junior guard Dorian Smith, who added 11 key points in the second half.

Yaw Gyawu helped lead the late fourth quarter Parkview surge, scoring 11 of his 23 points in the second half. The 6-foot-3 guard’s efforts proved to be a little late in the game for the Panthers.

GEORGIAHOOPS Player of the Game: Jahaziel Howard, Southwest Atlanta Christian

Other news and notes from the tournament:

Tanner Smith had a huge game in Wesleyan’s blow out win over St. Pius. The top 10 junior in the state dropped in 31 points in the victory and made it look easy. Wesleyan and St. Pius will participate in the Jump Ball Jam Classic at Georgia Tech on Sat., Nov. 25.

Kennesaw State was the only Division I school in attendance for the tournament on Monday night. Assistant coach Evan Black is one of the rising recruiters in the state. FYI, the Owls play host to Atlantic 10 power George Washington on Tuesday night at the Convocation Center.