Demarco Nash helps Lions upset Young

Young stormed back in the second half behind the guard trio of Chris Colvin, Marcus Jordan and Ahmad Starks, but it was too little too late as Demarco Nash led Lincoln Park to a 66-59 win in the City/Suburban Summer League.

Lincoln Park 66, Young 59

-Young played a very strange lineup for most of the second quarter and fell in a 35-21 hole by halftime. The only scorer on the court for the Dolphins was Anthony Johnson, and he was struggling. From what I read, Johnson is playing well on the AAU circuit. But it's been a long time since I've seen him play like the dynamic force he was freshman year. He looks passive and could be struggling with his confidence.

-Demarco Nash was a steady force for Lincoln Park. He finished with 16 points (four three pointers) and ran the point nicely for the Lions. They've got a solid starting lineup (Ameer Weeks, Mike Gabriel, Courtney Bell and Michael Henley) and should do very well this year if they wind up in the newly configured Red-North.

-Young stormed back in the second half behind the guard trio of Chris Colvin (15 points), Ahmad Starks (16 points) and Marcus Jordan (eight points). One thing became crystal clear in the second half (summer basketball occasionally provides some nice insights). The Dolphins are fully prepared to live and die with Colvin this season. He's the leader of the team and everything runs through him. Now, those are very capable hands to be in. Colvin is a dynamic talent. I'm not sure there is a better player in the state when it comes to getting to the basket. He just seems unstoppable. Problem is, he gets there, but doesn't usually get the layup to fall. And then he doesn't consistently hit both free throws. Colvin was far more effective (and this is what got Young back in the game) when he was distributing the ball. That's also the skill he has to master for college. From the looks of things, he has taken major steps in that direction. I would guess that 14 of Starks 16 points came off assists from Colvin. Most impressive is the confidence and poise Colvin has while playing the point. It's the kind of thing you rarely see from a high school player. He's not rushed, not worried, not hurrying anything. He knows that no one can take the ball from him (he's too strong and his handle is too good). And he knows that the defender is primarily concerned about getting beat off the dribble. So one slight move towards the lane and two to three defenders crash in on him, leaving multiple open teammates. If Colvin ever develops a consistent three-pointer the sky is the limit. Right now, he's a decent three-point shooter, and I have a feeling he will be dependable by the second half of the high school season.

-Starks is underrated. A lot of people like his game, but I think he's considered a notch below Maurice Acker when it comes to pint-sized point guards. I think he's better than Acker. Height will not be an issue for Starks in college. He knows exactly how small he is and he knows how to deal with it. He never hurts the team. He plays hard and fast, gets a shocking amount of rebounds for a player his size and is one of the best shooters in the state.

New Trier vs. Von Steuben

-I left at haltime. New Trier led 35-13. The Panthers didn't seem to have a whole lot, it might be a rebuilding year for Vince Carter's squad.

-New Trier center Fred Heldring was very impressive. He had eight points, six rebounds, a block and two assists while I was there. More importantly, he ran the floor very well. The Trevians graduated the majority of their (very tall) team from last season and were definitely playing a more run-and-gun type style. It suited them well.