At center, the Hoops' Kendrick Perkins is matched up against HAAY's Stephen Briggs. Kendrick is bigger, wider and has more finesse. He hits a fadeaway to tie the game at 55. With about four minutes left, HAAY pulls ahead 59-57, but the squad has seven team fouls to the Hoops' one. Ndubi is fouled and hits both ends of the one-and-one to tie the game. HAAY's Daniel Smith then drives from the wing but steps on the baseline, and the Hoops come back with a score, finally taking the lead.
When the Hoops go up 63-59, HAAY starts to crumble. Tack, who's been invisible this half, pulls up for a jumper that rims out. On the other end of the court, Cedric hammers home an alley-oop for his umpteenth dunk of the game. Daniel throws up an air ball from three-point range. Ndubi throws down a breakaway dunk with two hands, and the score is 67-62 with 1:20 on the clock. There's plenty of time left, but HAAY is broken. The final score is 73-63. After the buzzer, Tack tries to dunk in frustration. The ball gets caught on the front of the rim, sending Tack sprawling on his back.
There are whispers that Kendrick Perkins may be the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA draft.
The number most associated with Tack Minor is three -- he's the third-ranked sophomore shooting guard in the nation.
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Afterward, Hoops coach Darrell Sheppard has only compliments for his opponents. "They're on pace to succeed," he says. "They deal with more inner-city kids than any program in Houston. In a couple years they'll be a very strong program."
HAAY's 17-and-under team failed to qualify for the national tournament, losing the third-place game to Houston Select. Stephen Briggs went to the nationals anyway, with Houston Select. The Hoops' 16-and-under team was upset at nationals, losing back-to-back games to teams from Massachusetts and Memphis.
Tack Minor was invited to the Nike camp, where he led his team to the championship game with 27 points in the semifinals. The Houston Hoops' Kendrick Perkins chose to attend the Adidas camp; Ndubi Ebi went to Nike's. All three kids are considered favorites for the 2003 McDonald's All-America game.
Al Jones's Westside All-Stars finished No. 4 out of 124 teams at the AAU 13-and-under national tournament. His 11-and-under team finished No. 2.
Jim Hicks's home was ruined by flooding, but he stayed on the road with his HAAY kids, and was named to coach a team of Texas all-stars in the East West Be the Best Classic in Las Vegas. Hicks guided this team to the championship game.
By the end of the summer, Elijah Miller had come back home, to the grass roots -- he was playing with HAAY again.
