Atlantic City Weekly

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After beating Kansas, No. 1 ranked Louisville and UConn in last year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, coach Tom Izzo’s tough and talented Michigan State squad was poised for a Cinderella finish in its home state. However, there was no joy in Detroit that chilly April night as the Spartans went down hard to North Carolina 89-72 in the national championship game.

Izzo’s Spartans head the field of the Legends Classic Basketball Tournament, coming to Boardwalk Hall for some post-Thanksgiving basketball action this Friday and Saturday (Nov. 27-28). Although Izzo’s squad lost some key players, guard Kalin Lucas, returning Big Ten Conference Player of the Year, leads a talented squad that is currently ranked No. 2 on both the AP and ESPN/USA Today Top 25 polls, and is off to a 4-0 start. This is an elite team that has already knocked off Gonzaga 75-71 at home. It comes into the Legends Classic having taken care of Toledo (75-62) and Valparaiso (90-60) in the Legends regional rounds at home.

These regional rounds don’t determine who is making it to Atlantic City. The first two games are already set at Boardwalk Hall with Michigan State playing Florida out of the Southeastern Conference at 8pm on Friday. In the 5:30 game, Big East’s Rutgers takes on the University of Massachusetts, out of the Atlantic 10. The winners will play in the championship game Saturday at 8pm, with a preliminary game at 5:30pm to determine the third place finisher. UMass has the only experience on the Boardwalk Hall floor as a regular participant in the Atlantic-10 Tournament.

This tournament gives area hoop fans the golden opportunity to see one of the best teams in the country and you can thank Jeff Vasser, president of the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority, for the opportunity.

After obtaining the rights to the Atlantic-10 Tournament a few years back, he decided he wanted more basketball action. Explains Vasser, “I have known Rick Giles, president of the Gazelle Group, for several years and have always tried to find a home in Atlantic City for one of his major college basketball tournaments. When the opportunity to move the Legends Classic from Newark came up, Rick gave me a call to see if we would be interested in hosting it. Of course we jumped at the chance to be the host of such a high profile event.”

Legends Classic Basketball Tournament
When: Fri. & Sat., Nov. 27-28
Where: Boardwalk Hall, A.C.
How Much: $10, $25, $50, $125, $250 (VIP courtside)

Legends Match-ups

Here is a look at the four teams participating in the Legends Classic.

Michigan State (4-0)

Although the team lost starters Travis Walton and superstar center Goran Suton, returning Big Ten Conference Player of the Year, point guard Kalin Lucas (16.8 ppg), is leading a team that is again expected to be in the championship hunt this season. Lucas is joined by junior guards Durrell Summers (14.5 ppg; 5.5 rpg) and Chris Allen (12.8 ppg), center Garrick Sherman and forward Draymond Green (10 ppg; 8.5 rpg). Senior forward Raymar Morgan (8.3 ppg) is coming off the bench to provide energy, rebounding and scoring. As always, State plays a stifling brand of defense. Derrick Nix provides a wide body off the bench. This team has speed, rebounding, a stingy defense and depth, hence its early season ranking. Izzo will be looking to get his team sharp in time for its early season showdown with North Carolina scheduled for Dec. 1 in Chapel Hill.

Projected starting five: Kalin Lucas, G; Chris Allen, G; Durrell Summers, G; Draymond Green, F; Garrick Sherman, C

Florida Gators (3-0)

After back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007, Billy Donovan’s squad had to settle for the NIT tournament the last two seasons. Looking to get back into the big dance, an early season win against No. 2 Michigan State would be a big boost to his team. Donovan needs to replace the scoring and leadership of Nick Calathes. Forward Chandler Parsons (14.7 ppg; 8.3 rpg) has been a force early. Erving Walker, a 5’8” guard who came off the bench last year (10 ppg), has taken over the point guard duties, joined in the starting backcourt by exciting freshman Kenny Boynton (19.1 ppg). Returnees Dan Werner and Alex Tyus will also need to make a solid contribution, as well as Georgetown transfer Vernon Macklin (10 ppg off the bench).

Projected starting five: Erving Walker, G; Kenny Boynton, G; Dan Werner, F; Alex Tyus, F; Chandler Parsons, C