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Volume 38 Issue 8
January 23, 2001

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Thunderbirds’ shoot for tournament title
Lack of size rejects their chances

BY CHRIS BOWMAN
MESA LEGEND
Submitted January 23, 2001

MCC hosted the 18th annual Rotary Shootout Classic Jan. 2-4 against solid competition from around the country.

The six team field played three games in three days, with the best record winning the tournament.

Kim Patterson/MESA LEGEND

Matt McCann drives to the basket in the finals of the Rotary Shootout Classic, but gets stuffed by 6-8 Maurice Jackson from Vincennes College. The twin towers of Jackson and teammate Omoniyi Makun were too much for MCC to overcome as the Trailblazers rolled over the T-Birds 96-66.

MCC opened up with the New Mexico All-Stars, the only team in the tournament that doesn’t belong to a college.

The All-Stars appeared past their prime, as they were handled by the Thunderbirds 98-80.

Gabriel Sandoval played in his first game of his MCC career against the All-Stars after recovering from a knee injury that had sidelined him for the past year and half.

Sandoval led all scores in his first game with 28 points.

"He was really ready to play," MCC’s assistant coach Willie Young said. "Sandoval had been out a long time and I know he was itching to play."

New Mexico Junior College was the next test for MCC. NMJC was thought to be a tough opponent for the T-Birds, but Alton Lister’s young team came out on fire and won the game going away 77-65.

"We played really poorly and shot the ball really bad," said Jeff McCool, head coach for NMJC.

"MCC looked OK. They’re a scrappy bunch with some talent. It was a good effort on their part. We didn’t feel it was a good effort on our part."

MCC’s next opponent, Vincennes from Indiana, would play for the first place trophy. Vincennes is currently ranked number 10 in the country, and had no problem disposing of Eastern Arizona College by 38 points and New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology by 58 points.

Vincennes is the only team in Rotary Shootout Classic history to win the tournament three times, all coming in the 90’s.

They are also the junior college that Phoenix Suns forward Shawn Marion attended before he transfer to UNLV.

Marion was a 1998 all-tournament selection in the Classic and in attendance to see his Alma Mater in the finals against MCC.

"I enjoyed my time at Vincennes," Marion said. "Coach Sparks was my man and the school was great to me."

MCC would have been a big underdog against Vincennes with all of the team healthy, but their two big men, Sultan Strong and Chris Kruidenier, were unable to play in the finals due to injuries suffered in the first two games of the Classic.

Vincennes was in control of the game for the whole 40 minutes, as the Trailblazers punished the T-Birds 96-66.

"We have a great time coming down to Mesa in the nice weather and competing against some good competition," said Dan Sparks, head coach for Vincennes.

"Mesa looks real good. I think they need some more practice time, and getting Sandoval back will really help them."

Sandoval averaged 19 points per game in the tournament and received all-tournament team honors.

Vincennes 5-9 sophomore point guard Andre Horton was the tournaments MVP.

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