Standout freshman Rose lives up to billing as Tigers handle UT-Martin

 Derrick Rose drew the praise of coach John Calipari after Monday’s game. The freshman point guard had 17 points, six rebounds and five assists in his college debut

Derrick Rose’s University of Memphis teammates warned him Sunday that he would not be able to sleep in anticipation of his college basketball debut, that he would battle his nerves straight on ’til morning. But after the Tigers’ ate dinner and returned to their hotel, the point guard prodigy hit the pillow, quickly and easily finding his night’s repose.

He woke up just after 8 a.m., ready as ever to do the two things he does best: Rise, and shine.

Rose’s unveiling Monday night at FedExForum soared — literally — over everything else about No. 3-ranked Memphis’ 102-71 victory against Tennessee-Martin.

Though the Tigers were strong on many fronts, including six players scoring in double-figures, nothing was more stunning than Rose’s 25-minute appearance which included 17 points, five assists, six rebounds, two blocked shots and countless ooohs and ahhhs from an announced crowd of 16,555.

Indeed, few things could have overshadowed junior guard Chris Douglas-Roberts, who tied a career high with 28 points to go with eight rebounds and four steals. But Rose did, penning on a handful of signature moments including a high-flying tip-dunk with 3:17 left in the first half that showcased his legendary athleticism.

It was so stunning, UT-Martin, which competed with the Tigers early on, couldn’t muster another run the rest of the night.

“He did great, but that’s D-Rose,” Douglas-Roberts said. “It’s his first game, but I expected that. He did some incredible things that a lot of you haven’t seen in a point guard, not just passing, not just the speed, but he gets the tip-dunk and his head is over the rim.”

By beating the Skyhawks, the Tigers will return to FedExForum tonight for an 8 p.m. tipoff against Richmond, with the winner advancing to New York for the semifinals of the 2k College Hoops Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer.

And despite Rose’s performance, the Tigers will hope to come back with a better effort in several areas. Early in the game, their disjointed full-court press served only to allow the Skyhawks open looks at the basket that they made for awhile. Lester Hudson, a product of Central High School and Southwest Tennessee Community College, had 16 points in the first eight minutes and 35 total, staking UT-Martin to a shocking 28-21 lead nearly 10 minutes in.

Meanwhile, Memphis looked over-anxious for much of the first half, forcing quick shots, missing rebounds and converting just 2-of-14 from 3-point range early on.

“It was typical of what we’re going to face this year which is teams are going to come out playing for their lives and teams are going to take some shots and some they’re going to make,” coach John Calipari said. “They came out and made four unbelievable shots in a row and all the sudden they’re up. That’s going to happen to us this year, but again, I thought we got pushed around a little bit. And if we’re to be something special, that just can’t happen. We put in some guys when I made the first substation, and that thing went the wrong way. That can’t happen.”

After Calipari got his starting lineup back on the court, Douglas-Roberts helped the Tigers settle in, erasing the early seven-point deficit almost singlehandedly by tipping in his own miss, intercepting a pass in the backcourt for a dunk, then drawing a foul and converting two free throws all in fewer than two minutes.

Then Rose, on the strength of 10 first half points, helped the Tigers spurt away toward a 49-36 halftime lead. Memphis scored the first seven points of the second half to push the advantage to 20 and eventually wore UT-Martin out.

“We had to get our little jitters out or whatever but towards the second half, we got used to playing with each other and just joined from there,” Rose said.

Before Rose played Monday, he had to go to three classes — English, Math and, of course, Dance. Rose graded his performance against UT-Martin as a C. But in Dance class, “I got an A-plus,” he said.

Just like that, the Dance has begun, all the way toward March.

– Dan Wolken: 529-2365

Final Four features a Public presence

 

 Derrick Rose of the Memphis Tigers looks over to his bench during the fourth round game of the South Regional against the Texas Longhorns as part of 2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Reliant Stadium.
(AP)

 BY MICHAEL O’BRIEN Sun-Times News Group

The Simeon community was shocked and saddened Saturday by the death of 18-year-old Chavez Clarke, who was shot and killed as he walked out of a class there.

Just 24 hours later, after leading Memphis into the NCAA Final Four, Tigers guard and Simeon alum Derrick Rose took the mike from CBS analyst Billy Packer and asked if he could give a shout-out.

”Stand up, Englewood,” Rose said.

Packer looked perplexed by Rose’s statement, a reference to Chicago rapper Kanye West and Rose’s neighborhood, but the message was clear to his hometown.

”It’s a shame that our kids are growing up with so many tragedies,” Simeon coach Robert Smith said. ”I’m pretty sure we can get it corrected. I’m just so proud of Derrick. He has always been a positive role model for the CPS and our community.”

Rose and his former Simeon teammates, including lifelong best friend Tim Flowers, knew Clarke.

”He was a classmate of ours; we all knew him,” Flowers said. ”What Derrick did today gives the kids at Simeon and the whole community something positive to see, instead of focusing on the bad things that are happening.”

Smith, who coached Rose and Flowers to two city and state titles, isn’t surprised that his former point guard was able to lead a team to the Final Four in his freshman season.

”He’s just a winner,” Smith said. ”He’s been a winner since he started playing, wherever he goes.”

Rose won’t be the only Public League alum playing in San Antonio. Kansas point guard Sherron Collins, a 2006 Crane graduate, also punched a ticket to Texas.

”I’m so proud of him,” Crane coach Anthony Longstreet said. ”We spoke on the phone briefly [Saturday night]. Being in Lawrence, Kan., has been a godsend. It let Sherron see a broader side of life, and the people down there have embraced him.

”What this says to me is that Chicago Public League basketball is fantastic. To watch young guys like Derrick and Sherron perform at the level they’re at is good for all the younger guys to see. My third guy in the Final Four … not bad.”

Rose has been in the national limelight since his first game at Memphis. He’s widely projected as the No.2 pick in the NBA draft.

”He picked the right place to go to college,” Smith said. ”He didn’t have to go in and do all the work; he had some older guys that could teach him. He’s getting all the headlines because he’s a freshman, but there are a lot of great players on that team with him.”

Flowers has noticed a significant change in his friend’s game over the last year, but he says Rose has remained quiet and humble.

”He’s the same guy he always was,” Flowers said. ”But on the floor he’s been a lot more aggressive. He’s really stepped up his scoring in the NCAA tournament, and I think that is what’s getting Memphis over the hump.”

Contributing: Steve Tucker

Amare Stoudemire Invitational Classic

Jordan Hamilton’s Dominguez team got past Renardo Sidney’s Fairfax team. (Photo. Kelly Kline)

The championship game of the Amare Stoudemire Invitational Classic in Davenport, Fla., pitted two of California’s top teams and most talented players against each other: Compton’s Dominguez H.S., led by junior small forward Jordan Hamilton, against L.A.’s Fairfax H.S., led by junior big man Renardo Sidney.

Coming off a performance earlier in the tournament where he dominated sophomore sensation Jeremy Tyler (San Diego H.S.), Sidney was looking equally unstoppable in the ‘chip. Going into the fourth quarter he’d put up 22 points and 12 rebounds. But early in the quarter, Sidney picked up two technical fouls (the second was very questionable according to many observers) and was ejected.

That opened the door for Hamilton to take over. After missing significant time earlier in the game due to foul trouble, he ended up with 17 points for the game, and Dominguez got the win. Sidney was still named tournament MVP, while Hamilton made the All-Tournament team along with David Loubeau, Al-Farouq Aminu, JaMychal Green, Kevin Foster, Jared Swopshire and Ray Willis.