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By Joseph Staszewski
Brooklyn Daily
The Big Strick Classic was more than just another all-star basketball game for Abraham Lincoln guard Isaiah Whitehead and his teammates.
For the rising senior, the third-annual contest was a battle for bragging rights against some of best players from the rest of the nation. It also a chance to disprove the idea that the Big Apple isn’t he same breeding ground for top basketball talent it was in the past.
The New York City team offered an empathic rebuttal with a convincing 126–110 win over the USA squad at Gauchos Gym in the Bronx last Saturday night. It avenges a one-point defeat in last year’s game and gave the city players plenty to talk about after the third annual contest to honor the memory of streetball legend John Strickland, who died three years ago.
“It shows that New York City basketball is still in effect and has talent,” said Whitehead, who dropped in 16 points and recently got a scholarship offer from Indiana. “It was great to get the win.”
Bishop Loughlin’s Mike Williams provided one of the games biggest plays during a huge fourth quarter for the city. The Rutgers-bound guard quickly flipped the ball up to Bronx native and Syracuse commit Chris McCullough of Brewster Academy for a vicious one-handed slam the brought the crowd to its feet as the city grabbed a 98–91 lead with 6:40 left in the game.
“When Chris dunked it, the momentum changed greatly,” Williams said.
The city team, which also featured players from New Jersey and Long Island, never looked back from there and the lead ballooned to 116–98 with 2:30 left to play. Cheick Diallo of Our Savior New American paced the city with 23 points and 12 rebounds and Isaiah Brisco of Rosedale Catholic added 11 points. Bishop Loughlin’s Khadeen Carrington chipped in six points. Kelly Oubre of Findlay Prep in Las Vegas led Team USA with 25 points.
No matter the margin it was mission accomplished for the city squad.
“As long as we won the game and showed that New York City is back, then I’m happy,” Whitehead said.
Carrington recently picked up college scholarship offers from Vanderbilt and Wake Forest, adding to a list that already includes Cincinnati, St. John’s, Connecticut, West Virginia, Seton Hall and Pittsburgh among others.
Reach reporter Joseph Staszewski at jstaszewski@cnglocal.com. Follow him on twitter @cng_staszewski.