The Slam Dunk skinny on prime-time basketball

The 2016 Slam Dunk to the Beach begins Tuesday, Dec. 27, at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes. This year’s roster of teams includes some of the country’s highest-ranking squads and many players with visions of playing at big-time colleges and, eventually, in the NBA. Here’s the skinny on each day of the tournament. 

Tuesday, Dec. 27 

Schedule:

12 p.m. - Smyrna (Del.) vs. Bishop McNamara (Md.)

1:30 p.m. - No. 10 The Patrick School (N.J.) vs. St. Raymond’s (N.Y.)

3 p.m. - Bishop Loughlin (N.Y.) vs. Baltimore Poly (Md.)

6 p.m. - Archbishop Wood (Pa.) vs. No. 15 Roselle Catholic (N.J.)

7:30 p.m. - No. 17 Neumann-Goretti (Pa.) vs. Paul VI (Va.)

9 p.m. - Cape Henlopen (Del.) vs. Mt. Pleasant (Del.) 

Game of the Day: No. 17 Neumann-Goretti (Pa.) (2-3) vs. Paul VI (Va.) (6-1) - Paul VI embarrassed Neumann-Goretti at last year’s Slam, riding Corey Manigault’s double-double to a 22-point blowout. The Saints, led by explosive Kentucky commit Quade Green (ranked No. 31 in his class nationally by MaxPreps) at point guard, are looking for revenge in this one. Pennsylvania’s top program also features 6-foot-8 Villanova signee Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree (No. 88 in his class) and 6-foot-9 man-child Marcus Littles underneath. Paul VI counters with a trio of high-D1 guards in Brandon Slater (No. 88 in the junior class; considering Maryland and Louisville), Aaron Thompson (committed Pittsburgh), and Myles Douglas (committed to UCF).

Cape Matchup: The 3-1 Vikings look to stay unbeaten at home when they take on Mt. Pleasant, which is The News Journal’s top-ranked team in Delaware. The Green Knights have outscored opponents by nearly 33 points per night on the way to a 5-0 record. KVonn Cramer, a 6-foot-5 sophomore who’s a D1 prospect on Temple’s radar, will battle inside with Cape’s twin towers, 6-foot-6 forwards Randy Rickards and Ian Robertson. Mt. Pleasant starts three scrappy, experienced guards who are sure to challenge Cape’s young backcourt of Cory Barnes and Izaiah Dadzie. Can the Vikings protect their house on the biggest of stages?

Wednesday, Dec. 28 

Schedule:

12 p.m. - Eleanor Roosevelt (Md.) vs. St. Michael’s (Canada)

1:30 p.m. - Our Savior New American (N.Y.) vs. Bishop McNamara (Md.)

3 p.m. - Bishop Loughlin (N.Y.) vs. Paul VI (Va.)

6 p.m. - Archbishop Wood (Pa.) vs. Sanford (Del.)

7:30 p.m. - Sagemont (Fla.) vs. St. Benedict’s (N.J.)

9 p.m. - Westtown (Pa.) vs. Gray Collegiate (S.C.)

Game of the Day: Westtown (Pa.) (4-2) vs. Gray Collegiate (S.C.) (2-5) - This is, for my money, the Slam’s most loaded game. Westtown features three MaxPreps top-40 recruits in 6-foot-11 forward Mohamed Bamba (the third-ranked senior nationally), silky-smooth 6-foot-8 wing Cameron Reddish (the No. 6 junior), and 6-foot-6 guard Brandon Randolph (the No. 37 senior; signed with Arizona). Bamba, whose 7-foot-8 wingspan has NBA scouts salivating, delivered the most memorable dunk of last year’s tourney and just might try to rip the rim down this season. Gray brings comparable talent to the floor in point guard Jalek Felton (the No. 34 senior; committed to North Carolina) and sophomore high-flyer Juwan Gary (No. 28 in his class). If Reddish and Gary get hot, their individual matchup at small forward may prove to be one of the Slam’s most intriguing. 

Thursday, Dec. 29 

Schedule:

11 a.m. - Mt. Pleasant (Del.) vs. St. Michael’s (Canada)

12:30 p.m. - Sanford (Del.) vs. Smyrna (Del.)

2 p.m. - Sagemont (Fla.) vs. Baltimore Poly (Md.)

3:30 p.m. - Special Olympics Unified Game

6 p.m. - Our Savior New American (N.Y.) vs. Westtown (Pa.)

7:30 p.m. - Gray Collegiate (S.C.) vs. St. Benedict’s (N.J.)

9 p.m. - Cape Henlopen (Del.) vs. Eleanor Roosevelt (Md.) 

Game of the Day: Gray Collegiate (S.C.) vs. St. Benedict’s (N.J.) - St. Benedict’s, one of America’s most decorated programs, boasts at least seven D1 recruits on its roster. The Gray Bees are headlined by 6-foot-7 sophomore wing Precious Achiuwa (No. 13 in his class nationally), a freak athlete who does a little bit of everything and is developing a perimeter game. Bourama Sidibe, a 6-foot-11 shot-blocking center who’s committed to Syracuse (No. 89 senior in the nation) will do his best to keep Felton and Gary from getting to the hole. Can Gray’s top-end talent overcome the Bees’ size and depth?

Cape matchup: The Vikings close out the Slam with a late-night throw-down with Eleanor Roosevelt, the defending Maryland 4A state champions. Naji Marshall, a 6-foot-6 Xavier commit (68th-ranked senior in the nation), brings a college-ready body and a versatile skill set to the matchup. A Cape victory here would be one of the most notable in program history and could provide a huge confidence boost to the young, talented Vikings.