For those of you that missed the 2011 McDonald’s All American Powerade Jamfest, which features the very best high school ballplayers competing in the Skills Competition, 3 Point Shoot-Out, and the annual Slam Dunk Contest, we are here to get you up to speed. Last year’s entertaining dunk contest was won by current Kansas Jayhawk freshman Josh Selby, so you know this year’s Jamfest would be star studded event.
While the Skills Competition was won by Florida commit Bradley Beal and the 3 Point Shootout was captured by Kentucky recruit Kyle Wiltjer, the main event was obviously the Dunk Contest. This year’s event featured the #1 rated HS player in the nation Austin Rivers (Duke), LeBryan Nash (OK State), Marshall Plumlee (Duke), PJ Hairston (UNC), Chane Benehan (Louisville), and Khem Birch (Pitt).
One thing I learned by watching is that Austin Rivers will without a doubt be a star on the collegiate level next season just by the way he handles himself in front of a crowd. Besides having out of this world in-game skills, Rivers can flush it with the best of them and has a flare for the dramatic when he donned his father Doc’s vintage Atlanta Hawks jersey to pull of this sweet windmill:
Unfortunately, Rivers was unable to complete one of his 2nd round dunks and fell just short of taking home the dunk crown. UNC recruit PJ Hairston is mostly known for his ability to shoot and score from anywhere on the court but also showed off some impressive athleticism by finishing among the Top 4 in the event. Pitt bound big man Khem Birch seemed to lack intensity but rather nonchalantly showed everyone why Jaime Dixon is getting quite the player next season. Rick Pitino had to be impressed with the plethora of high flying jams completed by Chane Benehan, who should fit nicely in the backcourt alongside Peyton Siva this Winter.
The finals Pitted the youngest Plumlee brother Marshall against Ron Artest look-a-like LeBryan Nash. In getting to the final round, Plumlee blew everyone away with some imaginative off the side of the backboard jams and Kadour Ziani style double windmill throw-downs. The next great Duke big man is no slouch when it comes to dunking, as he took home the trophy for winning the City of Palms Dunk Contest back in January.
In contrast, the Top 10 rated Nash barely got enough points needed to make the final round by continually failing to finish off some high degree of difficulty dunks in the allotted time given. Even with his struggles, he gave Oklahoma State fans something to get excited about when he jumped clear over the 6’9 fellow competitor Khem Birch.
Although Plumlee had the better overall body of work, Nash excited the crowd by once again donning his giant orange cowboy hat on his final attempt to take home the 2011 Dunk Contest Crown.
Check out a recap of the 2011 Powerade Jamfest Dunk Contest:
As for the actual McDonald’s All American Game, where Mike Gilchrist(Kentucky) and James McAdoo(UNC) won Co-MVP’s, you check out some highlights HERE.
Source: Ball is Life
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen also provides content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
