FRIDAY GAME RESULTS - ALLEN BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

By Rob Reheuser CHICAGO, June 12, 2004 -- Tony Allen thought his reputation would preclude him from having to play in Chicago this week. Then, a funny thing happened on the way to the Moody Bible Institute. Allen’s reputation, the one he worked diligently to establish, was beginning to take a hit, with the Big 12 Player of the Year essentially coasting through his first two games.

This wasn’t the case Friday evening, as Allen, a player once deemed as having a realistic chance of sneaking into the first round, began to show why he was one of the more talked about players heading into camp.

Allen exploded, glided and worked his way to 15 points on 7-for-12 shooting, while adding four rebounds and two steals. Had he made his free throws -- he shot 1-for-7 – it would have been even more impressive. Unfortunately for Allen, many of the league’s general managers skipped town before the evening session on Friday, which could affect his chances of securing a spot in the first round.

Speaking of first-round guarantees, Providence’s Ryan Gomes had his best overall effort of the week, scoring 13 points, while making both of his three-point attempts.

Gomes, a First Team All-American in 2003-04, came to Chicago to play his way into the first round. In order to do so, he needed to demonstrate the ability to play away from the basket. The reviews of that were mixed. While he’s clearly a talented player with a nice package of skills, Gomes told ESPN’s Andy Katz he was leaning toward going back to school and becoming a lottery pick in 2005.

Team Three 79, Team Two 75
Missouri’s Arthur Johnson didn’t make any heads twist this week in Chicago, but he didn’t turn any away, either.

Though he’s not the most athletic player in the bunch, Johnson showed as much interior polish as any player in the camp. In this game, Johnson scored 12 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out four assists. With so many players getting by with sheer size and athleticism, Johnson relies on his basketball acumen to get the job done.

He only measured 6-7 in bare feet, but he has extremely long arms that aid him in grabbing tough rebounds and blocking shots. He should get a look on draft night.

Mississippi State’s Lawrence Roberts, who was followed by an ESPN camera crew all week, had his strongest performance, scoring 12 points and grabbing five rebounds. Like Gomes, Roberts was hoping to play his way into the first round. As the camp drew to a close, Roberts told ESPN he needed more time to evaluate his stock before making a decision on whether to return to school or stay in the draft.

Two of the better shooters in camp – Brian Boddicker of Texas and UCLA’s Dijon Thompson – were able to make some noise.

Boddicker, who couldn’t miss in Portsmouth, had a tough time shooting the ball this week. He scored 10 points on 4-for-7 shooting, including 2-for-2 from behind the arc. Thompson, who can return to UCLA for his senior season, shot 5-for-8, most in the mid-range variety, on his way to 12 points. Thompson is an interesting player based on his ability to come around a screen, catch and shoot, a rare talent in the Chicago camp.

Andre Emmett scored 12 points and was very active as usual. Tim Pickett turned in a miserable 1-for-10 performance to close out an ordinary week for a player said to be distinguishing himself in individual workouts.

Team Five 76, Team Four 68
Georgia’s Damien Wilkins, who wasn’t invited to Portsmouth, was a surprise Chicago attendee. He made the most of the opportunity, finishing a solid week with a 20-point, eight-rebound performance. Though it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the son of former NBA player Gerald Wilkins gets drafted, he certainly helped his chances.

Washington’s Nate Robinson entered the game with a different mindset. Instead of trying to generate scoring opportunities for himself, Robinson was looking to make plays for others and finished with a game-high five assists. Though he measured at just under 5-8, Robinson got into the lane at will. If he can learn to make the proper shot/pass decisions, he could be a guy to keep an eye on. Most agree he should go back to school, but the talk at the end of camp was that he was seriously considering staying in the draft and taking his chances in the second round.

A guy who flew under the radar all week was New Mexico State’s James Moore. He finished up scoring six points, grabbing six rebounds and blocking four shots. Though his offensive game is clearly under-developed, Moore is an active defender with excellent body control. His best basketball appears to be ahead of him.