Hillsborough’s Washington and Newsome’s Murphy win TBBCA skills competitions

Posted Mar 14, 2009 by Jarrett Guthrie

Updated Mar 14, 2009 at 09:42 PM

Saturday’s Tampa Bay Basketball Coaches Association all star game saw theWest defeat the East 114-87, highlighted by terrific play from seniors from all over the county.
The game itself saw a wide variety of break aways, alley oops and three pointers, but fans were also treated to a half time skills challenge that may have stole the show.

In the first competition, Hillsborough’s Juan Washington sunk nine three pointer in the second round to win the three competition over Armwood’s Rashad Davis, who had seven.

But it was the dunk competition that really got the fans cheering as Newsome’s Charles Murphy and Freedom’s Brendon Bertorello put on a display. In the first round the generously listed 5’10 Bertorello led off with a one handed put in after setting himself with an alley-oop pass, while the 6’2 Murphy followed with a safe but authoritative two handed slam. Murphy and Bertorello each followed in the next round with a spinning reverse slam after a self toss with Murphy scoring just slightly better with the judges.

The third round was set to decide the competition, but both competitors scored perfect 30’s and awed the crowd. Bertorello first took a pass from the second level of Tampa Prep’s gymnasium from Plant City’s Josh Theibe and threw the ball down with two hands.
Not to be outdone, Murphy followed with a fan from the crowd and reenacted the New York Knicks’ Nate Robinson’s winning dunk from this year’s NBA slam dunk competition, leaping over his assistant for the slam.

However the final round belonged to Murphy. Bertorello had to settle for another one-handed alley-oop, this time from the sideline, but then showing he was a good sport helped Murphy in his dunk. Bertorello sat in a folding chair in front of the basket and fed a pass to Murphy as Newsome’s forward lept over his assistant and sealed the competition.