BOSTON Weve seen Scooter Sherrill dunk.Weve seen the West Rowan star dunk backwards and sideways. With one hand
and with two. Weve watched him go around people to dunk and over people to dunk.
But never have we seen him dunk half-naked.
Tonight, on ESPN, all of the Scooter fans out
there will see West Rowans McDonalds All-American do just that.
The replay of Mondays Slam Jam 3-point
shootout and dunk contest will be shown before 24 of Americas best high school
basketball players suit up in front of a national television audience in the FleetCenter
at 8 p.m.
On Tuesday, most of the All-Americans who
assembled here for the 23rd annual East-West All-Star Game were still gushing over
Scooters latest glamour shot.
He didnt win Monday nights slam dunk
competition that honor went to Deshawn Stevenson of California but it was
Scooter who stole the show.
Weve seen him do that too, havent we?
n
No one was really expecting Scooter Time Monday
night. He even admitted that none of his East teammates thought he could make the final.
But I knew I could, he said.
Scooter had spent countless hours in the West gym
practicing some dunks, visualizing Vince Carter soaring, slamming and then mugging for the
crowd and the cameras. Carter had won the NBAs version last month by giving the fans
what they wanted something so out of the ordinary that there would have to be a
reaction.
In the first round, Scooter was quiet.
I just did all of the dunks I do
consistently, he said. But I kept thinking I had to do something else but I
couldnt think of anything.
Until the last moment. It suddenly hit him. Why
not undress? Sort of.
He bounced the ball against the glass, took his
warmup jacket off in the process and attempted to slam it home.
He failed.
I couldnt get it off in time, he
laughed. I tried a couple of times.
So, he just decided to take it all off. Well, from
the waist up, at least.
I asked the judges if I could take my shirt
off and they said OK, he grinned.
Without a shirt, it seemed silly and fun and for
some reason, much more dynamic.
This was a fashion statement never before seen in
the McDonalds All-Star Classic. The capacity crowd of 5,000 erupted.
The girls went crazy, Scooter laughed,
adding that the female admirers were more satisfying than any ol dunk. They
were wiping my sweat, kissing on me and stuff. I mean, it was teenage girls, old women ...
it was real nice. They were loving it and I was loving it.
n
Just like all of those games that he dominated
over the past four seasons, Scooter Sherrill had the crowd in the palm of his hand.
He went for the jugular.
Scooter stood at the foul line with his back to
the basket. The crowd noise began revving up.
The idea was to bounce the ball between his legs
and off the backboard, while he spun, leaped and stuffed.
I had tried it at school a couple of
times, he said. Youve got to have a perfect bounce. I really didnt
know if I could do it.
Oh, he did it, all right. After one try failed, he
thought hed give it another.
He completed it and lo and behold, received the
only perfect score of the night.
Everything was exactly like I
expected, he smiled. Just like the NBA. Everybody on the sidelines was going
crazy.
n
Just like the NBA.
Hmm.
There used to be a time when teenage All-Americans
talked about college first. But those days are over. During practice Monday, there were
scouts from the Sonics, Trail Blazers, Cavs, Spurs and of course, the hometown Celtics, on
hand.
West coach Rick Sherley, who has won 641 games in
30 years of leading Texas high school teams, just marveled at the talent and how it seems
to be at a higher level each and every season.
Ninety percent of these kids are going to be
multi-millionaires in four or five years, he said. Were not going to
teach these kids anything.
n
Know who taught those All-Americans something?
The kids at the Ronald McDonald House.
We saw kids in there with cancer and it let
us know how fortunate we are to be able to do the things we do, said Scooter,
suddenly becoming very serious. It was really great. We made them feel good. They
looked up to us and that made us feel good.
Visiting the Ronald McDonald House was just one of
the many adventures Scooter has had since arriving Saturday.
No sooner had he gotten off the plane than he was
fitted for a tuxedo for Tuesdays player banquet. He has visited museums, the JFK
Library and exhibits in honor of James Naismith. He has been the mayors paesan,
eating an Italian meal with Bostons top politician.
This morning, he will have his photo taken with
the legendary John Wooden, who despite being in his 90s, is still vibrant when it comes to
basketball and young players.
n
Most of the fans dont see the charity work
by the All-Americans. They dont see faces light up when a John Wooden puts his arm
around them.
All fans see and all they want to see
are the high-flying hoops stars of tomorrow.
Scooter Sherrill, that kid who honed his skills on
an outdoor court in rural Rowan County, definitely has the potential to be one of them.
Hell have his chance to prove it on national
television tonight.
And he may or may not prove it with his shirt on.
n
Sports editor Ronnie Gallagher is covering the
McDonalds East-West All-American Game.