ESPN RISE

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- More than a decade of waiting is over for St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.).

Having last won a national holiday tournament in 1997, the Celtics ended that drought Wednesday night at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in a 72-53 rout of No. 26 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) in the 28th Annual Beach Ball Classic final.

St. Patrick, No. 4 in the ESPN RISE Top 50 boys' basketball rankings, fell short last week at the City of Palms Classic but captured the BBC title for the first time in four attempts. The Celtics last won a holiday tournament 11 years ago, when they successfully defended their Slam to the Beach title in Lewes, Del. Al Harrington, now with the New York Knicks, led the Celtics during that era.

"It feels good after so many second- and third-place finishes in the last 10 years," St. Patrick coach Kevin Boyle said. "We're right there every year but finally got over the hump.

"I thought we were the best team here, but the competition kept you pushing hard; there were no easy games."

Michael Gilchrist, one of the nation's elite sophomores according to ESPNU, was named MVP after a double-double -- 31 points and 14 rebounds -- against Wheeler. North Carolina-bound Dexter Strickland contributed 16 points and five assists. Gilchrist pleased the crowd of 3,200 with five dunks.

"Defense won it tonight," Gilchrist said. "We worked hard for it. Coach asked Dexter and me to step it up, and the guards delivered the ball to me in the paint."

Ari Stewart topped Wheeler with 18 points and Tahj Tate scored 16.

Wheeler played shorthanded as standout 6-8 forward Richard Howell did not play. In the semifinals, the North Carolina State-bound Howell fell awkwardly, straining his lower back. He'll be reevaluated when he returns home.

St. Patrick (6-1), which led 33-20 at the intermission, was never threatened in the second half, building leads of 22, 23 and 26 points.

In the third-place game, No. 35 Martin Luther King (Riverside) stopped Pennsbury (Fairless Hills, Pa.) 52-48. MLK (8-1) had a 28-15 lead at the break and held off Pennsbury's late rally.

Dalton Pepper, who scored a game-high 27 points, reduced the deficit to 50-48 with 16.7 seconds left, but Taylor Cunningham and Brendon Woods each sank one free throw for the final margin.

Kawhi Leonard, a 6-foot-8 senior, paced MLK with 24 points on 5-of-9 shooting from 3-point range and nine rebounds. Tony Snell added 12 points.

Instant analysis

No. 4 St. Patrick and No. 26 Wheeler remain two of the nation's elite teams. Both coaches agree when it comes to scheduling the best competition annually. Losses aren't bad in December; they build character. St. Patrick's best days are ahead of them, when junior guard Kyrie Irving becomes eligible in mid-January. (Irving was required to sit out 30 days of the season after a transfer). Wheeler remains one of the favorites for Georgia's Class 5A title. The Wildcats continue to schedule national games, which will serve them well back home. Pennsbury and Cedar Hill will be major factors in Pennsylvania and Texas, respectively.

No. 41 Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.) rebounded from a disappointing showing at the City of Palms Classic to finish 3-1, upping its record to 12-4. The Apaches head to Atlanta for a matchup with No. 7 LeFlore (Mobile, Ala.) at the Hoops in Overdrive on Friday. Elliott County (Sandy Hook, Ky.), the consolation-bracket winner, used the event as a springboard for the state and Class A tournaments. Paterson (N.J.) Catholic is a work in progress and might meet St. Patrick in New Jersey's Non-Public North B playoffs in March. The Cougars are overwhelming favorites to win a second straight Passaic County title in February.

Star watch

Michael Gilchrist of St. Patrick was unanimously selected the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Evan Faulkner of Elliott County was named the Most Outstanding Player. Joining them on the all-tournament team were: Fuquan Edwin (Paterson Catholic); Kawhi Leonard (Martin Luther King); Robbie Dreher (Southside); Anthony Wilson (Cedar Hill); Tahj Tate and Ari Stewart (both of Wheeler); Malcolm Brogdon (Fayette County); Wally Judge (Arlington Country Day); Jonathan Tull (Pickering, Ajax, Ontario) and Damien Leonard (J.L. Mann). Other awards and competition winners include: Judge in the slam dunk; Elliott County for the Team Hustle; Pickering for Team Sportsmanship (voted on by the tournament committee); Tanner Wilson of Cedar Hill (Texas) in the 3-point shooting contest; and Pepper, the Individual Sportsmanship winner. Additionally, Dexter Strickland of St. Patrick received the "The Danny" as the BBC's top defender. The award is named for Dan D'Antoni, an assistant for the New York Knicks, who previously coached at hometown Socastee High for 31 years. D'Antoni was a founding father of the BBC in 1981.

Lionized

Elliott County High (Sandy Hook, Ky.), the school with the smallest enrollment (323 students), made the most noise on and off the court. The Lions, who captured the consolation bracket, beating Southside (Greenville, S.C.) 78-69 on Wednesday, proved size doesn't matter.

"As a coach I'd like to have gone 4-0, but at 3-1, I was happy," coach Rick Mays said.

Elliott County is located in northeast Kentucky, with a population of 6,748. The population density is only 29 people per square mile, explaining why there are no traffic lights countywide. When Elliott County's bus arrived Dec. 26, six players immediately took a plunge in the Atlantic Ocean, experiencing salt water for the first time. Mays' squad has built an impressive résumé recently. Last season the Lions won the district and region titles before bowing in the opening round of Kentucky's Single-Class Sweet Sixteen State Tournament. They also won the Class A state tournament, which features small schools.

Elliott County's up-tempo style regularly produces more than 90 points and wears down opponents. An off-season regimen which includes running hills several times weekly conditions the Lions for the high-octane assault. Wind sprints are a daily staple during the season.

"Teams usually quit running sprints in season, but not us," 6-2 guard Ethan Faulkner said. "It strengthens our legs."

Elliott County's twins Evan and Ethan are headed to college in the fall: Northern Kentucky and Radford, respectively. The team's appeal to fans was evident this week.

"People recognize we're blue-collar," Ethan Faulkner said. "We play hard with intensity."

That goes for 6-7 sophomore post Timmy Knipp, who is already receiving attention from major programs. Against Southside, Evan Faulkner scored 22 points, and 6-2 senior Jonathan Ferguson added 19 points.

Helping to fuel the Lions' run was a legion of loyalists.

Nearly 125 supporters made the 10-hour trip from rural Sandy Hook, Ky. The boisterous contingent cheered for their Lions, but appreciated the quality of their opponents.

"Our fans are loyal; they support us wherever we play," Mays said.

Those same supporters will pack the gymnasium Friday night when the Lions (8-2) return to action against Region 16 rivals Rowan County (Morehead). After the season, the transition game continues. Mays said he will retire from coaching, but will hand off to assistant Greg Adkins, who played for Mays and graduated from Elliott County in 1993. There's still unfinished business in March at the University of Kentucky's Rupp Arena, the site of the state tournament, said Ethan Faulkner.

"If we're not playing Saturday night at Rupp Arena for the state championship, we'll be disappointed. That is our goal; we have made that clear," he said.

History

The Beach Ball Classic has a fine history of producing memorable games and showcasing quality talent. The 2008 USA men's Olympic team, which took the gold medal in China, featured Beach Ball alumni Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant and Deron Williams. Eight coaches, headed by Naismith Hall of Fame member Morgan Wootten (DeMatha High in Hyattsville, Md.) are in the BBC hall of fame. Twenty-two players -- notably current NBA players such as Kevin Garnett, Baron Davis, Raymond Felton, Jermaine O'Neal, Vince Carter, Bryant and Kidd -- are BBC hall of famers. DeMatha and Archbishop Molloy (Queens, N.Y.) are the only four-time winners of the BBC title.

Christopher Lawlor has covered high school sports for more than 20 years, most recently with USA TODAY, where he was the head preps writer responsible for national high school rankings in football, baseball, and boys and girls basketball. He also for worked for Scholastic Coach magazine, where he ran the Gatorade national player of the year program for nine years. Lawlor, a New Jersey resident, grew up in Rochester, N.Y., and is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University.