University of Arizona-bound guard Brendon Lavender ended his prep career in style Friday night, scoring 17 points, leading the South to a 71-64 victory over the North in the Arizona Basketball Coaches Association Class 4A-5A All-Star game at US Airways Center.
Now it’s off to Tucson to begin work on a college career that could find him in a starting role in his first season.
“I’m excited,”
the 6-foot-5 All-Arizona player who was part of a couple of state championship teams at Mesa Mountain View.
Lavender said he has met with coach Lute Olson and he told him there could be a big opportunity right away.
“If I play my cards right and work my butt off this season coming up, I could have a starting position,”
Lavender said.
It could depend on whether Chase Budinger returns to UA or enters the NBA Draft. Budinger has until Monday to decide.
It also could rely on incoming freshman point guard Brandon Jennings’ eligibility.
“If Brandon comes, he’ll run the 1 and I’ll run the 2,”
Lavender said. “If he doesn’t come, then Nic Wise, for sure, is the point guard.”
Lavender said he is hoping the Wildcats won’t lose Jennings and Budinger. But he doesn’t mind the naysayers writing off the Wildcats.
“It’s actually good for us,”
Lavender said. “We like to be the underdogs.”
The South took a 62-61 lead with about three minutes left on J.C. Hall’s basket. Hall fouled out, but the South stretched its lead to 69-62 on Brandon MacLellan’s layup with 16 seconds left.
Center William Cole of Laveen Cesar Chavez added 16 points for the south, and Wisconsin-bound guard Ryan Evans of Chandler Hamilton had 10.
The North was led by Washigton State-bound guard Nick Witherill of Gilbert Highland (15 points) and Arizona State-bound forward Taylor Rohde of Phoenix Pinnacle (12). Phoenix Shadow Mountain forward Austin Graff ad 13 and Phoenix Paradise Valley wing Brandon Garrett 11 for the North
