Neuqua's Evans hits jackpot as all-star MVP

Dwayne Evans knew he was going to have fun Friday night in the fourth annual Chicago High School Classic at Loyola University's Gentile Center in Chicago.

The Neuqua Valley senior star who is headed to St. Louis University didn't know he'd also get the big bonus prize.

Evans was chosen as the MVP after he had 12 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocked shots to lead the South team to a 117-111 victory over the North in the showcase of some of the state's top senior stars.

"A little bit," Evans said with a smile of his surprise at winning the award. "Coming into the game I didn't really have my sights set on winning MVP.

"It's a great honor to get it and this all-star game is really good. It's well-organized by Kevin (chairman and founder Devitt)."

Champaign Centennial star Rayvonte Rice, who is headed to Drake and was one of 22 Division I players in the game, led the South with 18 points and 8 rebounds. Wheaton Academy's Tim Rusthoven, who is going to William and Mary, added 7 points and 5 rebounds for the winners.

"We were all having fun together," Rusthoven said. "It capped off good seasons for all of us."

Mundelein's Ben Brust provided some of the flash that typifies all-star games with a dunk en route to 8 points for the North.

Brust also tried to spark a rally with the kind of hustle not often seen in these events when he went a few rows up into the stands as he tried to save a loose ball.

"We turned it up and wanted to win," Brust said. "I was going to do whatever I could to help us win.

"The dunk definitely got my competitive juices going."

Brust said one of the more enjoyable aspects was playing with good friend Alex Dragicevich of Glenbrook North. The Notre Dame-bound Dragicevich had 15 points while St. Louis-bound Mike McCall from Foreman led the North with 17 points.

Now Brust will start to getting a better idea of his future today when new Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery makes a home visit today. Brust signed a letter of intent with Todd Lickliter, who was fired after three seasons.

"We'll see where it goes from there," Brust said.

Streamwood senior Marcus Lewis also got a chance to showcase his dunking and improvisational abilties. He won the eight-player contest when he scored 72 of a possible 80 points in the final with Marshall's Vince Garrett, who failed to convert his final dunk.

Lewis was going on the fly with his last try and flew in for a windmill dunk after a toss off the backboard.

"I knew all the dunks I was going to do except the last one," said Lewis, who also played in the inaugural Illinois-Cook County Challenge featuring some of the top uncommitted seniors. "I never tried that one before.

"I knew (Garrett) was a good leaper so I knew I had to try to make up something."

In the first game, Glenbard North's James Fleming led seven players in double figures with 22 points as Team Illinois coached by South Elgin's Chaz Taft rolled past Team Cook County 141-90.

Bartlett's Luke Labedzki (18 points), Neuqua's Kareem Amedu (17 points, 7 rebounds) and Rahjan Muhammad (14 points, 8 rebounds), Grayslake Central's Josh Rapaport (15 points, 9 rebounds), South Elgin's Tommy Childs (13 points), Stevenson's Nate Johnson (11 points) and Glenbard East's Lee Skinner (8 points) propelled Team Illinois.

Prospect's Joe LaTulip played for Team Cook County. Tinley Park's Gerald Dorsey, who was coached by former Rolling Meadows All-Area player D.J. Brown, had a team-high 22 points.