IU’s All-American

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – IU recruit Eric Gordon, considered by many to be the top high school basketball player in the country, entered Wednesday night’s McDonald’s All-American game with high expectations from fans and media alike. \nAfter all, the Indianapolis native led his North Central squad to the state championship game just a week ago and he is a frontrunner for the Mr. Basketball award in Indiana.\nIt was only fitting, then, that Gordon stood toe-to-toe with O.J. Mayo – also considered by some to be the country’s best recruit – and performed in front of legendary college basketball coach and Indiana native John Wooden.\nGordon scored just 13 points in the game – held at Freedom Hall – but received one of the loudest ovations during pre-game introductions and was hounded by fans following the contest. \nHis West squad defeated the East, 114-112.\n“I thought I played alright,” Gordon said. “I mean, not too many people besides (Michael) Beasley scored a lot of points, so everybody else was about average scoring. That’s what it came out to be.”\nThe Kansas State recruit Beasley led all scorers in the game with 23 points and garnered the John Wooden Most Valuable Player award for the game. Beasley was one of five West squad members to score in double-digits, including Gordon, UCLA recruit Kevin Love, Duke recruit Kyle Singler and Arizona recruit Jerryd Bayless.\nThe game provided Gordon the opportunity to reunite with several of his former AAU opponents and teammates, including former Mean Street Express backcourt mate Derrick Rose, a highly-touted point guard heading to Memphis next season. Rose said after the game that he urged Gordon to shoot more in the contest. \nThe IU recruit laughed it off and said he had a clear plan in mind for Wednesday night’s game.\n“I didn’t really take as many shots as I was supposed to but I was really trying to get everybody involved,” he said. “That’s what was going to make things easier.”\nGordon struggled offensively throughout the game, scoring seven points in the first half on 2-for-6 shooting from the field and a 1-for-4 tab from the 3-point line. \nIn the second half, the guard tallied six points, en route to his 13 for the game. The future Hoosier again drew the duties of defending Mayo, but said he was up to the challenge.\n“(O.J. and I have) been going at it for a long time now,” Gordon said. “And I knew I was a good defensive player and I would rather go against him because he’s a terrific player.”\nGordon joined up with Rose, Beasley, Love and Singler to comprise the West’s starting lineup. The East squad’s starting lineup consisted of Mayo – who will head to Southern California in the fall – Syracuse recruits Donte Greene and Johnny Flynn, Ohio State recruit Kosta Koufos and big man Patrick Patterson, who remains undecided.\nGordon said following his team’s win that the All-American game still carries a great deal of importance, and every player involved was in it to win. \n“I would say this is the most competitive (of all the all-star games),” he said. “I mean these are all top players and everybody was really competing … this is the best here.”