LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA -- For roughly a good portion of the game, the Albany City Rocks playoff hopes look to be in trouble against a very talented YOMCA Memphis team.
The terrific speed of YOMCA guard Julian Burton gave the Rocks' defense problems all night. However, Jim Hart's AAU program is deep with talent from the backcourt to the frontcourt.
Yesterday, it was Long Island swing forward Tobias Harris who stepped up to provide the offensive help to lead the Rocks to a 64-58 victory.
Harris recorded 21 points, 11 in the first half as the Rocks forged a 34-34 tie after falling behind 20-14 in the first quarter.
The Rocks maintained a narrow 48-46 lead heading into the final quarter where each team took turns grabbing a brief lead.
However, the trio of Harris, >Taran Buie, and Will Regan were too much for the smaller Memphis team. Regan's left and right hands delivered pretty layups near the rim while Buie rammed down court with speed and authority.
Regan finished the game with 12 points while Taran contributed 10 points.
Regan, Buie, and Harris have high division one offers already on the table. Each of them are 2010 prospects, rising juniors and have two more years to make their respective decisions.
Hart was happy with the victory but relieved too. "That guard was tough to defend," he said of Burton, who scored 20 points, many of them circus basket shots that floated in over outreached Rocks' hands.