Bamba "James" Siakam Is Named MVP As The Illinois Titans Defeat Mike McCall, And The Illinois Heat To Win The 17-U Championship At The 2009 ChicagoHoops.com Spring Tip-Off Classic

Bamba "James" Siakam Is Named MVP As The Illinois Titans Defeat Mike McCall, And The Illinois Heat To Win The 17-U Championship At The 2009 ChicagoHoops.com Spring Tip-Off Classic

Chicago Hoops
March 30, 2009

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Bamba "James" Siakam (Brehm Prep) was named MVP as the Illinois Titans defeated Mike McCall (Chicago Foreman), and the Illinois Heat 57-42 to win the 17-U championship of the 2009 ChicagoHoops.com Spring Travel Team Tip-Off Classic on Sunday night.

The Titans road to the title included a thrilling 52-51 win over the Mac Irvin Fire in a game that wasn't decided until the final seconds, a 69-47 win over the Illinois Kings, and an 82-69 win over Illinois Old School ahead of winning the championship game against the Illinois Heat.

Siakam, a 6'6" power forward, was at his best dominating the glass inside. 5'10" guard Daniel Daudu and 6'2" Bruce Baron were also both terrific throughout the weekend for the Titans, who opened the event with a loss to 6'8" Robert Covington (Proviso West) and 6'2" Isiah Jones (Mounds Meridien), and the Illinois Bobcats ahead of rolling the rest of the way.

6'1" Mike McCall was fabulous throughout the weekend while being matched against some of the top guards in the 2010 class. On Sunday alone, McCall went head-to-head against 6'4" Eric Gaines (Hillcrest) of Orange Crush, 6'2" Isiah Jones (Mounds Meridien) of the Illinois Bobcats, and 6'0" Hollis Hill (Chicago Vocational) of Old Gold. McCall was magnificent with the ball in his hands running the point for the Illinois Heat, and delivered three-point bombs in the closing seconds against both the Illinois Bobcats and the Illinois Wolverines that ultimately led the Heat to overtime wins.

The 17-U Rising Stars Blue won the 17-U Consolation title with a win over 6'7" Jeff Johnson (Champaign Centennial) and 6'3" Tevin Rumley (Rock Falls). 6'7" Mike Gabriel (Chicago Lincoln Park), 5'10" Demarko Nash (Chicago Lincoln Park) and 6'3" Aric Dickerson (Chicago Lincoln Park) headline the Rising Stars Blue.