Campbell Hall loses, but fans win as they see a Holiday special

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

First time I’ve seen Jrue Holiday play, and I can say this, the kid is a human spin-cycle. He whirls. Twirls. Pirouettes like Baryshnikov. Shuffles like Astaire. And floats like Ali. He is poetry in high-tops and just a kick-in-the-pants to watch.

‘He defies the laws of physics,’ said Campbell Hall Coach Terry Kelly after Holiday and the Vikings lost, 78-77, in double overtime to South Atlanta Saturday night.

On one wayward alley-oop, Holiday flubbed the shot, twisted back to grab the rebound and twisted the other way to flip in a floater -- in under one second, or so it felt. ‘I’ve said it before and I’ll say it here,’ Kelly said, ‘Jrue is the best player in the country.’

I think he might be, too. And the coolest part is, he’s not leaving the Southland after his high school graduation. Holiday spent the evening slicing and dicing the hardwood of Pauley Pavilion, where he’ll torch the scoreboard as a UCLA Bruin next season.

Sure, Campbell Hall lost tonight. But the fans won, beholding Holiday and all his physics-busting moves.

-- Anthony Stitt

- Image from uschoops.com