Jordan Classic: Martell Webster pours in 22 points

NEW YORK — Though he committed a key foul late in his team's loss in the Jordan Classic at Madison Square Garden last night, Martell Webster likely did more than enough to increase his stock in the eyes of NBA scouts and executives.

Webster, the 6-foot-7 forward from Seattle Prep who is contemplating making the jump to the NBA, scored 22 points in the White team's 127-126 loss to the Gray team. Micah Downs of Juanita High School scored 11 points for the White team and Jon Brockman of Snohomish scored four.

The fact that Webster committed a bad foul that helped the Gray team erase a three-point deficit in the final 14 seconds did not diminish his performance.

"We came up a little short," Webster said as he stood outside the visiting-team locker room at the Garden, "but it's still a memory, still an experience."

Being drafted by an NBA team would be the ultimate experience for Webster, who has committed to Washington along with Brockman. Webster said he's still "on that balance beam" between college and the NBA, but some believe the decision might be pretty easy for him.

High-school talent evaluator Tom Konchalski thinks Webster has plenty of tools to be drafted.

"He's so strong and he can really shoot," Konchalski said. "But most importantly, he has a mature understanding of the game."

Since it is hard to determine where a player might be selected, Webster is relying on his uncle, Henry Morton, to help him gauge exactly where he might go before he makes his decision. He has until May 14 to declare.

Until then, it will be business as usual for Webster.

"I'm gonna work out, go to school and do my homework," Webster said. "Everything I do in a normal day."

Brockman was limited to just 13 minutes, partly because of the broken nose he suffered in practice Thursday. Though he played with a mask on, it still hurt when he took a hit to the face early in the game. He had a great time despite the pain.

"Of course everybody wants to play 40 minutes, but I was just honored to be here," he said.

Like Webster and Brockman, Downs also was making his first trip to New York. Though he was excited to stand next to Michael Jordan during the team picture early yesterday, he was particularly impressed with the city.

"The buildings are crazy," said Downs, a Kansas signee who hit four of seven shots from the field. "We've got some skyscrapers in Seattle but nothing like this. They've got them on every corner here."

Webster may be the next of the three to come back to the city, since the NBA draft is being held here June 28.

GRAY 127, WHITE 126

JORDAN GRAY (127) — Hansbrough 9-17 5-7 24, Miles 7-16 2-4 16, Rolle 3-8 1-4 7, Fields 7-16 2-7 18, L.Williams 8-17 3-5 20, S.Williams 6-11 1-2 15, Downey 2-9 2-2 6, Bynum 6-9 0-0 13, Rogers 2-6 0-0 4, Wright 2-7 0-2 4. Totals 52-116 16-33 127.

JORDAN WHITE (126) — Hendrix 3-6 3-6 9, Webster 7-13 6-6 22, Blatche 12-17 2-4 26, Downs 4-7 2-2 11, Mercer 8-10 2-4 19, Clinch 4-7 3-4 13, Boateng 1-5 1-2 3, Mayben 4-8 4-6 13, Brumbaugh 3-5 0-0 6, Brockman 2-4 0-1 4. Totals 48-82 23-35 126.

Halftime — Jordan White 61-54. Three-point goals — Jordan Gray 7-32 (S.Williams 2-4, Fields 2-6, Bynum 1-1, Hansbrough 1-2, L.Williams 1-7, Wright 0-1, Downey 0-5, Miles 0-6), Jordan White 7-19 (Webster 2-4, Clinch 2-4, Mercer 1-2, Downs 1-3, Mayben 1-3, Hendrix 0-1, Brumbaugh 0-2). Fouled out — Rolle, Mayben. Rebounds — Jordan Gray 56 (Rolle 10), Jordan White 59 (Blatche 16). Assists — Jordan Gray 20 (Downey 6), Jordan White 30 (Mercer 9). Total fouls — Jordan Gray 23, Jordan White 29. A — 6,436.