After a rocky start on the final day of the Seattle Summer Basketball League, Washington freshman Martin Breunig thrilled a capacity crowd at North Seattle Community College with a pair of acrobatic jams that had fans howling in excitement.
Midway in the second half the young German flushed a windmill dunk in traffic, which drew several oohs and ahhs. On the next possession, he weaved the ball between his legs before flushing another windmill that drew a loud ovation from the crowd.
At that point in the game, neither team was playing much defense and Breunig's squad, which featured UW senior co-captain Scott Suggs and Seattle University sophomore Clarence Trent, was on its way to an 88-76 win against a team comprised of Terrence Ross, Shawn Kemp Jr. and Tony Wroten Jr.
There's not much insight to draw from the game other than Breunig can soar above the rim and he's more athletic than some of the early reports suggested. At 6 foot 8 and 210 pounds, he's coordinated enough to catch a pass on the run, dribble, maneuver the ball to either hand and elevate for some aerial acrobatics.
Early in the game he had a few dunks rattle in and out, but in the second half Breunig began a dunk-a-thon that included Wroten throwing a pass off the glass for Ross who hammered in a two-hand jam.
When he wasn't dunking, Ross was draining NBA-range three-pointers. He finished with a game-high 42 points. Kemp scored 14 and Wroten 13.
Still it was the fourth straight defeat for Ross' team, which finished the tournament with a 4-4 record. Not exactly sure how a team with that much talent lost four consecutive games.
You can argue wins and losses are meaningless in summer league games where players top priorities include staying in shape, working on their game and building relationships with teammates.
I talked to UW freshman forward Desmond Simmons about this two weeks ago and his take was different.
"If we're keeping score, then I'm playing to win," he said. "It doesn't matter what it is. ... In this type of setting where there's refs and fans, then yeah you want to put on a good show and you want that win. Of course, no one wants to get hurt. You put that above everything else, but for me, every time I step on the court I'm trying to win."
Simmons didn't play last night, but his summer league teammates picked up the slack. Breunig and Suggs finished with 27 points and Trent added 14. Their team also finished 4-4.
The game provide a few interesting head-to-matchups. The most intriguing battle featured Ross vs. Suggs. The former rebounded from a cold shooting on Monday and showcased why some believe he's a NBA draft lottery pick next summer. Suggs wasn't exactly low-key either. He converted his share of dunks and long-range three-pointers. And he guided his team to a win.
It was interesting to watch Kemp and Trent defend each other and their personal battle seemed like a draw.
In the league championship game, Washington State junior guard Reggie Moore scored a game-high 30 points and Utah junior wing Aaron Dotson had 22 to lead the 76ers to a 75-69 win over the Suns.
Moore's squad led by as many as 20 or so, before watching their lead chipped to five with 1:12 remaining.
Moore, who missed the first five games last season with a left wrist injury, said he's finally fully healthy.
Former Washington star Isaiah Thomas played early in the day. Wearing Oklahoma City Thunder shorts, the Sacramento Kings draftee led his team to a 74-73 win.
League co-director Marvena Kemp said she's been pleased with the turnout this season. The games moved to North Seattle CC after two years at Green Lake.
"We had a lot of people that used to come to Green Lake, but they had to stand in the door," she said. "We figured we had to get a bigger venue because everybody wants to see the hometown guys and it's been exciting. I'm glad we came here."
Kemp hopes to expand the NCAA-sanctioned league next year with more local college and NBA players. Thomas and former UW star Will Conroy played this season while current NBA players Spencer Hawes, Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson and Terrence Williams have inquired about playing next year.
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