<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">PORTSMOUTH ? Chuck Hayes raised his plaque as the 53rd MVP in the storied history of the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament Saturday night at Churchland High School. He had 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the title game, leading Portsmouth Sports Club to the PIT championship. Hayes, a senior from Kentucky, smiled and posed for pictures with his new mantle decoration. That may be all it?s good for, however. Unlike years ago, being the MVP of this annual showcase for college seniors guarantees nothing at the next level. ?I hope I made a statement for myself,? said Hayes, who averaged 15.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists in three games at the PIT. ?That was the plan. But the MVP could?ve gone to anybody. And I know it doesn?t guarantee a spot in the draft.? Of the previous 10 tournament MVPs, only half were selected in the NBA draft. None were first-round selections. And only three were on NBA rosters when this season began. Last year?s MVP Tony Bobbitt (Lakers), 2003 winner Jerome Beasley (Heat) and 1998 MVP Torraye Braggs (Rockets) have a combined 23 games of NBA experience. ?You look at this thing in the 1980s, when Tim Hardaway and Dan Marjerle were the MVPs, and it?s not at that level anymore,? said analyst Chris Monter, who runs the Monter Draft News. ?But it?s still important. Some players have helped themselves here.?</div> Source Nice to see Chuck Hayes take the MVP. One word I'm getting sick of reading about is "undersized." I don't understand how 1 or 2 inches makes such a significant impact in the eyes of these scouts. Especially these days, the conventional size and roles have been changed over the last decade. A lot of tall players don't know how to take advantage of their height, and a lot of small players play taller than what they measure at. Chuck Hayes at 6'6 is more than capable of guarding a 6'7 or 6'8 wing player. He knows how to position his body and use leverage against players.
I really hope this will rise his draft stock. But he definitely wasn't playing against the toughest competition in the world, but he showed he's amonst the best in college hoops.
