ACC Stars Put On Great Show At OCC WINONA LAKE – It didn’t matter how many points Miles Plumlee scored during the game itself. The chiseled 6-foot-10, 250-pound Duke University senior brought the crowd to its feet during the dunk contest at halftime of Friday night’s Champions Tour Classic at Grace College’s Orthopaedic Capital Center. Plumlee, who grew up in Warsaw, won the three-round competition by leaping over Clint Johnson, Plumlee’s long-time neighbor and arguably his biggest fan. “It meant the world to me to have Clint out there,” said Plumlee. “He was my neighbor forever, and he’s really close to the family. He comes down to the games (at Duke) and supports us. I know that meant the world to Clint too.” Sitting in the front row behind the basket for the second half, Johnson, the son of Tom and Deb Johnson, was clearly in hoops heaven. “I was honored to go out there with Miles,” said Johnson. “I have so much respect for the Plumlee family, and I love Duke basketball. That was the thrill of a lifetime.” The game, a touring series that Friday night pitted seniors from the Atlantic Coast Conference against those from colleges in Indiana drew a large crowd to the OCC. Based on the reactions of those in attendance, it was worth the price of admission. With a plethora of thunderous, rim-rocking dunks, Plumlee scored a game-high 33 points, while 2008 Indianapolis Star Indiana Mr. Basketball Tyler Zeller - now of North Carolina Tar Heels fame - scored 25 points to lead the ACC All-Stars to a 131-127 win. North Carolina State’s Alex Johnson scored 22 points in the win, while North Carolina’s Justin Watts and Wake Forest’s Nikita Mescheriakov winner of the halftime three-point contest – scored 15 and 14 points, respectively. Warsaw grad and former Manchester College player Colin Clemens was an honorary player on the ACC All-Stars team. While signing autographs for a long line of fans – fans of all ages – Plumlee said that he enjoyed the atmosphere and was glad to be back in Warsaw. “It was fun,” said Plumlee. “It felt good throwing those dunks down in front of my friends and family. I’m glad Warsaw came out and supported it.” Zeller, whose older brother Luke played at Notre Dame and whose younger brother Cody is currently a standout for the Indiana Hoosiers, was glad some of the out-of-state ACC stars got to experience hoops excitement in his homestate. “It was a great atmosphere,” said Zeller. “I was blessed to play high school basketball in Indiana, and it was fun showing some of the other guys how much people love basketball here.” Though rivals because of their college choices, Zeller said he enjoyed teaming up with Plumlee. “He’s a phenomenal dunker,” Zeller said of Plumlee. “Sometimes I joke that he jumps too high. We’ve played against each other a lot, and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know him.” Qadr Owens of University of St. Francis in Fort Wayne led the All-Stars from Indiana with 26 points, while Marian University standout Alex Sylvester chipped in with 25 points. Butler University’s Garrett Butcher scored 21 points, while Indiana Wesleyan’s Derrick Troyer and Huntington University’s Caleb Kennedy added 15 and 14 points, respectively. Grace College senior Duke Johnson scored five points for the All-Star team from Indiana and said he was honored to play in the game. Of the Indiana team’s 127 points, 85 were scored by players from the Mid-Central College Conference, the 10-team NAIA Division II conference that the Grace College Lancers belong to. “For us NAIA guys, this is the thrill of a lifetime,” said Duke Johnson. “To play against guys that talented, and to play on this floor again, it’s special. Just to play again, and to play in front of people, I was honored to be in the game.” Indiana University’s Daniel Moore scored 13 points, while Butler’s Ronald Nored chipped in with five points and IU’s Kory Barnett – a former Rochester High School standout - scored three points. Tom Pritchard, a three-year starter for the Hoosiers, played but did not score.
