April 8, 2011
PORTSMOUTH, Va. -
San Diego State men's basketball players D.J. Gay, Malcolm Thomas and Billy White wrapped up day one action of the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament on Thursday, with Thomas and White's teams advancing to the semifinal round.
The Portsmouth Invitational is an annual tournament held in Portsmouth, Va., to showcase college basketball's elite players. This year marks the first time SDSU has had three players selected to participate in the friendly bracket-style event.
The Aztecs played well in the tournament's opening round on Thursday, with White's team, Portsmouth Sports Club, blowing past Muke Duman, 96-76. White went 3-for-6 from the field for six points, tacking on seven boards and one block in 24 minutes of action.
In game No. 5 of the main bracket, Gay and Thomas went from teammates to opponents, with Thomas' Cherry, Bekart and Holland squad coming out on top, 91-75. Thomas had a solid performance, notching 15 points on 7-for-9 shooting and adding nine rebounds in 26 minutes. Thomas also added four assists to go along with his game-high four blocks, a statistic many Aztec fans have learned to associate with the 6-9 senior from San Diego. Gay, who SDSU head coach Steve Fisher dubbed this season as "the most important player" for the Aztecs, scored six points on 3-for-6 shooting, also tallying four rebounds and a steal.
White and Thomas will square off in tonight's semifinal match, scheduled for a 9 p.m. ET start. The winner of the contest will play for the tournament title at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 9. Gay, meanwhile, will participate in a consolation bracket contest today at 3:15 p.m. ET. Should the Aztec point guard lead the Roger Brown's to victory, the team will play in a fifth-place game at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday.
All games are being held at Churchland High School, located at 4301 Cedar Lane in Portsmouth, Va.
For more information on the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, please visit Portsmouthinvitational.com, or click here.