Beach Ball Classic notebook: Felton says he’ll leave Mullins for a prep school next year

Jalek Felton said he wants to play at the Beach Ball Classic in 2016. However, the dynamic Mullins guard and five-star Class of 2017 player said it will be at a different school.

“I won’t be at Mullins next year. I’m going to a prep school,” Felton said prior to the Auctioneers’ game against St. James in the consolation bracket of the Beach Ball Classic on Sunday.

Felton said he may announce which school he will transfer to late Sunday or Monday, although he wasn’t yet prepared to do so. It was a move rumored to be taking place a year ago. However, he elected to remain at Mullins.

It allowed him to return to the Beach Ball – where he holds runner-up spot for most points in a game (51). It was also the location of his announcement to commit to UNC during last year's event.

Felton added that he still has intentions of trying to break the all-time scoring mark, currently held by Luke Kennard of Franklin (Ohio), who scored 52 in a game a year ago. Felton finished with 37 points against St. James in a 70-57 win Sunday. His next opportunity will come Wednesday against the winner of Poca (W.Va.)-Socastee in the second round of the consolation bracket.

But while Felton appears to be heading out of the public school ranks for better game-to-game competition after this season, he said he has intentions of playing for a team that will be included in the 2016 Beach Ball field, as well.

“I have a type of [unofficial] contract,” Jalek Felton said of his wish to return. “I have to come here.”

Much of that has to do with not only his own success at the Convention Center, but that of his uncle, Dallas Mavericks guard and former UNC standout Raymond Felton. The elder Felton was part of Latta’s 2000 upset of DeMatha (Md.) and also played for the Beach Ball Select AAU team.

CAMB MAKES MOST OF PRECURSOR GAMES

Darren Gore said he quit begging for a spot in the Beach Ball Classic three years ago.

In two days of undercard games, his Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach team at least provided some more ammunition for the conversation. The Saints defeated Carvers Bay 69-66 on Sunday, one day after topping Hannah-Pamplico 70-65.

And while those were two games featuring some of the smallest schools on this side of I-95, they were among the more entertaining contests during the opening two days.

“I’m hoping one day to prove we can get beat by 90 just like anybody else,” Gore said, joking about Socastee’s tournament-record 78-point loss to Montverde on the opening day. “I think we’d play a little better defense. Not to knock Socastee; that’s a tough draw. We can play. I think we can be competitive. I think our guys play hard enough, tournaments will start noticing.”

The Saints are typically one of the better teams in the South Carolina Independent Schools Association each year. This time around, they’re led by the likes of Michael Green, who had 24 points Sunday. CAMB also got 14 points each from Jay Williams and Jaylen Johnson. It was more than enough to overcome 36 points from Bears senior Arkel Williams.

Efforts like that, Gore hopes, would possibly get a relatively young Christian Academy team an invite. Until then, the Saints want to keep taking advantage of the opportunities they do have.

“I appreciate John Rhodes and the committee letting us play these games,” Gore said. “We get to play some public schools, which is good. It’s great experience heading into region play in January. Any time we get to play in front of a great group of fans two days in a row, the kids love it.”

This story was originally published December 27, 2015 at 7:08 PM with the headline "Beach Ball Classic notebook: Felton says he’ll leave Mullins for a prep school next year."