MSU signees Bridges, Winston in sync at Jordan Classic
NEW YORK - For the last two years, young pro stars have captivated basketball fans in high-flying NBA slam dunk contests on the Barclays Center court. On Friday night, a group of soon-to-be rookies assembled on the same floor, putting on an electrifying show at the 15th annual Jordan Brand Classic.
In their final high school game, 21 of the nation’s most talented prep players wowed with quick crossovers and powerful slams. The East defeated the West, 131-117, and despite the occasional turnover or defensive lapse typical in all-star games, the group received loud reactions from an energetic crowd for most of the evening.
One of the more boisterous reactions of the night, however, came from a missed opportunity by two players on the losing team.
After snatching a rebound early in the first half, Michigan State signee Miles Bridges (Huntington Prep in West Virginia) flew down the floor and dished to a teammate only to receive a floating lob from future Spartan Cassius Winston (U-D Jesuit) seconds later.
The duo didn’t connect on the play, but as they slapped hands and laughed at half court, they didn’t look worried.
Future Spartans Bridges, Winston: Nothing handed to us
Two weeks after Bridges dazzled in the McDonald’s All-American game, he put on a dunk show of his own at the Classic. The 6-foot-7 forward finished with 17 points (including a long-range three in his first shift), four rebounds and three assists.
Winston added 13 points and a game-high seven assists.
Bridges and Winston made clear, with their behavior both on and off of the court, that they were thrilled to be playing together and are eager to arrive in East Lansing. Winston, a pass-first point guard, was especially elated to see Bridges soaring all over the Barclays Center.
“Miles is like my brother,” Winston said. “We have this type of connection, so it’s always fun on the court together. I enjoy when other people score a lot of points like he did tonight, and I like having something to do with it.”
Cassius Winston: ‘In it to win it’ with Izzo, Spartans
Bridges, on the other hand, dished out praise focusing more on Winston’s character and leadership.
“It’s always great playing together, Cassius is like a big brother to everybody,” Bridges said. “He’s just a down-to-earth person with a good heart. He’s a big brother to everybody, and he’s a great role model.”
The recent news about three Spartans exiting the program -- Deyonta Davis leaving early for the NBA draft and Marvin Clark and Javon Bess transferring -- didn’t seem too concerning to Bridges or Winston. Neither did missing out on prized recruit Josh Jackson to Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks.
The signees said they hadn’t spoken to coach Tom Izzo recently, but Bridges expected the coaching staff to be on the hunt for big men after losing three in the last few weeks.
“All I know right now is that we have four guys who are very capable of stepping into those positions and playing,” Winston said. “I want to come in there and contribute and help them win games.”
Minutes after the Classic ended, Bridges was already thinking about what pieces of his game to focus on as summer quickly approaches, citing specifics such as coming off of screens and playing defense on guards.
As both incoming freshmen mentally prepare for the next level, they also are going to be sure to enjoy their last little moments before intense strength and conditioning programs ramp up upon their MSU arrival in early June.
“As soon as we get up there they’re going to put us on nutrition (programs) and stuff to get us ready for the season,” Winston said. “So Starbursts and Hot Cheetos, I’m going to get all of them out of the way now.”