Almost half of players expected pass on Reebok Headliner Tryout Camp

Philadelphia's edition of the Reebok Headliner Tryout Camp was minus the expected headliners.

Friends' Central School's Amile Jefferson, Math, Civics & Sciences' Jeremiah "Lump" Worthem, and Paul VI's Ron Curry were among 49 registered campers who did not attend Sunday's event at Cabrini College.

There were only 51 participants on hand for the 10 a.m. start.

Camp officials said they were not disappointed by the subpar turnout.

"This gives opportunities to the other kids," assistant camp director Rahim Thompson said. "The studs received invitations to some of this summer's elite camps back in February. This is for the kids that don't have it like that."

Sunday's campers were competing for invitations to the Reebok Basketball Breakout Challenge scheduled for July 5-9 at Philadelphia University.

On Saturday, Thompson said 10-12 campers at Cabrini would get selected.

After Sunday's event, however, officials said they're unsure how many campers would receive invitations. They said the invitees will be notified around June 18.

The Breakout Challenge runs simultaneously with Nike's LeBron James Skills Academy during the first few days of the NCAA's first summer evaluation period for college coaches.

Both camps provide exposure for Division I prospects in front of college coaches. The Nike event at the University of Akron is for 80 of the nation's top high school players.

Most of the 100 or so Breakout campers are chosen from 13 camps at locations across the nation, including Cabrini.

Shipley's 6-foot-8, 280-pound sophomore center Zac Tillman, St. Joseph's Prep sophomore point guard Miles Overton, and Cheltenham junior point guard Nafis Walker stood out Sunday at Cabrini.

"I felt good," Walker said of his play. "I should get invited."