Hines' 25 points and 10 rebounds leads team to PIT final on Saturday night

PORTSMOUTH, VA – Kyle Hines had a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds in his second game at the Portsmouth Invitational, a 100-83 win for his Portsmouth Sports Club team over K&D Round’s Landscaping in action at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament on Friday night.

After scoring 11 points off the bench in his first game on Thursday night, Hines went 10-for-12 from the floor in a starting role on Saturday night. He played 28 minutes Friday night and also had three blocks and three steals to help his team rally from a one-point halftime deficit.

The victors shot 54.6 percent from the floor, paced by Hines’ 10-for-12 night. Portsmouth Sports Club buckled down on defense in the second half, holding the opposition to 34 percent shooting in the second half after a 56 percent shooting first half.

High Point’s Arizona Reid had 22 points in a losing cause for K&D Round’s Landscaping.

Portsmouth Sports Club was scheduled to play in the tournament’s championship game at 8 pm Saturday night against Tidewater Sealants. Tidewater Sealants won its semifinal game with a late rally, 94-91, scoring the final nine points in the last minute of the game. Texas Tech’s Martin Zeno led the way with 20 points.

This year is the 56th annual tournament, which serves as a showcase for outstanding basketball players in their senior year of college. The P.I.T. is the nation's oldest amateur basketball tournament. It is recognized by NBA and European scouts as the premier showcase for future professional players. In fact, it is the only tournament for college seniors to participate in and be evaluated by NBA personnel prior to the league’s pre-draft camp in Orlando.

The tournament’s history goes all the way back to the days of Rick Barry, playing in the tournament in 1965 following his senior year at Miami (FL). Each year for 55 years the P.I.T has invited 64 of the best college senior basketball players from across the nation to participate in a four-day, twelve game tournament in front of representatives from every NBA team. The tournament drew the attention of NBA Scouts and General Managers in the mid-70's when players like Dave Cowens, John Lucas, Walt Szczerbiak and Bobby Cremins came to Portsmouth to play. Soon the word spread and approximately 200 Scouts, General Managers and Representatives of all 30 NBA teams began to come to see players like John Stockton, Dennis Rodman, Tim Hardaway, Scottie Pippen and others. Today scouts from numerous international leagues have joined in on the annual April pilgrimage to Portsmouth. Over the years the P.I.T. has been a showcase for five of the 50 greatest players in NBA History (Barry, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, Dave Cowens, John Stockton, Scottie Pippen) and for many others who have gone on to NBA stardom.

Complete tournament coverage is available at http://www.portsmouthinvitational.com and http://www.hoopsworld.com.

- UNCG -