Twice As Nice

AVONDALE TWOSOME A TERROR NO MATTER WHAT SPORT THEY PLAY

After starring on the football field and basketball court in each of the last two years as sophomores and juniors, Auburn Hills Avondale's slippery-fast and silky-smooth pair of Tony Harris and Ray Tillman are back to punish the competition at every opportunity as a seniors this upcoming school year and cement their legacies as two of the best athletes to ever don the purple and gold.

On the football field, Harris and Tillman form an elusive and stat-chomping duo of wide receivers/cornerbacks for the Yellow Jackets. When it comes to hoops, they make up a devastatingly productive backcourt, with Harris running the point and Tillman flanking him at the two-guard spot.

These JUGGERNAUT 'JACKETS have been preparing for their final year in the prep ranks by torching opponents (per standard procedure mind you) on both the hardwood and gridiron this summer in a series of camps and summer leagues.

Tony, Tony, Tony has done it again!

Harris was ON FIRE 10 days ago at the Great Lakes Invitational AAU Tournament, averaging close to 25 points and 6.5 assists per game. In the tourney semi-finals, he put up a 33-spot while dishing off five dimes and corralling five boards. Can you say CHRIS PAUL clone? His performance at split end and d-back in several 7-on-7 camps with the Yellow Jackets football squad was just as scintillating as he reached double-figures in touchdown receptions and combined picks/pass deflections. Oh, did I mention that he has Deon Sanders-like moves on kick-off returns and is a threat to take it to the house whenever a team decides to boot it in his direction on special teams?

"Tony is having an unbelievable summer basketball-wise and has really taken his game to another level," said his AAU coach, Tim McCormick. "He's a great lead guard who sees the floor very well and knows when to score the ball and when to pass it. His consistency has improved a lot since last summer and that just makes him that much more dangerous."

BURNEY NICKNAME ALERT, BURNEY NICKNAME ALERT!!

I've decided to nickname Harris "The Truth" for the simple fact that this kid's game never lies!!!!

Sweet as Sugar

Tillman matches his buddy, "Truth's" exploits at every turn, equaling his output in both sports – for example the pair sported nearly-identical stat lines on the hardwood last season…22 ppg, 6 apg, 4 rpg. Touching up defenders for a bevy of spectacular moves at a number of recent AAU tourneys has raised Tillman's already-toasty stock up a few notches on the college basketball recruiting radar. His near-flawless showings at several football camps in the last two months has provided him the opportunity to choose what sport he wants to play at the next level. Late last season on the gridiron, Tillman absolutely BLEW UP, giving opposing secondaries and defensive coordinators alike nightmares by catching 13 balls for five TD's in the final two games of the season. In the team's second to last contest of the year, he racked-up a whopping 210 yards receiving with 3 TD grabs.

NICKNAME ALERT NO. 2.....Like with Harris, I've decided to bestow upon Tillman a long-deserved nickname. This is going to be very easy and very appropriate. From this point forward Rapheal Tillman (his real name) will be known as "Sugar Ray" because his game is just so so SWEET!

Watch for both "Tony the Truth" Harris and "Sugar Ray" Tillman to continue their accolade-filled ways this upcoming school year and finish out their prep careers just as strong as ever and probably much much stronger when it's all said and done.