PRO BASKETBALL: Ex-Northwest star Tucker wins Cabarrus tilt with effort over Cox Mill’s Moore Jr. | Latest titles

The showdown took on special appeal last spring, when the former Cox Mill High School teammates met in the Final Four.

On Wednesday, there was another Cabarrus vs. Cabarrus matchup, though less rowdy than the annual battles between the state’s two favorite college teams.

That didn’t make it any less important to the two local participants: Moore and former Northwest Cabarrus standout Rayjon Tucker.

As the two tried to secure their professional futures, despite being at different stages, it was Tucker who walked away with bragging rights, as his Milwaukee Bucks beat Moore’s Minnesota Timberwolves, 87 -75, during an NBA2K23 Summer League game in Las Vegas.

Tucker was the Bucks’ second-leading scorer with 14 points while adding five assists, three rebounds and a steal. Tucker had a strong shooting performance, going 5-for-7 from the field and knocking down three of his five 3-point attempts.

Moore, on the other hand, had her toughest night on set of the summer. He made just three of his 11 shots and was 2 of 7 from 3-point range.

Moore finished the night with 13 points — though five of them came in the final 1:36 of the game — and contributed two rebounds, two steals and two assists. He also helped himself powerfully with clean free throws, going 5 for 6 from the line.

The game was played at the Thomas & Mack Center at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas with a host of celebrities – from superstar NBA players and coaches to actors and stars of other sports – in the crowd.

The 6-foot-3 Tucker, a powerfully built athletic guard, got his first taste of the NBA in 2019 after going undrafted from Arkansas-Little Rock. He played summer league ball for the Bucks that year, and he played well enough that they signed him to a contract.

However, the Bucks waived him soon after, and since then Tucker has been on a journeyman journey that has seen him play in 39 NBA regular season games with four different teams – Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz and Deer.

Tucker also had brief stints with — but didn’t see any court time — with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves. But when he was sent to the NBA’s G League, Tucker was dominant, earning him numerous 10-day contracts.

Tucker hopes to find a long-term home with the Bucks, who actually signed him to a contract in April before cutting days last week before the start of the summer league this year. However, he was able to join Milwaukee in Las Vegas, and he’s making an impressive push.

On Wednesday, he handled the ball well and displayed a smooth jump shot, punctuated by his 60% effort from beyond the 3-point arc.

But he also reminded people of what he’s known for: jumping out of the gym.

In the final 40 seconds of the first half, Tucker came up and swept a 3-pointer then, after a steal from a teammate, caught a go-oop pass from Lindell Wiggington, twisted into the l air and dipped the ball through the edge.

For Moore, who was picked 26th overall in the NBA Draft last month, there’s a good chance he’ll make the Timberwolves’ roster, or at least spend part of next season on their team. of the G League. Moore is the first player in Cabarrus County history to hear his name called in the NBA Draft, and last week signed a four-year contract with the team worth 11.8. millions of dollars.

The Bucks were scheduled to play their final summer league game on Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks.

Minnesota was scheduled to face the Brooklyn Nets later Thursday night.

Three days after lighting up the NBA2K23 Summer League with 22 points on a scorching shooting performance, former Concord High School star Ty-Shon Alexander scored five points in the Charlotte Hornets’ 91-80 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Alexander came off the bench, as he had in the Hornets’ first two summer league games, and scored just two of nine field goals. He missed all six of his 3-point attempts but had three rebounds, two assists, a steal and a blocked shot.

It was a major change from Sunday night, when Alexander sank 44 percent of his 3-pointers and led the Hornets in scoring (22 points) and assists (six).

Instead, that night in Vegas belonged to Hornets rookie Bryce McGowens, who dazzled with 24 points by draining five of his six 3-point attempts while going to the basket and scoring with acrobatic moves.

Charlotte was scheduled to face the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.