1981 McDonald's All-American Boys Game

The 1981 McDonald's All-American Boys Game was an All-star basketball game played on Saturday, April 11, 1981, at the Levitt Arena in Wichita, Kansas. The game's rosters featured the best and most highly recruited high school boys graduating in 1981. The game was the 4th annual version of the McDonald's All-American Game first played in 1978.

1981 McDonald's All-American Boys Game
1st Half2nd Half Total
East 4947 96
West 4352 95
DateApril 11, 1981
ArenaLevitt Arena
CityWichita, KS
MVP/MOPAdrian Branch and
Aubrey Sherrod
Officials1
2
3
Attendance10,006
McDonald’s All-American
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1981 game

The game was not televised, but highlights were aired by NBC Sports during Sportsworld on April 12. The East roster included the best big man in the 1981 class, Patrick Ewing (who did not play in this game), guard Michael Jordan and forward Chris Mullin. The West team could count on local stars Greg Dreiling, a 7-1 center who averaged 26.7 points for his high school team, and guard Aubrey Sherrod, the only player who was still undecided regarding his college choice. Both players went on to attend Wichita State. The West team also had more size, having 7 players standing 6-9 or taller, while the East had two of the best guards, Jordan and Milt Wagner. The game started at 8 PM and initially saw the West team take the lead, with the East team scoring their first points on a Jordan jumpshot with 7:54 minutes left in the first quarter. Jordan's basket started a 10-point run for the East, which outscored the West 21-12 in the first quarter. The second quarter ended 31-28 in favour of the West team, and at halftime the score was East 49, West 43.[1] The East kept the lead until the fourth quarter, when the West went ahead 81-80 on a Hurt layup with 6:34 left. Aubrey Sherrod scored on a jumpshot with 22 seconds remaining, and the score was West 95, East 94. When the East regained possession of the ball, Jordan was fouled, and scored both free throws bringing the score to 96-95 for the East team. The West could win the game but Mark Acres missed the decisive free throw, shooting it short, and the game ended with the East win.[1] Jordan set a new scoring record with 30 points on 13/19 shooting (4/4 from the free throw line): the record lasted for 18 years, until the 1999 game when Jonathan Bender scored 31 points. Despite Jordan's scoring effort, the MVP award went to Adrian Branch and Aubrey Sherrod.[2][3] Of the 25 players, 14 went on to play at least 1 game in the NBA.

East roster

[3][4][5][6]

No. Name Height Weight Position Hometown High school College of Choice
15Jeff Adkins6-5–GMartinsville, VA, U.S.MartinsvilleMaryland
20Chris Mullin6-6–FBrooklyn, NY, U.S.XaverianSt. John's
21Milt Wagner6-5–GCamden, NJ, U.S.CamdenLouisville
22Buzz Peterson6-4–GAsheville, NC, U.S.AshevilleNorth Carolina
23Michael Jordan6-5192GWilmington, NC, U.S.Emsley A. LaneyNorth Carolina
24Adrian Branch6-8–GHyattsville, MD, U.S.DeMathaMaryland
25Manuel Forrest6-7–FLouisville, KY, U.S.MooreLouisville
30Bill Wennington7-0–CBrooklyn, NY, U.S.Long Island LutheranSt. John's
32Eugene McDowell6-8–CCross City, FL, U.S.Dixie CountyFlorida
33Patrick Ewing7-0–CCambridge, MA, U.S.Rindge and LatinGeorgetown
N/AAnthony Jones6-6–GWashington, D.C., U.S.DunbarGeorgetown
N/AEd Pinckney6-9–FBronx, NY, U.S.Adlai E. StevensonVillanova

West roster

[3][4][5][6]

No. Name Height Weight Position Hometown High school College of Choice
10Eric Turner6-3–GFlint, MI, U.S.CentralMichigan
11Sam Vincent6-2–GLansing, MI, U.S.EasternMichigan State
14Michael Payne6-10–FQuincy, IL, U.S.QuincyIowa
15Dwayne Polee6-5–GLos Angeles, CA, U.S.Manual ArtsUNLV
20Ennis Whatley6-3–GBirmingham, AL, U.S.PhillipsAlabama
21Mark Acres6-10–FPalos Verdes Estates, CA, U.S.Palos VerdesOral Roberts
22Aubrey Sherrod6-4–GWichita, KS, U.S.Wichita HeightsUndecided[7]
24Stuart Gray7-0–CGranada Hills, CA, U.S.John F. KennedyUCLA
25Nigel Miguel6-5–GSherman Oaks, CA, U.S.Notre DameUCLA
31Walter Downing6-9–CNew Lenox, IL, U.S.Providence CatholicDePaul
32Bobby Lee Hurt6-9–CHuntsville, AL, U.S.S. R. ButlerAlabama
33Greg Dreiling7-1–CWichita, KS, U.S.Kapaun Mt. CarmelWichita State
N/AJohn Flowers6-9–FFort Wayne, IN, U.S.South SideIndiana

Coaches

The East team was coached by:

The West team was coached by:

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References
  1. Corbitt, Ken (April 12, 1981). "East downs West in all-star cage game". The Salina Journal. p. 11.
  2. A LOOK BACK AT THE McDONALD’S ALL AMERICAN® GAMES SUPERSTARS AND UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES FROM GAMES PAST
  3. "The Next 48 are up" (PDF). Retrieved 2018-01-29. 1981 game and rosters at page 68.
  4. "McDonald's All-American all-time rosters" (PDF). Retrieved 2018-01-25. 1981 roster at page 2.
  5. "Wichita stars head West team in McDonald's All-Star contest". The Salina Journal. April 10, 1981. p. 15.
  6. "We Court the Best". Ebony. April–May 1981. pp. 8–9.
  7. Committed later to Wichita State.
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