DURHAM -- With the basketball in his point guard's hand, Jay Williams stood up from his bench and yelled at his team to clear out.
Brandon Jennings didn't reward the faith of the former Duke star and acting coach of CEO Munny on that particular possession on Thursday night in the Greater N.C. Pro-Am summer league, missing his shot attempt once he got to the lane.
By the end of the night, however, Jennings showed why he's made a name for himself with the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA. Working against Duke guard Seth Curry, Jennings dazzled the crowd at N.C. Central's McLendon-McDougald Gym with his handle on the basketball.
"It was real fun," Jennings said. "Good crowd - a lot of people came out. It was a good turnout. I'm glad I played. I had been hearing a lot about this summer league."
Williams played host to Jennings' visit to Durham, taking him to Duke earlier in the day for some pickup games and to show him around campus to give him a "sense of the college life." Jennings played professional basketball in Europe rather than suiting up in the NCAA.
The basketball at N.C. Central needed no introduction.
Jennings teamed with incoming Duke recruit Austin Rivers to form a talented backcourt that led some in the crowd to demand they be split up for the sake of fairness.
Rivers stole the show early by making two deep 3-pointers and then a pretty driving layup.
Jennings quickly caught up, stealing the ball from Curry near halfcourt and then zooming toward the basket for a fast-break layup. When the official called a foul on the play for an and-one opportunity, Jennings flexed his muscles in front of his chest.
The biggest reaction from the crowd came on a play when Jennings found Rivers for an assist. After extensive behind-the-back and between-the-legs dribbling by Jennings, three defenders collapsed on him, enticed by a basketball that seemed within their grasps. But Jennings emerged with the ball and dished to Rivers for a layup.
Despite all the fanciness, Curry's Team Hendrick won 90-83. Jennings finished with 32 points, Curry had 26 and Rivers had 22.
While Jennings played one more half in the second game of the evening, he had left the building by the time Rasheed Wallace's Sheraton Imperial team played Raymond Felton's Team Jamison in the final matchup of the night.
Both teams were undefeated heading into the game, and Wallace - who, judging by his spirited instructions to his teammates about playing defense, probably takes the summer league games as seriously as anyone - had been promising victory for weeks.
Despite strong play from Felton and former North Carolina guard Shammond Williams, Wallace's team backed up his boasts, posting a convincing win.
The quarterfinals of the summer league will begin Tuesday, the semifinals will follow Wednesday and the championship next Thursday.
