The West featured the two local Chicago heroes, guard Sean Dockery and forward Marcus White, but it was the East that prevailed in an entertaining, dunk-filled 2002 EA SPORTS Roundball Classic at the Chicago Bulls' United Center on Tuesday.

CHICAGO (March 26, 2002) -- For three quarters, the East all-stars ran over, through and around the West all-stars in the EA SPORTS Roundball Classic All-Star game on Tuesday at the United Center in Chicago.

The blowout started early as the East rumbled to an 18-point first-quarter lead that remained in double-digits for most of the game. But with pride on the line, the West, spurred on by Chicago Julian guard Sean Dockery, thrilled the crowd with a fantastic run that brought it within one point with three minutes remaining.

"The game was up and down like a roller coaster," Dockery told Student Sports," but those are always the best rides."

Two East stars, future North Carolina guard Raymond Felton of Latta (S.C.) and forward Lenny Cooke of Northern Valley (Old Tappan, N.J.), each scored 21 points. Felton shared the East co-MVP honors with Amityville (N.Y.) 6-10 center Jason Fraser, who scored 10 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked five shots.

"My whole goal is to get my teammates involved," Felton said. "They (West) went on a run so I had to come in and settle us down and make something happen. It's all about getting others into the action.

"I enjoyed the challenge," added Fraser, "and felt the game was a test of how I'll do it college. I think I got a good grade!"

Curtis Sumpter of Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Elijah Ingram of St. Anthony's (East Orange, N.J.) scored 13 and 12 points, respectively.

For the West, it was clearly Dockery's show. He made creative behind the back passes and showed a flair for scoring inside and out. He was named the West MVP with 14 points, five rebounds, five steals and 10 assists.

Dallas (Texas) Lincoln postman Chris Bosh also scored 14 points and added eight rebounds. Midwest City (Okla.) forward Shelden Williams, who will join Dockery at Duke next year, posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards. Steve Novak, of Brown Deer (Wis.), and Chicago (Ill.) Whitney Young forward Marcus White chipped in with 13 and 10 points, respectively.

It was the East's superior rebounding that afforded the win. The East outrebounded the West, 69 to 53, which led to a big advantage in fast-break points as well, 45 to 26. The East could have easily blown open the game, except the all-stars shot as well from the field (47 percent) as they did from the foul line (47 percent). Poor shooting (37 percent) didn't help the West.

Although there were some exciting plays in the first three quarters -- most centered around Cooke's three alley-oop dunks -- the fourth quarter was clearly the most entertaining of the night. Dockery's steal and dunk at the nine-minute mark cut it to 94-83. After four straight free throws by White, Novak was fouled on a three-pointer and converted all his free throws to make it 96-90.

Whole-sale substitutions at the six-minute mark took the two Chicago stars out of the game, but it didn't slow the West's momentum. Bosh kept it going, hitting a layup for a 99-98 game with 3:20 left.

But Felton ended the comeback, with rainbow three-pointer from long distance and a layup for a comfortable four-point lead. A long three by Sumpter nailed the game shut moments later.

In the end, the players expressed how happy they were about the game and the events surrounding the contest.

"I'm thankful that Sonny (Vacarro) invited me to play in the game." Cooke said. "I felt honored to play. The best players play for the love of the game and that's what I'm all about."

"We learned what we need to work on," concluded forward DeAngelo Alexander of Oklahoma City (Okla.), "and became friends with the best players in American."

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