Michael Lewis was on a stage he had dreamed of reaching for years, playing with some of the top high school basketball players in the Washington, D.C. area before his friends and family.
It isn’t always easy for the 5-foot-8 guard from Suitland to stand out among taller, stronger players. But he always seems to find a way. So it was again on Thursday evening in the 33rd annual Capital Classic.
Playing for the Suburban All-Stars in the preliminary game at George Washington University’s Smith Center, Lewis made his presence felt with seven points late in the fourth quarter. It wasn’t enough in a 124-117 loss to the District All-Stars. But for Lewis, winning wasn’t the point.
“Just getting the chance to play with guys I wouldn’t see otherwise and to play in front of a big crowd like this one made it worthwhile,” Lewis said. “I’ve always wanted to play in a game like this. For someone my size to make it here means a lot.”
Lewis, who transferred from Douglass to Suitland after his junior year, was one of many local stars who flourished in the preliminary game. Montrose Christian center Ben Thomas knocked down 8 of 14 shots for the D.C. All-Stars and totaled a game-high 19 points in a game usually dominated by guards. He also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and recorded four blocks and three assists.
“All you want to do is put on a show for the fans who come out to see you,” said the 6-8 Thomas. “But I just wanted to do my thing and it worked out.”
The D.C. All-Stars trailed by as much as 15 points in the first half. But led by Thomas and guard Evann Baker (Carroll) they rallied to take a 82-81 lead by the end of the third quarter.
