Chester's Evans shines at Palestra

With a few swift dribbles, a step back and then a thrust towards the hoop, Tyreke Evans brought down the Palestra with his floating layup late in the fourth quarter of Sunday night's Battle for I-95.

Game organizer Rahim Thompson perched up from his floor seat in front of the scorer's table and raised his hands to the sold-out crowd. Evans, a Chester native, finished an astonishing 18 points and 18 rebounds. Evans, a guard with wicked handles, grabbed a team-high rebounds despite being just six-foot-six inches.

"It was pretty cool, we're all out there just playing," said Evans. "It's a lockout, got nothing else to do so we just went there and had fun."

Evans last played at the Palestra during his senior year at American Christian Academy. But that game wasn't nearly as crowded nor hot as Sunday night, Evans said.

"It was slippery, I was scared to make a move out there," said Evans. "But it's basketball, you have to try something."

Here's a look at the box score from Sunday:

Melo: Chris Paul 6, LeBron James 43, Carmelo Anthony 31, Gary Neal 4, Josh Selby 10, Donte Green 9, Gary Forbes 19; Philly: Kyle Lowry 34, Tyreke Evans 18, Hakim Warrick 19, Lou Williams 31, Jason Thompson 7, Aaron Owens 2, Mardy Collins 4, Wayne Ellington 5, Flip Murray 11.

James had 23 rebounds, Anthony had 17. Paul had 8 assists.

Lowry had 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Evans had 18 rebounds, 6 assists. Warrick had 12 rebounds. Williams had 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

-Matt