Austin, Texas-
Earlier in the day on Sunday, we had Championships take place for our Gold and Silver Brackets in the 16U and 17U divisions. Here are the recaps and the results:
(17U Gold Championships)
All In Basketball 75
SA Tarheels 54
As All In got into their groove on Sunday morning, things began to click and so did their outside shooting. Nathan Wiatrek (LaVernia HS/2019), Collin Rieman (Clemens HS/2019), Joey Teske (Clemens HS/2019), and TLU signee Aiden Mulroney (LaVernia HS/2018), all showed their skills from long range, connecting from deep.
Mulroney got the team going early with tough back to back hoops, giving them the slight lead 9-8, and All In would not relinquish it. Aiden continued with a solid first half, logging 13pts, leading a balanced attack with 3 players in double figures, topping out with a team high of 17.
Coach Deleon and the Tarheels were short-handed, playing with only 5 players, but that was no deterrence for them to compete. Isaiah Madkins (Madison HS/2019) would shoulder the scoring load, matching Mulroney’s 13 pts, and Brandon Vigil (McCollum HS/2019) would connect on three triples, to help provide the scoring punch, but All In led at the half 39-33.
With only 5 bodies, it was just a matter of time before fatigue sat in on Championship Sunday for the ‘Heels, and All In took full advantage. Wiatrek would connect on another three, making it a 45-38 lead, and go on a 30-16 run to end the game and wrap up the ‘Ship.
In a losing effort, Madkins finished with a game high 26 points. For All In, Malik Carter (Clemens/2018) had 14pts and Teske added 12.
(16U Gold Champions)
Texas Pride Elite 50
Ktown Allstars 31
As he did all tournament, freshman sharpshooter, Daniel Maktabi (Mansfield Summit HS/2021) connected twice from behind the arc, and teammates Samarte Holts (Arlington Sam Houston HS/2020), and Jaden Felix (LD Bell HS/2020) would both have 10 points at the half, to give more than enough offense to Coach Haywood and his staff.
The reason being, credit to Pride Elite as they played a very sound defensive game, limiting the Allstars 16U group to only 20 first half points. Javon Pernell was the lone bright spot and had 9 points at the break, as Ktown struggled offensively.
The defensive prowess would continue in the second half, as Pride Elite came out with the knockout punch, on a 15-4 run, opening up a 45-24 lead. For the game, only surrendering 10 more points in the second half. Holts finished with a game high 14 and Felix also put in 12. For the weekend, Texas Pride Elite, finished with a 3-1 overall mark.
(17U Silver Championships)
SA Dynasty 64
Saints Elite White 45
Undoubtedly, Dynasty has the tallest club in the entire tournament, with 3 players standing 6’6” and taller. Cue Victor Roper (East Central HS/2019), an underrated athletic, hard nosed 3-4 man who had a monster game, cleaning the glass, multiple 2-handed flushes, and a game high 24 points to lead the charge.
Combined with 6’8” Devin Mabry (Lee HS/2020), who had a modest 5 points, but did so much more by rebounding the ball, blocking and altering shots, essentially shutting down the paint, as the most formidable low post duo of the weekend.
Both teams struggled early on to find offense, as it looked like Dynasty could run away with it early sprinting out to a 6-0 lead, before the Saints would get on the board and tighten up on “D”, get some buckets and tie the game up at 12 all. At the break, Dynasty enjoyed a 27-19 edge.
It was the 2nd half when Roper asserted himself, pouring in 16 of his 24 points. Bryson Banton (Brennan HS/2020) heated up quickly, giving a hand with 13pts in the half, and added 16 for the game. Teammate Jacob Bollinger (Brennan/2018) finished with 9pts, but had some timely buckets, defended, rebounded, and like Mabry, impacted the game in many ways other than just the scoring column.
In the loss, Vaughn Schlogel paced the Saints with 13pts, Jospeh Vela (Seguin HS/2020), and Joey Orales (Seguin HS/2020), both added 9 points.
Be sure to check back, we’ll be highlighting some of the top individual performers in the next few days, as we wrap up coverage of our Spring Hoopsfest LIVE 2018.