Illinois-based Meanstreets 17u closed out Peach Jam Wednesday night with a dominating 77-58 win over Indiana-based Spiece Indy Heat, but the featured performers both originally hail from Michigan.
Brian "Tugs" Bowen (Meanstreets) and Xavier Tillman (Spiece) drew the crowd, and a third Michigander Isaiah Livers flourished in a supporting role.
Bowen was the best player on the floor. For a player that would easily be #1 in Michigan's Class of 2017, if he didn't transfer to La Lumiere, Bowen proved he is only getting better with age.
The star made his mark after the halfway point. With Meanstreets up 35-34 coming out of the break, Bowen turned it up.
Breaking Away
As the second half opened, Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo was stationed at the halfcourt line, with MSU Associate Head Coach Dwayne Stephens alongside.
Bowen surged up the court scoring off a turnover. In all, Meanstreets recorded 15 points off turnovers in the lopsided win.
Minutes into the second stanza, Lucas Williamson buried a corner triple to give Meanstreets a 48-40 lead.
The lithe wing, Bowen kept attacking possession after possession. Spiece clearly preferred the halfcourt game, settling for dump downs to Tillman from Tyger Campbell (La Lumiere). This was not a successful gambit Wednesday evening.
Tillman Off the Block
Tillman only managed four field goal attempts, stifled by a rotating cast of defenders. He finished with a forgettable 6 points with a stout 9 rebounds and 3 blocks. He was not an impact player in any meaningful sense. Yet another Michigan insert, Jaron Faulds virtually shut down Tillman for a significant five minute stretch midway through the second half.
Though Faulds is Ivy-League bound (Columbia verbal) and Tillman might be a McDonald's All-American, Faulds bodied up the mighty Tillman repeatedly. Whether the physicality actually deterred him or merely annoyed him, only Xavier knows. The end result was X managed just a single leaning low percentage baseline jumper the whole time Faulds checked him.
He did not even establish a low block foothold. Faulds was the recipient of multiple post-game congratulations, not for his play, but rather for his college commitment. Columbia is getting an exemplary citizen with steadily improving basketball technique.
For the Heat their two best scorers were Justin Roberts and Jaren Jackson. Jackson scored 11 points, most of them around the rim, while Roberts successfully knocked down kicked-out passes for the cause.
The 52-45 game quickly became 55-46 and then 60-46. While the players might remember the buckets they scored, the true disparity emerged as Faulds kept Tillman from his block, Jackson offered a few errant outside shots, and Evan Gilyard expertly controlled tempo.
Spiece revealed their lack of depth and leaned too heavily on Tillman against a feisty Illinois-based squad bolstered by three Michiganders.
Tugs hit a three-pointer and poked home a two-handed jam late, but the game was way, way out of reach before both baskets.
For the last two years Bowen has been highly-respected. Wiping away all the justified hype he still put in the work and furthered his reputation Wednesday night.
Bowen finished with 19 points (8-14 FG's), 6 rebounds, and five assists. Livers gave 12 points and Nojel Eastern was very good in the open floor. The elegant lefty could have scored 20 if he decided to. Overall Meanstreets played a balanced, defensive game and earned the win.
Other coaches in attendance included: SLU Head Coach Travis Ford, Illinois Head Coach John Groce, Arkansas Head Coach Mike Anderson, DePaul Head Coach Dave Leitao, Oakland Assistant, EMU Assistant, UMKC Head Coach Kareem Richardson, Maryland Assistant Coach, Milwaukee Assistant Coach, Indiana State Assistant Coach.
