Prep Hoops 10 Best: Adidas Summer Finale Championship Game
To close out one of the biggest tournaments in Las Vegas, Team Loaded VA met with NE Playaz for the second time this week, and it didn’t disappoint. In a game that had over 20 lead changes, there was no clear cut better team, but after losing by double digits earlier in the week the Loaded VA team was hungry for revenge. They did it in dramatic fashion, with the go-ahead basket coming with less than 20 seconds left, and they were able to get a stop and hold on for a 56-54 win. Here’s some notes from the nail biter!
MVP: Kiyon Boyd | Team Loaded VA 2018
While the Team Loaded attack was very balanced, Boyd gets the nod for his go-ahead layup with just under 20 seconds remaining. He finished tied for the team high in points with 12, and eight of those came in the second half. He made tough shots throughout the game, and was huge down the stretch for them. He also banked in a midrange jumper at the buzzer before halftime, giving them momentum that they needed heading into the second half. Simply put, without Boyd Loaded doesn’t win the game.
Play of the Game
With Loaded trailing by two and the Playaz with the ball, Boyd did a good job closing out on the shooter, gathered the long rebound and went coast-to-coast for the finish. There were plenty of plays you could look at as more flashy, but none came at a more timely moment than that one.
Best Offensive Performer | Chris Doherty | NE Playaz 2018
Going against what is widely considered the best front court in all of the Adidas Gauntlet, Doherty did a great job on both ends of the floor. He finished with a game high 14 points and a team high six rebounds, and despite being just 6’7” to Loaded’s front line of 6’8”, 6’9” and 6’10” he found ways to assert himself and owned the paint when he needed to.
Best Defensive Performer | Tyson Walker | NE Playaz 2018
Walker is a lightning quick guard that is listed at 5’11”, but that may be a stretch. However, he used his quickness to stay in front of ball handlers, shoot passing lanes for steals and provided pressure that never let the Loaded guards get into a true rhythm. He also pitched in nine points and two assists, and played the last four minutes with a badly turned ankle.
Best Guy off the Bench | Oscar Tshiewbe | Team Loaded VA 2019
While the starting front court of Armando Bacot and David McCormack get most of the attention nationally, Tshiewbe was huge off the bench and provided that blue collar mentality that every team needs in the paint. He came off the bench and was effective immediately, hitting the glass on both ends and scoring four points in the first half. While he didn’t score in the second half, he was still a presence on the glass, finishing with a game high 11 rebounds.
Best Intangibles | Jaelin Llewellyn | Team Loaded VA 2018
Llewellyn was the catalyst in their semifinal blowout over Compton Magic where he had 16 points on 7-for-8 shooting and pitched in eight rebounds and four assists. While he didn’t put up those big numbers, he was great in controlling the pace of the game, pressuring ball handlers defensively and leading his team. His impact on the game was much bigger than his four points, four rebounds and four assist stat line showed.
Best Underclassman | Armando Bacot | Team Loaded VA 2019
Bacot is the super skilled guy of the front court, and he showed that by scoring 12 points and grabbing five rebounds throughout the game. He showed good footwork in the post, finished well with both hands and showed good vision and passing ability from the high post too. As he continues to get his body right, expect for him to be one of the top returners on the Adidas Gauntlet next season.
Best Under-the-Radar Performance | Chris Doherty | NE Playaz 2018
Doherty isn’t the most highly recruited kid, with five offers coming from low and mid major programs, but the way he competed against two nationally ranked big men should open coaches eyes moving forward. He competed throughout the game, wasn’t afraid to bang with the bigger bodies and he finished above the rim with ease. He’s the kind of guy who maybe doesn’t check all of the boxes physically, but the way he produces you can’t really argue with.
Best Catch and Shoot Guy | Rasir Bolton | Team Loaded VA 2018
In what was a pretty poor shooting game for both teams, Bolton was the only player to hit multiple three-pointers on the Loaded team. The recent Penn State commit hit one to open both halves, and once he did the Playaz weren’t going to let them beat him so they denied him behind the arc. It was probably a good idea, because if they let him continue to get good looks he likely would have burned them more than once.
Best Aspect of the Environment | The Celebration
There’s nothing like celebrating a championship, and this one being Loaded’s second Summer Finale Championship in three years they did things a little different this time. While there weren’t water or gatorade coolers available to dump on their coaches, they just used water bottles, and the whole team got Head Coach Michael Blackwell pretty good, as you can see from the video!