Elevate Hoops: EOS championship notebook
By Robert Alfonso Jr.
KING OF PRUSSIA, PA – The travel basketball season came to a close on Sunday across the country. Teams playing in the End of Summer Classic at Competitive Edge Sports had a chance to end on a positive note.
17U: Maryland’s captures championship
During the last hours of the Live period fatigue kicks in quickly. The teams in the final have dig deep into its physical reserve to walk away champions.
Maryland 3D used everything it had to beat the South Jersey Jazz 73-68.
Both teams went on a series of runs throughout the game. Maryland’s run in the middle of the second half helped it stretch its lead on the Under Armor sponsored team.
Isaiah Burnett’s perimeter shooting helped start the run. The 6-foot-4 guard nailed several three-pointers bumping the Maryland teams lead into double digits. Burnett was one of three players to score 13 points in the finals. Jaden Robinson and Bryce Butler chipped in with the same total.
South Jersey, while its lineup was depleted by injuries, did not give in easily. The trio of Ryan Legler, Nick Amechi and Kristian Alexander did everything it could to counter Maryland’s run.
Amechi started the perimeter onslaught. The St. Augustine Prep product nailed five three-pointers, which were timely or critical throughout the game. His effort led to a team-high 19 points. Alexander, an East Stroudsburg University commit, chipped in with 17 points by attacking the basket and the occasional jumper. Legler ran off a few screens to nail a few threes for 11 points.
16U: B’more dominates title game
Baltimore Elite used length and speed all weekend. Things did not change as it ran away with a 64-46 win over Team Final Black.
Baltimore set the tone on defense. It forced Team Final into countless turnovers, which led to easy buckets. Leading the run was DeShawn Phillip. The slinky 6-foot-5 guard benefit from a few easy baskets and finished on all levels of the floor. He finished with a team-high 14 points. Melik Martin contributed with 11 points.
Randy Rickards led Team Final with 17 points. Many of those points came from the domination of the interior. He got some help from Jawan Roane who had 10 points.
15U: Team Final Blue takes title from Black
Whenever a program has two quality teams the chances of them playing in the championship of tournaments are high.
This was the case in the 15U championship as Team Final Blue played its program brethren Team Final Black 60-44.
Mark Bradshaw was going to make sure his team would come out on top. The Archbishop Carroll guard applied pressure to the Team Final Black guards. His havoc helped Blue extend the lead. Bradshaw finished with 12 points. Shawn Johnson added 10 points.
Jordan Drew did everything within to keep Team Final Black in the game. Drew scored a game-high 20 points.
About the Author
Alfonso
Robert Alfonso Jr. is a graduate of Mount Sait Mary College. He has more than 20 years of journalism experience. Alfonso has helped build a basketball web brand in Georgia and has covered high school through college sports for publications in New York, North Carolina, and Georgia. His mission has always been to uplift the athletes who play sports providing them the exposure needed in this new media platform.