NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. – Andrew Wiggins vs. Julius Randle … the mano-a-mano battle surpassed the hype. Many are calling it one of the great club circuit games they’ve witnessed.
CIA Bounce rallied in the second half, forcing overtime and taking a thrilling 81-80 victory over the Team Texas Titans on Friday night Riverview Park Activities Center in the 17U bracket of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League.
The victory clinched a berth in the quarterfinals for the Canadians but the Texans are hanging by a thread needing a win on Saturday morning.
The duel between the top rising senior and junior packed the court as coaches and spectators squeezed into every inch to witness summer basketball history.
Randle, the 6-foot-10 senior center from Prestonwood Christian Academy in Plano, Texas, didn’t put up the big numbers but finished with 15 points (7 of 12 shooting), 13 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
Wiggins, a spitfire junior forward from Windsor, Ontario and plays at Huntington (W.Va.) Prep, lit up the Texans for 28 points (12 of 26 shooting), 13 rebounds and three blocks in 35 minutes.
When the Titans grabbed a 34-25 lead at the break, CIA refused to lose, forcing the extra session.
Additionally, it’s hard to believe but a few regulars were kicked to the curb Friday, sending waves through the 17U EYBL bracket. Bid an adieu to Boo Williams, BABC, California Supreme, Indy Spiece and Baltimore Elite. All were eliminated from the quarters but could be spoilers on Saturday.
Setting up Saturday
It’s a wild finish here at the Riverview Park Activities Center and nearly all 12 of the 17U EYBL games will impact the final standings and who will qualify for the playoff spots. Three tickets have been punched already as CP3 All-Stars, Oakland Soldiers and CIA Bounce are all 4-0 heading into their final pool games.
In Pool C, CIA is in but three teams at 2-2 are vying for the second automatic berth to the quarterfinals. Team Texas Titans and Mac Irvin Fire meet at 10:30 while Howard Pulley needs to avoid an upset against BABC at noon.
In Pool B, Oakland Soldiers are in but could drop to second place if they lose to Team United (3-1) at 9 a.m. If the Soldiers win and N.J. Playaz beat winless Boo Williams at noon, the Playaz advance.
Pools A and D are up in the air, with CIA the only guarantee out of A. At 9, Mean Streets and The Family battle in Pool D, while MoKan and Arkansas Wings are tussling at noon in A. Should be quite a finish.
Top Performers
Each session there were superlative efforts and here are a few from the morning games.
Lennard Freeman, a 6-foot-8 forward from Team Takeover registered a double-double, 11 points and 13 rebounds, and blocked three shots in a 78-72 win over Mean Streets. Freeman, a rising senior from St. John’s (Washington, D.C.), had a breakout game in front of several prominent coaches, including Pitt’s Jamie Dixon, VCU’s Shaka Smart, Marquette’s Buzz Williams and Ohio State’s Thad Matta.
Reggie Cameron had 21 point on 8 of 19 shooting and grabbed five rebounds propelling N.J. Playaz over Team United, 72-46.
In the top game of the session, Tyus Jones of Howard Pulley (Minn.) put on a show with 27 points (11 of 19 shooting), four rebounds, eight assist and only two turnovers in 32 minutes in a 74-65 win over Team Texas Titans. Stud center Julius Randle had 31 points and 17 rebounds in a loss.
Rene Castro helped BABC (Boston, Mass.) win its first game, rallying from 11 points at halftime, to record a 62-60 triumph over Wisconsin Playground. Castro is a 6-1 rising senior from Worcester (Mass.) Academy and dropped in several crucial late free throws.
Kameron Williams scored 24 points and snared 10 rebounds as The Family tipped Baltimore Elite, 78-71.
Theo Pinson flipped in 23 points, making 9 of 10 shots, and added three rebounds and two assists as CP3 (N.C.) eliminated California Supreme, 75-71.
Tyler Ennis had 21 points (7 of 10 shooting), four rebounds and three assists for CIA Bounce (Toronto, Ontario) ripped Mac Irvin Fire (Chicago), 85-68. Sterling Brown had 19 points and nine boards in the loss.
The evening session had plenty action as 6-9 Bobby Portis off Hall (Little Rock, Ar.) struck for 17 points, hitting 8 of 9 shots, eight assists and four rebounds as the Arkansas Wings clipped Bluff City Legends, 63-51. The win keeps the Wings alive at 2-2. Portis has verballed to Arkansas.
B.J. Johnson, a 6-7 rising senior from Lower Merion (Ardmore, Pa.) pumped in 18 points and grabbed six rebounds helping Team Final over the N.J. Playaz, 53-48. Johnson has offers from Boston College and Penn State.
The Wisconsin Playground finally recorded a victory in a border war during an n 83-77 upset over Howard Pulley (Minneapolis). Duane Wilson Jr. of Dominican (Milwaukee) hit for 29 points (5 of 8 three-pointers), three assists and two steals. Wilson is a 6-3 rising senior headed for Marquette. Tyus Jones produced a 31-point, 10-assist double-double in the loss.
Joel Berry, who captured gold earlier this month with the USA Basketball 17U Team at the FIBA World Championships, had 20 points (sinking all 12 free throws), eight assists and three boards as E1T1 topped the previously undefeated Family (Detroit), 86-77. Family’s Elbert “EC” Matthews of Romulus (Mich.) had 27 points.
Keith Frazier scored 27 points as the Houston Hoops dumped winless California Supreme, 75-62.
Kennedy Meeks had 13 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks as Team United held off Indy Spiece, 64-61.
Xavier Rathan-Mayes contributed 22 points (with four three-pointers) as CIA Bounce beat Team Texas Titans in overtime. Matthew Jones had 26 points and four rebounds in a loss.
Nigel Hayes’ 15-point, 13-rebound performance boosted All Ohio Red over Mean Streets, 73-69.
Diante Baldwin flipped in 17 points, sinking 8 of 9 shots, as CPC (Winston-Salem, N.C.) stopped MoKan, 60-57.
Aaron Gordon, a rising senior forward from Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) had 18 points and 12 rebounds leading the Oakland Soldiers over Boo Williams, 60-53.
17U Standings (after four games)
Pool A: CP3 All-Stars 4-0; MoKan Elite 3-1, Houston Hoops 3-1, Arkansas Wings 2-2, Bluff City Legends 0-4, California Supreme 0-4. Pool B: Oakland Soldiers 4-0, Team United 3-1, N.J. Playaz 2-2, Team Final 2-2, Indy Spiece 1-3, Boo Williams 0-4. Pool C: CIA Bounce 4-0, Team Texas Titans 2-2, Howard Pulley 2-2, Mac Irvin Fire 2-2, , BABC 1-3, Wisconsin Playground 1-3. Pool D: E1T1 3-1, The Family 3-1, All Ohio Red 2-2, Mean Streets 2-2, Team Takeover 1-3; Baltimore Elite 0-4.
The top two teams in each pool advance to Saturday’s quarterfinals, tipping at 6 p.m. The semifinals are Sunday morning; the championship game follows at 3 p.m.
