The Finale 2019: Best of the rest from Friday
I was stationed at The Hive Sports Complex in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for the Friday evening portion of The Finale 2019. Typically, we’re asked to write about superlatives, such as “best shooters” or “best rebounders.” However, my ever-distracted conscious always draws…
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Continue ReadingI was stationed at The Hive Sports Complex in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for the Friday evening portion of The Finale 2019. Typically, we’re asked to write about superlatives, such as “best shooters” or “best rebounders.” However, my ever-distracted conscious always draws its attention to more unorthodox favorites. Friday night, these were the “best of the rest”:
Best kick game — Cory McClelland & Montez Edwards 2022 Lawton Ball So Hard point guard(s)
Cory McClelland and Montez Edwards combined to be one of the more athletic scoring backcourts in the 15U division on Friday, leading Ball So Hard to a win in the process. I noticed that both McClelland and Edwards were wearing a different KD 11 color-way on each foot, rocking three total color-ways. It turns out that the dynamic duo shares more than the basketball – they wear the same shoe size as well and regularly swap kicks.
Best hair — Eli Moulton Norman North 2022 guard
On the floor, Eli Moulton is best known for tormenting opposing teams with his scoring versatility and intense defense. Off the floor, he’s best known as the No. 1 consumer of Head & Shoulders. Moulton was even cooking defenses Friday night in the 15U age bracket without a headband.
Biggest break — Missouri Flight Blue
Missouri Flight Blue truly played AAU Bingo in its finest form Friday evening when it came back from a 5-point deficit to force a second overtime period and eventually conquer AET Elite 15U. There’s one catch, however: Flight should have never tied the game in the first overtime period. With 16 seconds left AET, leading by two, it stepped up to the line to shoot a pair of free throws. Because it was in the double-bonus, AET had two attempts to extend its lead. However, after missing the first shot, Missouri Flight gathered the rebound and passed the ball down floor to Colin Ruffin (pictured above) who tied the game up as the clock expired. Meanwhile, half of the AET team stood at the opposite end of the floor pleading that it had another free throw to shoot. But I guess the referees were just as tired as the rest of us and decided to let it slide. Missouri Flight would go on to win in the second OT. AAU is crazy.