Basketball season came down to the most exciting day of the year!
IMPACT basketball players were in the finals on Saturday as the 5 teams from different divisions were competing for 4 championships!
1st Game – U14 Div II 3rd-place game: HKIS Red Hawks vs Bob the Builders
Red Hawks started the game with F Hunter Laront, Michael Nolasco and C Noble Nikkel scoring 2 baskets each but Bob the Builders were able to make their shots and 5 players were already on the score board in the first half. Red Hawks G Asier Ezcurra made a free-throw and another basket before the break but the Reds were trailing by 2 points at the half.
The Builders started the 2nd half strong. They were more aggressive and extended their lead after all 7 players were able to put up points. Even though the Reds were able to make a late run when G Christopher Hathaway scored 4 points and Michael Chung added a basket down the stretch, it was Bob the Builders who came away with the victory and a bronze medal.
2nd game – U14 Div II Final: HKIS U12 Yellow Hawks Elite vs SPC Ballers
This special group of talented 5th and 6th graders were trying to become the first U12 team to win a U14 division. Right from the beginning, it was 5th grader Anthony Shen who showed the biggest determination as he was relentless on the offensive glass, flying in to snatch rebounds away from taller opponents. No coincidence, it was Anthony who scored the first basket for the team, followed by a 3-point play from C Turner Jackson.
From there, it was Jengus Ercil who started taking over the game, scoring the next 3 baskets. He already had 10 points at half time and he helped give the Yellows a 5-point lead.
SPC Ballers’ Cyrus Leung kept his hot shooting streak going as he single-handedly kept his team in the game. He scored 32 of his team’s 41 points but it still wasn’t enough. The Yellows countered with unmatched pace and excellent ball movement. Speedy guard trio Joshua Kim, Jacob Kwon and Sam Faiola kept pushing the pace, hitting outside jumpers and setting up their teammates. Frontline Liam Barney, Luke Laskowski and Mark Gikas once again provided defense and rebounding but all 3 players also showed an ability to make plays for teammates and they also provided timely buckets when the team needed it.
The Yellow Hawks defeated SPC 52:41 and won their first U14 championship.
3rd game – U12 Div II Final: HKIS Yellow Hawks vs ISF Academy
This game was as exciting as any other division game! It was back and forth all the way until the final seconds when C Bobby Li hit a free-throw to force overtime. In the OT, Felix Chau made 2 more baskets and Lucas Jung added a free-throw to tie the game and the game went to a 2nd overtime!
Unfortunately, for the Yellows, they turned the ball over in crucial moments of the 2nd OT and ISF prevailed.
Final score – 24:22. ISF Academy took the U12 Div II title.
4th game – U12 Div I Final: HKIS Yellow Hawks vs HKIS Blue Hawks
This was the most anticipated game of the playoffs. These 2 teams played against each other twice during the season when they were at full strength and both games were decided by 1 basket. These players have been practicing together for the whole season and they are good friends as well as good rivals!
The Blues started the game with a strong focus on the defensive end of the floor. Lead guard Gavin Greaton put huge pressure on Yellows PG Chetan Jolly and Bayard Winegar was inserted into the starting lineup to guard high-scoring F Tyler Martinez.
The game plan worked for the Blues at the beginning as the Yellows were unable to get into their normal rhythm. On the defensive end, they gave up 2 uncontested layups to Bayard. After a timeout, the Yellows regrouped and started playing more efficiently as Chetan, Tyler, Lecholas Njomin and C Eshaan Chatrath all got on the score board. The game was close and there were good matchups between Blues SG Arnav Panagrahi, F Jonathan Brennan, Trevor Cheh, sixth-man Ryan Chan and Yellows’ Jaiden Poon, Nicholas Chan, Jonathan Cheng and Lecholas.
But the Yellows were missing William Vanica‘s firepower and on the other hand, C Edmund Lin, Jack Sulger and G Misha Harford were able to provide sparks when the Blues needed it.
After 2 key steals by Gavin, the Blues pulled away on the strength of their fast break. The final score was 28:21 and the Blue Hawks became the U12 Div I Champions.
Last game of the day – U14 Division I Final: HKIS Purple Hawks Elite vs FIS Blue Devils
These 2 teams have had some tough battles during this season and they split the season series 2:2 but the intensity of this final game was unmatched by any of the previous meetings.
The Purples had a great start as Ismael Benmoussa, Josh Pak and Lorenzo Garcia were executing and making shots. With F Jhinjay Kim providing toughness and rebounding, and Justin Sudiman, Davis Tsai and Tyler Tom pushing the pace and scoring, the Purples were ahead most of the game.
But it was the Blue Devils‘ duo of Gaspard Artaux and Darren Sung who kept them within striking distance. Especially Gaspard, who was on fire, scoring 24 of his game-high 29 points in the second half.
The Devils were up by 5 points with 2 minutes to go until Mark To got hot from downtown. He hit a three while getting fouled, went to the line and calmly sank the free-throw. After a basket by the Devils, Mark drained a huge three to tie the game and send it into overtime.
F Tim Alexander Meyerhoff and Alex Warburg came off the bench and contributed nicely on the defensive end, helping the Purples make crucial stops during OT and Mark came up big again. He made another 4-point play down the stretch to seal the victory.
The Purple Hawks won this emotional game 56:50 to clinch the U14 Div I Title.
Stay in the gym! Work on your game over the summer with IMPACT Basketball Training!