AAU 17U Nationals Live Blog Coverage
July 30th, 2007 Posted in AAU Basketball(tournament coverage, photo, and video highlights here)
Roe finished with 26 points. Ware scored 29, including 14 fourth-quarter points.
Ware launched a shot from midcourt and came crashing down on the scorer’s table. The shot was on line but a foot short of the rim. King of the Court holds on to win 58-56.
No. 24 scores on another power move inside to give King of the Court a 58-56 lead. There was 3.3 seconds on the clock, but the referee pushed it up to 3.7 seconds as Inner Strength Black used a timeout. They’ll have to go the full length of the floor.
Ware hit the first shot, but he missed the second. It’s 56-56, and King of the Court is holding the ball for the last shot. With 18.2 seconds to play, their coach calls a full timeout to work on a play.
Ware lost control, but he drew yet another foul. He went to the line with 38.5 seconds to play. One of the guards for King of the Court fouled out.
Ware is flying around the perimeter swiping at the ball as players dribble. But he came up with nothing, and Ward fouled out. Perhaps that is why he wasn’t playing earlier in the game. Apparently, he drew some early fouls.
One of the guards for King of the Court picked up his fourth foul, sending Ware to the line. Ware hit both of them to make it a 56-55 game with 1:35 to play.
Ware drained a three-pointer, and Inner Strength is in business. They trail 55-53 with 2:09 to play in regulation.
J.C. Ward, who hasn’t had much floor time tonight, has checked into the lineup. His first business was to be called for traveling. Then he tangled up with a player enough to cause the referee to whistle for both to “knock it off.”
Ware drove in wildly and drew a foul, which didn’t sit well with the coach for King of the Court. Ware hit both foul shots, and Inner Strength trails 52-51.
Inner Strength just broke away in transition. Matt Sundberg just hit a layup and drew a foul. He converted to make it 49-47.
No. 24 just went inside and scored on a left-handed layup that hit high on the glass. He has a nice touch, but he just found nothing but air on a three-point attempt.
Inner Strength has sliced into the lead. The Georgia squad now trails 47-42 with 6:24 to play in the final period.
The buzzer sounds, and it’s still 45-37. I’ve just become aware that the uniforms of the guests say “King of the Court.” Apparently, that’s all singular. One king. One court. Right now, it’s this court.
The third period is winding down, and Kings of the Court is building a good lead. They called timeout with 6.7 seconds to play in the period. They lead 45-37.
Ware has 11 points at the half for Inner Strength. Delvon Roe has 14 for Kings of the Court. Someone, presumably a college coach, just stopped by the scorer’s table to check on Roe’s numbers. Despite what his coach said to the referee, Roe appears to have maintained the complexion of the game.
Kings of the Court scored a trey just before halftime to take a 29-27 lead.
Dustin Ware is having another strong game for Inner Strength-Black. He scored on a finger roll to give Georgia’s finest a 27-23 lead, but King of the Court answered with a basket and then used their own timeout.
With 3:20 to play in the second period, Inner Strength leads 23-19. Their coach has burned a 30-second timeout to discuss how the team can approach the Kings of the Court defense, which is shutting down the inside and neutralizing the presence of 6-6 center Yaw Gyawu.
The media guide appears to lack a roster for King of the Court. Had there been more than five minutes between the last game and this one, I might have been able to remedy that situation. Instead, I’m just going to tell you that King of the Court features a No. 24 who is 6-8. This post player, apparently, is a key to his team’s success. I make this assumption after hearing his coach tell a referee, “The ticky-tacky fouls on my starting center just ain’t right. It just changes the complexion of this game.”
With the short break between games, tonight’s blog is a little late. It’s 7:35 in the second period, and Inner Strength-Black leads 16-14 against Kings of the Court in a Sweet Sixteen matchup that will decide which team advances to Tuesday’s noon quarterfinal game against the winner of the New Mexico Lobos-Ambassadors game, which is being played on an adjacent court.
