CBB: Final Four Week Festivities
Even though it is the week of the Final Four, in which most people are looking forward to No. 1 Gonzaga taking on No. 7 South Carolina and No. 1 North Carolina facing off against No. 3 Oregon, most of the week leading up to the season's biggest games, was focused on the future college superstars. On Monday, Collin Sexton (No. 10 recruit, Alabama commit) stole the show, winning the slam dunk contest with a number of explosive dunks, standing at just six-three. Trae Young (No. 15 recruit, Oklahoma commit) also made a statement, winning the three-point shootout.
The next day, it was the NIT semifinals. No. 6 Georgia Tech defeated No. 8 Cal-State Bakersfield, who was looking to be the first No. 8 seed to win the NIT, 76-61. Josh Pastner's crew, led by freshman Josh Okogie, jumped out to a 10-point lead and didn't look back. Okogie had 22 points and nine rebounds. No. 4 TCU defeated No. 4 Central Florida in the second semifinal, 68-53. Alex Robinson had just five points and six assists, but his ability to pass the ball and defend made a huge difference. Kenrich Williams also added 14 points.
Then on Wednesday, the McDonald's All-American game took place. Two days after the Powerade Jam Fest, 24 of the best high school seniors in the country, took center stage in Chicago, Illinois, at the United Center. Michael Porter Jr. (No. 1 recruit, Missouri commit) won the MVP Award, totaling 17 points and nine rebounds on 46.1 percent shooting, as the West defeated the East, 109-107. Tony Brown Jr. (No. 17 recruit, Oregon commit) knocked down 55.5 percent of his shots to score 12 points.
The aforementioned Sexton, who is one of the more flashy players you'll see, gave the crowd exactly what they wanted, notching eight points, seven assists, and four steals, including a handful of spectacular passes. DeAndre Ayton (No. 2 recruit, Arizona commit), put up eight points but the majority of his work was shown on the glass. He grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, including nine offensive. It was a great showing for the best high school seniors in the country, and solidified Porter's top ranking.
On Thursday, No. 4 TCU was crowned the NIT champion, with their 88-56 stomping of No. 6 Georgia Tech. Robinson, Williams, and Co. played arguably their best game of the season, to take the crown. Robinson had 10 points and 11 assists. Williams contributed 25 points on 57.1 percent shooting. In the college slam dunk contest, on the same night, East Tennessee State's A.J. Merriweather was the best dunker through the first two rounds, but because he missed every dunk in the final round, Georgetown's Rodney Pryor came away with the victory.
As for the three-point championship, Iowa's Peter Jok scored 20+ points in each round, defeating the likes of DeWayne Russell (Grand Canyon), Derrick Walton Jr. (Michigan), Matt Jones (Duke), and others. Kindred Wesemann, the senior out of Kansas State, won the women's three-point title. In the semifinals of the Dick's Sporting Goods Nationals Tournament on Friday, No. 3 Montverde (FL) ran over No. 7 Greensboro Day (NC), led by R.J. Barrett, who is ESPN's No. 1 recruit in the 2019 class. He has been the best player I've seen all week long.
Barrett is dominating against players one- and two-years older than him. He scored 26 points, hitting 74 percent of his shots. Also, No. 1 La Lumiere (IN) slipped past perennial powerhouse No. 4 Findlay Prep (NV), 54-52, behind Brian Bowen's 19 points and Jaren Jackson Jr (No. 16 recruit, Michigan State commit). However, the highlight of the night came from Dallas where the women's Final Four took place. No. 2 Mississippi State shocked the world, defeating No. 1 UCONN, 66-64 in overtime, ending the Huskies' 111-game winning streak.
The streak stretched more than three years. Morgan William drilled the game-winner to vault the Bulldogs to the title game, where they'll face SEC foe South Carolina on Sunday night. The next day, in the Dick's Nationals Championship Game, No. 1 La Lumiere (IN) got redemption after losing in the title game last year. Bowen, Jackson, and Jordan Poole (Michigan commit) led the team over No. 3 Montverde (FL), 70-52. Barrett, who scored 20+ points in each of Montverde's three games in New York, was the best player there, but La Lumiere was the best team and they proved it. Bowen finished with 15 points and seven rebounds in the championship.
Photo Credit: Bleacher Report.
