Bryan/College Station GASO: Bracket Play Recaps
The brackets have been set and title runs are about to be made in Aggieland. Stay up to date on all the championship action with TexasHoops.com's Lyndon Cook.
Rudder Varsity 65 Central Texas Starzz 61
Korbin Cunningham (Rudder 2019) is proving to be a local diamond in the rough, dropping 29 in the first round of bracket play in a 4-point win over Central Texas Starzz. Cunningham scored 21 of his 29 in the second half to give Rudder the boost they needed to get the win. Antoine Henderson (Rudder 2018) manned the middle for Rudder, scoring 10 on the interior. Tyrese Cooley (Copperas Cove 2018) put in the work for Central Texas, scoring 18 to go with 16 from Shalimar Whitfield (Harker Heights 2017).
NJH Elite 17U 59 The Program 17U Red 57
Joshua Spencer (Mt Pleasant 2018) scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half as NJH came from behind to eliminate The Program Red in GASO bracket play. Buddy McGill (Mt Pleasant 2018) turned in a gritty 15-point game, with Jared Peel (Kimball 2018) adding 1o as NJH advanced. The Program Red ended their weekend after another respectable showing at the GASO. Courtney Murrell (Hebron 2018) scored 16 and Kadon Lewis (Parish 2018) chipped in with 15 in the loss.
Triumph Gold 75 Urban DFW Elite 16U 66
David Nzekwesi (Byron Nelson 2018) was dominant in the second half, scoring 22 of his team-leading 24 points after the break to lead Triumph Gold to the win over Urban DFW 16U. Nzekwesi stayed inside and used his six-foot-9 frame to bully his way into some easy looks around the bucket, while Isaiah Stevens (Allen 2019) went for 17 in another collected performance. Ray Pugh (Cedar Hill 2018) added 10 as Triumph advanced. Urban 16U lost out to an older and more experienced team but still showed the heart and skill that makes them dangerous no matter who they face. Isaiah Lewis (Frisco Lone Star 2019) was solid again with 17, with Zakhari Franklin (Cedar Hill 2019) tallying 14 in the loss.
Rudder Varsity 67 SABO Gold 56
Rudder High's varsity team continued their run at the GASO championship, on the back of inspired play from Korbin Cunningham (Rudder 2019). Cunningham got off to a slow start but finished with 19 points on the day, to go with a combined 24 points from Antoine Henderson (2018) and Nick Smith (2019). Michael Bradley (Cornerstone Christian 2018) went toe-to-toe with Cunningham, and came away with 18 in a great matchup at the guard position. Avery Theus (Brandeis 2018) helped out with 14 as SABO was eliminated.
Houston Rockstars 16U 77 3D Empire 76
Houston Rockstars 16U turned some heads after upsetting perennial GASO contenders 3D Empire by 1 in their quarterfinal matchup, thanks in large part to a 41-point eruption from Tyron Henry (Shadow Creek 2019). Henry sprang onto the TexasHoops/GASO staff's radar after scoring 32 points in the second half to help edge out Empire at the wire. Dylan Smith (Atascocita 2019) tallied 10 in the win. Braylen Young (Keller Central 2018) did his best to fire 3D Empire into the semis, hitting 6 threes and finishing with 21 points. Mason Hix (Northwest 2018) started slow but got it going in the second, ending up with 16 for the game.
RL9 17U Elite 68 Centex Lockdown Elite 41
RL9 17U Elite rolled past Centex Lockdown, getting production from all over the court in a 27-point win in their bracket quarterfinal. Andrew Nguyen (CyFalls 2018) put up 16 points to continue an impressive weekend in Bryan/College Station. Terrion Miller (Pro Vision 2017) and Nygal Russell (CWA 2018) went for 14 a piece as RL9 moved to the semifinals. Dayante McClellan (Del Valle 2017) scored 17 as Centex's bid for back-to-back GASO championships was put to an end.