This weekend the Great American Shoot-Out heads to Aggieland, with TexasHoops.com's Lyndon Cook keeping you up to date on all the marquee matchups from Bryan/College Station.
San Antonio Spurs 65 Houston Defenders 59
Isaac Nwosu (SA Madison 2018) tipped off his Bryan/College Station GASO in some style, turning in a 28-point performance to set the tone for an opening round win over Houston Defenders. Nwosu threw down a pair of powerful jams on the way to the win, with Koby Kerestes (Boerne Champion 2018) going for 10 and Kade Parker (Boerne Champion 2018) running the show at the point. Defenders hung tough for much of the game, but even a late stretch of hot shooting from D'Onta Smith (Baytown GCM 2018) could not wrestle control away from Spurs. Smith would end up with 17, while teammates Jaydon Coleman (2018) and Claudiuas Joseph (Baytown GCM 2018) would combine to go for 22 in the loss.
NJH Elite 17U 78 Bryan (HS) Blue 65
NJH Elite found their rhythm in the second half and used that to propel them to a 13-point opening night victory at the Bryan/College Station GASO. Buddy McGill (Mt Pleasant 2018) was putting up numbers for the second week in a row, scoring a team high 20 to go with 16 from Malik Foster (South Oak Cliff 2018). Jared Peel (Kimball 2018) added 10 in the win.
Though he normally plies his trade with Texas PRO, Bryan's Zach Nutall (2018) represented his high school team well with a 15-point game. Nutall is a slick finisher around the hoop, but was unable to carry his team to the win. Jaqwan Washington (Bryan 2018) led the team with 19, as Johnathon Wells (Bryan 2019) dropped 18.
Houston Hoops 66 Triumph Black 59
Houston Hoops went on a 14-2 run to close the game and take home the win in their first game of pool play over Triumph Black. Denman Kane (2018) hit 4 threes on the way to scoring 14, with Travon Gibson (2018) and Jackson Moffatt (2018) scoring 12 a piece. Stacy Thomas was big on the defensive end with a handful of blocks and 7 points. Barrett Harms went for a game high 22, with Day Day Hall chipping in with 10.
3D Empire 87 Centex Lockdown Elite 83 F/OT
3D Empire slipped past Centex Lockdown in overtime in a thrilling affair. The game ended after a ghost foul call on a desperation shot as time expired, with a Centex coach earning a tech and 3D going 4 for 4 from the line to end the game. You would be hard pressed to find a hotter backcourt duo from behind the arc than 3D's Braylen Young (Keller Central 2018) and Carson Hughes (Keller 2018) combining for 9 threes in the game, posting games of 23 and 22 respectively. Mason Hix (Northwest 2018) was getting it done on the inside for 3D, going for 19 in this one. After winning their bracket in the Memorial Day GASO the past weekend, Centex Lockdown got great production from Dayante McClellan (Del Valle 2017) with 23 and Luke Hamilton (Lake Travis 2018) going for 14.
Triumph Gold 69 Texas Elite - Mitch 60
Triumph Gold used a 48-point outburst in the first half to boost them to a victory over Texas Elite in the Bryan/College Station GASO's nightcap game. Scoring dropped off almost completely in the second half for both teams, but the damage had already been done. Triumph were led by a 22-point game from big man David Nzekwesi (Byron Nelson 2018), who also stepped out and hit 2 threes. Ray Pugh (Cedar Hill 2018) scored all of his 15 in the first half, while Isaiah Stevens (Allen 2019) went for 14. Kristopher Dixon (Dawson 2018) continued to be one of the top performers on the GASO circuit, tallying 20 in this one. Kenan Mitchell (Shadow Creek 2018) and David Nickell (Atascocita 2018) both had 14-point games in the loss.
