GASO: Showtyme wins NBA championship

CARROLLTON, Texas - Dallas Showtyme Elite 17s beat the Dallas Mustangs in a pool-play game at the Memorial Day Great American Shoot-Out Saturday night. On Monday, Showtyme wanted to show that Saturday's win -- which was decided on a last-second shot -- wasn't a fluke victory.

Showtyme defeated the Mustangs, 71-69, in the GASO NBA Division championship game at the Integrated Athletic Development. The game featured several of the state's top-ranked players in a clash of two of the most respected AAU programs in the Dallas area.

Showtyme has won the last two GASO summer tournaments, as it claimed the 300-plus-team event in Denton last July. Showtyme lost in the finals of last year's Memorial Day GASO, but players celebrated on Monday after defeating a Mustangs team that many consider one of the premier teams in the nation.

"We knew what we were capable of doing when everyone's here," Showtyme coach Erven "Big E" Davis said. "This was the first time we had most of the team together. The Mustangs are a good team and we've got all the respect in the world for them. We know that if we can play with them, we can play with anyone in the country, and we persevered."

Showtyme had to hold off the Mustangs in the final two minutes of the game. Showtyme led by eight, but the Mustangs received late 3-pointers from J.J. Thompson and Jherrod Stiggers to close the gap. Showtyme's Kevin Wagner was sent to the free throw line with 1.1 seconds left, and though he missed the attempt, Wesley Davis grabbed the rebound to preserve the win.

Jalen Jones was Showtyme's leading scorer Monday afternoon, finishing with 21 points in the final. Jones was the player who hit the buzzer-beating 3-pointer in Showtyme's pool-play win against the Mustangs.

Also contributing to Showtyme's scoring was Jarion Henry, who had 15 of his 17 points in the second half. Davis added 16 points in the win. Ben Dillard led the Mustangs with 17 points, while Luke Mergerson (14 points), Thompson (13) and Stiggers (12) also finished with double figures in scoring. National top-five player LeBryan Nash was held to six points.

Davis was elated after watching two of his Showtyme teams fare well in the tournament. Dallas Showtyme White 17s was unbeaten in pool play and beat the TX Bluechips-Navy in the first round of the GASO championship bracket, but Showtyme White voluntarily forfeited its second-round game - a game that would have been against Showtyme Elite.

On the flip side, the Mustangs had to overcome quite a bit on Monday. The team needed overtime to defeat Urban DFW Elite 17s in a quarterfinal matchup that morning. It then needed two overtimes to beat the San Antonio RoHawks 17s in the semifinal round.

Following the RoHawks game, the Mustangs had all of 25 minutes to rest for the scheduled 3:15 p.m. start against Showtyme, but Mustangs coach Tony Johnson refused to offer any justification for the loss. His team actually held a 38-32 halftime lead and led by as many as seven in the second half but couldn't hold on in the end.

Showtyme, in fact, went on a 16-3 run in a six-minute span midway through the second half. Jones, Henry, Dajuan Cooper and Trey Norris all made key buckets in that span.

"There are no excuses. We've got to play, even if that means right after the next game," Johnson said. "I think we just ran out of gas, but I'm really proud of them."

The Mustangs, in addition, played most of the game without Devonta Abron, who battled severe cramps in the calves and legs. Abron had 34 points in the semifinal against the RoHawks. He was held scoreless against Showtyme.

"Give [Showtyme] credit. They got us today," Johnson said. "We've always had close games, but they got us. Now, we have to get them."

MEMORIAL DAY GREAT AMERICAN SHOOT-OUT

(At Integrated Athletic Development, Carrollton)

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BOXSCORE

NBA DIVISION

Dallas Mustangs 38 31 - 69

Dallas Showtyme Elite 17s 32 39 - 71

Mustangs: LeBryan Nash 6, J.J. Thompson 13, Ben Dillard 17, Donovan Bridgeforth 1, Luke Mergerson 14, Jherrod Stiggers 12, Keaton Miles 6

Showtyme: Wesley Davis 16, Denzel Zachery 3, Trey Norris 10, Kevin Wagner 2, Dajuan Cooper 2, Jarion Henry 17, Jalen Jones 21

MEMORIAL DAY GREAT AMERICAN SHOOT-OUT

(At Integrated Athletic Development, Carrollton

SUNDAY'S NBA DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET SCHEDULE

SUNDAY'S RESULTS

FIRST ROUND

(At Integrated Athletic Development, Carrollton

Austin Ice 83, Texas D-1 Ambassadors-Cress 77

Urban DFW Elite 17s 77, Texas Ambassadors-San Antonio 64

Dallas Mustangs 65, ATX Putnam 61

Houston Superstars 55, Dallas Showtyme Black 17s 50 (OT)

Oklahoma Hawks 17s 77, Texas Assault 61

San Antonio RoHawks 17s 66, Lewisville HS 64

Triumph Select 2011 Black 74, Full Court Athletes 17s 65

LBA Seawolves 17s 64, Full Court Athletes-King 41

Houston Select 17s 74, Houston Lynx-Garrett 69

San Antonio Legends 17s 68, Deron Williams Elite 2011 60

Houston Hurricanes 53, The Hurricanes Elite 50

ATX Farley 75, Oklahoma Trotters 63

Dallas Mustangs Blue 63, San Antonio Scorpions 17s 56

Triumph Select 2011 Gold 70, Fort Worth Firm 56.

Dallas Showtyme Elite 54, Spiece San Antonio 35

Dallas Showtyme White 17s 55, Texas Blue Chips-Navy 49

SECOND ROUND

Urban DFW Elite 17s 66, Austin Ice 58

Dallas Mustangs 75, Houston Superstars 62

San Antonio RoHawks 17s 74, Oklahoma Hawks 66

Triumph Select 2011 Black 79, LBA Seawolves 17s 64

Houston Select 17s 84, San Antonio Legends 17s 81

ATX Farley 51, Houston Hurricanes 42

Triumph Select 2011 Gold 60, Dallas Mustangs Blue 40

Dallas Showtyme Elite 17s 2, Dallas Showtyme White 17s 0 (forfeit)

MONDAY'S RESULTS

QUARTERFINALS

Dallas Mustangs 70, Urban DFW Elite 17s 67 (OT)

San Antonio RoHawks 17s 64, Triumph Select 2011 Black 43

Houston Select 17s 75, ATX Farley 70 (OT)

Dallas Showtyme Elite 17s 72, Triumph Select 2011 Gold 36

SEMIFINALS

Dallas Showtyme Elite 17s 68, Houston Select 17s 61

Dallas Mustangs 79, San Antonio Ro-Hawks 17s 78 (2 OT)

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Dallas Showtyme Elite 17s 71, Dallas Mustangs 69