Pearland GASO: Hoopstars take NBA title
PEARLAND, Texas -- The Houston Hoopstars had two weeks to think about what happened at the Bryan/College Station Great American Shoot-Out. The team took a pool-play loss and a loss in the championship game against the Texas D-1 Ambassadors-San Antonio.
That was their motivational fuel Sunday in the championship game of the Pearland GASO, and the much-anticipated rematch finally went in their favor.
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In a battle of evenly matched teams, the Hoopstars defeated the Ambassadors, 60-51, at Pearland High School. The win helped cushion a 63-58 setback to the Ambassadors in the finals at the Bryan/College Station GASO.
"We didn't play the last time as a team," Hoopstars guard Evan Cooper said. "We just had to take it to full throttle. We had to push through."
Hoopstars forward Kavin Tilbury added: "We knew we would see them again. We just had to come prepared."
The Hoopstars used solid defense and a poised attack to get the win. The Ambassadors were held to 22 second-half points.
"Coach told us," Tilbury said, "if you're not going to play defense, sit on the bench."
The Hoopstars were aided by the return of University of Texas commitment Cameron Ridley, a 6-foot-10, five-star center who spent most of his weekend at the Amar'e Stoudemire skills camp in Chicago. Ridley returned in time for the Hoopstars' semifinal game against Deron Williams Elite.
Eight Hoopstars scored at least two points in the win. Tilbury led the team with 14 points, despite coming off the bench. Atif Russell had 13 points, and Ridley added 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The Ambassadors' Connor Lammert led all scorers with 15 points. Jeffrey Rodewald added 10 points in a loss.
PEARLAND GREAT AMERICAN SHOOT-OUT
NBA DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BOXSCORE
(At Pearland High School)
HOUSTON HOOPSTARS 34 26 - 60
TX D-1 AMBASSADORS-SA 31 20 - 51
Houston Hoopstars: P.J. Hardwick 8, Evan Cooper 4, Gary Smith 3, Atif Russell 13, Kavin Tilbury 14, Christian Crockett 5, Aaron Durley 2, Cameron Ridley 11
D-1 Ambassadors: Matt Gramling 3, Carter Josephs 2, Uche Ofoegbu 6, Adam Perez 6, Connor Lammert 15, Jeffrey Rodewald 10, Nikko Maxwell 4, Shelby Lane 5
PEARLAND GREAT AMERICAN SHOOT-OUT
NBA DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET RESULTS
FIRST ROUND
Houston Force 17s 54, Brazoria Ballers Elite 44
Deron Williams Elite 65, Houston Hoops 16s 57
Houston Lynx Blue 68, Galveston Hornets 53
Houston Hoopstars 58, Texas Airmen 41
Islanders Basketball Foundation 59, Houston Elite 44
Texas D-1 Ambassadors-San Antonio 64, Starting 5ive Phenom Black 52
San Antonio Legends 72, Texas PRO-ET 66
Team Texas-O'Dell 70, D-Gib Hoops-Williams 65 (2 OT)
QUARTERFINALS
Deron Williams Elite 53, Houston Force 17s 37
Houston Hoopstars 73, Houston Lynx Blue 70
Texas D-1 Ambassadors-San Antonio 75, Islanders Basketball Foundation 60
San Antonio Legends 64, Team Texas-O'Dell 62
SEMIFINALS
Houston Hoopstars 50, Deron Williams Elite 36
Texas D-1 Ambassadors-San Antonio 51, San Antonio Legends 44
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Houston Hoopstars 60, Texas D-1 Ambassadors-San Antonio 51