Championship Sunday, it doesn't get any better than this on what has been a terrific event in Rock Hill. We moved into the GOLD bracket of the Post Grad Nationals, as both teams were coming off hard-fought wins on Day 2 and wanted to leave with a championship.
Both teams were trading blows and baskets, with Link Year grabbing the early upper hand after the first half. O'Mar Stanley played really strong in the first half, leading the way with 10 points, while Teafale Lenard was flying high with eight. But the duo of Christian Wright and Jalen DeLoach scored 15 of TSF's 28 first-half points to be right there but only down four.
Link Year held the narrow lead at half and both teams kept on battling throughout, as it continued to be a close battle throughout. TSF was able to grind their way back into the lead in the third quarter and hold that small margin from then and into the fourth quarter. It was a grind-it-out type game from then on and it was going to come down to a play or two. CJ Kelley hit a big three to get within one point in the final seconds and Link Prep had one last chance at the end with three seconds. That is when Kevon Eskridge made a huge block to save the 56-55 win and a title for The Skill Factory.
Stats:
TSF:
Jalen DeLoach 17 points
Christian Wright 14 points
Chase McKey 6 points
Link Prep:
O'Mar Stanley 14 points
Teafale Lenard 13 points
CJ Kelley 10 points
Standouts:
2021 O’Mar Stanley (Link): Stanley is a 6’8 prospect that moves throughout the floor and is one that brings nice strength to the table in the paint. He finishes strong and with a natural feel around the paint, but also have to like his decision-making on the floor, not forcing anything and finding open teammates in their spot.
2021 CJ Kelly (Link): You have to notice the long frame of Kelley at 6’8, with long legs and wingspan; it what makes him hard to slow down at times, especially when he showcases off his bounce. But in this game, he did a strong job as well finishing at the rim and attacking the boards, but also stepping out and hitting big shots.
2021 Kevon Eskridge (TSF): Eskridge didn’t light it up offensively but man, did he make an impression and come up big defensively, especially at the end with the game-winning block to secure the win. This is a young man that is a nice glue piece for a team and showed why, as he can impact the floor in many ways.
2021 Jalen DeLoach (TSF): What a weekend it has been for DeLoach. A monster on the court all three days and showed up in the championship game when needed, using his 6’9 body to score and be active around the basket, get on the boards, and really being an imposing force all around the court.
