NHSI Finals Deliver

Ron Bailey, Publisher

Both Girls and Boys finals are tilts to remember.

Click here for first day action.

April 6, 2009 –The Rise ESPN National High School Invitational concluded yesterday with two top shelf games, contests that viewers nationally witnessed via ESPN2.

The boys match up, which pitted ESPN's number one (Findlay Prep) and two (Oak Hill Academy) ranked schools comprised the closest thing yet to a high school national champion. Though the girls game - Riverdale Baptist versus Seton Keough - lacked that type of national allure, it nevertheless was thrilling.

Below are brief recaps of these games. i95Ballerz.com boys all-star teams, which differ in depth from the official all-tourney squads presented here, will follow tomorrow.

Seton Keough (22-8) 44 Riverdale Baptist (26-3) 42

Riverdale Baptist (MD) held a comfortable 30-21 well into the third quarter, with momentum on its side. Unfortunately Coach Gina Miller's team would go cold offensively, only scoring 12 points in the final two stanzas, resultantly losing 44-42.

MVP Amber Singletary (center), flanked with All-Tourney members (l. to r.) Tianna Hawkins, Tierra Hawkins Katelyn Fischer and Candace Bond.

Aiding Seton Keough's (MD) comeback was fast break defense - Miller noted "they were trapping" causing some turnovers on outlet passes. On the topic of curtailing Riverdale's impressive fast break attack, one in which they constantly look to hit ahead, Keough's coach, Jackie Boswell, noted "We put emphasis on that...we had to trap the ball and cause turnovers".

Of her team coming back, Boswell conferred "I had so much confidence in them".

One member of her team that on the court should be brimming with self-assurance is sophomore point guard Amber Singletary (13 points); it was her layup and three pointer scored soon thereafter that seemed to energize Seton Keough in the final quarter. For her play, she would earn Tournament MVP honors.

Further bringing Riverdale's 19 game winning streak to a close was the absence of two players Ataira Franklin and Jazzmine Johnson, student athletes who decided not to compete, a choice that baffled many observers.

Nevertheless junior wing player Tierra Hawkins excelled with 16 points, while University of Maryland-bound senior forward Tianna Hawkins dropped 12. Both made All-Tournament, along with senior Candace Bond and were instrumental in their team's last gasp opportunity for a win.

Katelyn Fischer, Seton Keough's senior guard provided 10 points, and in the process made All-Tournament.

Findlay Prep (33-0) 74 Oak Hill Academy (40-1) 66

Oak Hill (VA) came in as the favorite, a fact utilized by Findlay's coach, Michael Peck expertly, as he admitted afterward "I'm not going to lie, I used that...We wanted to slay the dragon".

That they did, using a 3-2 zone that seemed to morph into a 1-2-2 alignment to flummox Oak Hill. Peck played possum with the set: "We felt it would work. We were sitting on it. we never pulled it out before yesterday (a dominating win over Montrose Christian) and it was very effective for us".

Findlay Prep are the closest thing to a real high school national champion.

In his opinion, the set "made their guards hesitate", resulting in Oak Hill "getting frustrated", particularly the school's big man, Keith 'Tiny' Gallon (18 points, 15 rebounds), who began to eschew inside play for outside shooting. "I'd rather he be out there instead of getting rebounds and 'and-ones'" opined Peck.

Gallon, though of the loss said "I put it on myself", did lament not getting the ball much during the pivotal third quarter, a period that saw Findlay extend a two point lead to 15.

In response to that deficit, his coach, Steve Smith determined the game needed to be sped up. "We went straight man, trapping, and chasing guys with the ball" he said. The team crawled within five soon after Findlay's Tournament MVP guard, senior Avery Bradley (20 points, eight rebounds) fouled out.

Enter junior Issaih Grayson: The reserve guard hit three of four foul shots after Bradley's departure, as well as joining All-Tournament selection Corey Joseph (18 points, four rebounds, two assists) in facing Oak Hill's perimeter pressure.

"He did an unbelievable job" said Peck of Grayson (seven points). "I always tell the guys you have to be ready to play".

Other All-Tournament selections were DJ Richardson (11 points, five rebounds, four assists), a Findlay senior swingman, and Oak Hill senior guard Lamont 'Mo-Mo' Jones (16 points).

Junior guard Pe'Shon Howard led Oak Hill with 19 points, while junior forward Tristan Thompson, a Findlay standout, dropped 12 points and 11 boards.

Of course Findlay (NV) was ecstatic, and Oak Hill dejected, with the outcome. "It was a great tournament...I hope it grows" said the latter's coach, Smith, who later also shared "They (ESPN executives) got what they wanted...We didn't".

Click here for all-event teams