UA Finals: Duval hits winner
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SUWANEE, Ga. -- The Under Armour Association Finals tipped off in Atlanta on Wednesday night and the games could not have been much better. College coaches flooded Suwanee Sports Academy to see some of the country's best prospects, including the top overall prospect in both the 2016 and 2017 classes, and Rivals.com was in attendance to see it all.
Duval, Jackson clash
The best game of the night might have been the final game of the night. With Josh Jackson, the No. 1 prospect in the 2016 Rivals150, and Trevon Duval, a five-star in the Class of 2017, matched up against each other, We R-1 and 1 Nation went all the way down to the wire and neither one disappointed.
Duval ended up getting the last laugh as he scored on a last-second basket at the rim to win 59-58. The New Jersey native didn't get off to a great start early, but took over the game in the second half. Every time We R-1 needed a bucket, they could count on Duval to make the big shot. The 6-foot-3 guard gets into the paint whenever he wants and can finish through contact with the best of them.
After the game, Duval said he's been in contact with Arizona, Duke, North Carolina, Louisville, Syracuse, Connecticut, Maryland and more and each school has offered.
Despite taking the loss, Jackson was terrific for 1 Nation. He's quite possibly the best defensive player in the high school ranks right now and gets better offensively every time out. His passing is off the charts for a 6-foot-8 wing and he's very good off the dribble.
Several prominent head coaches were in attendance to see this matchup including John Calipari, Roy Williams (with two assistants), Sean Miller and many more.
Georgia commit impresses
Showtime Hoops vs. Earl Watson Elite looked like it was going to get out of hand early. Earl Watson Elite cranked up the tempo with their full court pressure and Showtime Hoops turned the ball over several times as Earl Watson Elite jumped out to a 25-6 lead.
That's when Georgia commit Tyree Crump decided to take over the game. The four-star prospect caught fire from deep and did a lot of damage at the free throw line to lead his team all the way back and tie the game at 35 at half. Crump pumped in 25 points at the break.
Once Earl Watson Elite decided to key on Crump, they took control of the game and eventually went on to win comfortably, but the 78th ranked prospect in the 2016 Rivals150 finished with an impressive 36 points in front of two of his future assistant coaches at Georgia.
On the small side for a shooting guard at 6-foot-2 and with a slight build, Crump makes up for it with his quickness and speed. He's a bit streaky as a shooter, but once he gets going as he did in the first half on Wednesday night, you begin to expect every one of his shots to fall. Where he's improved most over the past year is his ability to make plays with the ball in his hands. In ball-screen situations, he's become very good at making the right read and he's very crafty finisher around the rim. He's going to score a lot of points in the SEC for Mark Fox.
There were a lot of eyes on Sedee KeitaClick Wyatt LowellClick Malik FittsClick Four-star center Jayce JohnsonClick More observationsHere to view this Link. had a great opening night for Earl Watson Elite. The 7-footer knows his role as a big man and dominated around the rim. He finished with over 20 points, including eight dunks. He also blocked and altered several shots at the other end.Here to view this Link., who plans to do a post-grad year at Stoneridge Prep, also had an impressive showing on Wednesday night. The 6-foot-5 small forward pumped in six three-pointers and made several athletic plays at the rim. He looked the part of a high-major prospect against Showtime Hoops.Here to view this Link., a 6-foot-9 forward for the Arizona Warriors, is an intriguing stretch four-man to follow. He'll step out and knock down threes on the perimeter and wasn't shy about playing in the paint either.Here to view this Link., and for good reason. The 6-foot-9 post player is certainly raw offensively, but his motor never stops running. He'll be a force on the boards at the next level and a very good rim protector.