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Under Armour Finals: Championship Saturday awards and recruiting notes

Eric Ayala
Eric Ayala (Under Armour/Kelly Kline)

Saturday at the Under Armour Association Finals was headlined by championship games, and we’re ready to hand out some of our own awards to recognize the best of the day's action

MORE: Jones among Peach Jam standouts | Peach Jam awards

17U Championship: We R-1 73, Team Charlotte 61

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MVP: Eric Ayala

The four-star 2018 guard controlled the game on both ends of the court to help We R-1 win the 17U championship for the second year in a row. Ayala thrives playing in an ugly game because he’s a physical player himself who doesn’t mind a little contact. Sean Miller was courtside to put eyes on him, as were assistants from LSU, Indiana and Syracuse.

Runner-Up: Isaiah Wong

Wong is currently the No. 68 ranked player in the 2019 class, and he played up to that ranking in the championship game. His shooting and transition scoring were big for We R-1 in a game where it was tough to find a bucket. Temple, St Joe’s, Seton Hall and Maryland had assistants evaluating him.

16U Championship: Texas Hard Work 63, We R-1 57

MVP: Jahmius Ramsey

Ramsey was the easiest player on the court to identify because of his bleached hair and his bright green tights, but his game was equally as loud. The 6-foot-5 combo guard is a talented scorer and can also facilitate. He’s a scrappy defender as well.

Tulsa head coach Frank Haith and an assistant were spotted watching, as were as assistants from Texas A&M, Iowa, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Villanova.

15U Championship: Playground Warriors 70, Gauchos 68

MVP: Jalen Johnson

It’s hard to imagine many better prospects better than Johnson in the 2020 class. The lanky 6-foot-6 wing can really do it all. He got off to a slow start offensively, as did his whole team, but he picked it up when it mattered most in the second half, including knocking down the game-winning 15-foot jumper off an in-bounds with less than a second left. He possesses legitimate point forward potential as, he’s a smooth ball handler and can make plays for others. Despite lacking strength, he’s tough defensively and on the boards.

RECRUITING NOTES

Devon Dotson
Devon Dotson (Under Armour/Kelly Kline)

The 17U championship between Team Charlotte and We R-1 brought out a few head coaches. Creighton’s Greg McDermott was there to keep tabs on recent four-star commit Ian Steere. Mike White and Mark Turgeon both had two assistants with them to watch four-star point guard target Devon Dotson. Kansas also had an assistant on hand for Dotson.

Over at the Elite 32, a matchup between Basketball University and 1 Family had the gym filled with head coaches. Bill Self had his eyes on both Nassir Little and Quentin Grimes. Sean Miller made the trip over to see Little, who recently added an Arizona offer, as well. Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU, Marquette, South Florida, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt also had head coaches watching.

One intriguing 2018 prospect out of Georgia at the Elite 32 was Nelson Phillips. He’s a long, bouncy 6-foot-5 combo guard with a lot of versatility. He’s a crafty finisher in the paint and has great court vision. If he make some progress on his jump shot, he could emerge as a serious high-major option. UAB’s Rob Ehsan and South Florida’s Brian Gregory both were in attendance, as were assistants from Iowa State, Xavier and Georgia State.

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