LITTLE ROCK — The City’s Michael Williams hit the big shots in a game when not many shots were taken.
Williams hit 3 three pointers in the game’s final 10 minutes to help the New York-based team earn a 32-30 victory over the Texas Titans in the title game of the AAU 15-Under National Championship on Sunday afternoon at Pulaski Academy High School in Little Rock
Williams finished with a game-high 12 points - all of which were scored in the second half - as The City used some slow-down tactics to earn the national title.
“My teammates gave me some great passes and I was able to knock down the shots,” Williams said. “I really didn’t have to think about it. It’s just something we do every game.”
The City was 12 of 24 from the floor. Williams was 4 for 4.
“Mike has been the heart of our team all year,” The City Coach Arjay Perovic said. “He brings it on defense and he’s hit big shots all year long. He always seems to come through.”
The City never trailed in the second half and had a 30-23 lead with 1:25 to play, but the Titans, who overcame a six-point deficit in the final minute of Saturday’s semifinals, refused to go away.
Guard Mickey Mitchell banked in a 22-footer with 52 seconds left and the Titans immediately forced a turnover, but the Titans missed two three-pointers during the next 25 seconds that would have pulled them to within one.
“We didn’t shoot the ball real well,” Titans Coach Scott Posphichal said. “And we got some really nice looks. ... The breaks just didn’t go our way today and [The City] deserved to win it.”
The Titans were 11 of 36 from the floor.
Joshua Wallace, a 6-3 guard, hit two free throws with 19.9 seconds left to push The City’s lead back to 32-26. Mitchell hit a layup to make it 32-28, but the Titans did not get another shot until Jesse Pisokache hit a put back with 3.8 seconds remaining. With no timeouts remaining, The City allowed the clock to run out.
The City won the opening tip and took eight minutes off the clock. Guards Wolfgang Novograte and Donovan Mitchell held the ball on their hips for the majority of the first quarter, much to the displeasure of the fans who were in attendance.
Forward Eric Paschall, who finished with eight points, hit a 7-foot put back at the buzzer to account for the first quarter’s only points.
“I’m surprised they did that,” Posphichal said of The City’s delay tactics. “They’re just really good and [Williams] was the difference by hitting those 3 threes that gave them the little bit of separation that they needed. But the delay part, I just think they’re really good. I think we’re really good. They just happened to have won today.”
The City attempted seven shots in the first half; the Titans attempted nine. Three fouls were called in the first half, none on the Titans.
“The Titans play this packed-line defense,” said Perovic, when explaining why he decided to shorten the game. “We wanted to take them out of their comfort zone. We decided to turn it into a chess match. It took them awhile to get on the same page as us.”
Wallace added seven points and had a team-high three assists for The City. Donovan Mitchell, who had scored 23 points in Saturday’s semifinals, was held to four points.
Mickey Mitchell led the Titans with nine points and five rebounds. King McClure and Pistokache each added seven points.
DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIP
TEAM CELTICS 67, HOKIES ELITE 64
Samson Schwietz, a 6-7 forward, scored eight of his 14 points in the fourth quarter and the Team Celtics held off a late-charging effort from the Hokies Elite to earn the Division II championship.
The Celtics held a 62-49 with 2:00 left, but two three-pointers each from Jay Robinson and Justin Yargo brought the Hokies to as close as three before the Celtics claimed the victory.
Schweitz and Lavel Ramsey each scored 14 points for the Celtics, who are based in Frisco, Texas. Paul Washington and James Wilkins each added 12 for the Celtics.
Robinson, a 5-10 guard, scored 21 points to lead the Hokies, who are based in Manassas, Va. Marco Haskins, a 6-2 guard, added 16 points.
AAU 15-UNDER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP GAME The City 32, Texas Titans 30 THIRD-PLACE BABC 54, Houston Defenders 46 FIFTH-PLACE Oklahoma Phenoms 62, Alabama Force 53 NINTH-PLACE All-Ohio Red 68, Arkansas Soldierz 53 CLASSIC CHAMPIONSHIP Mississippi Stars 67, Tennessee Racers 54 CLASSIC CONSOLATION Louisiana Leadership 63, Southern Phenoms 54DIVISION II Championship game Team Celtics 67, Hokies Elite 64 Fifth-place LA. Roundballers 39, Arkansas Warriors 36 Seventh-place Houston Defenders 68, East Bay Soldiers 51 Ninth-place PAL Magic 53, Arkansas A’s 48 Tenth-place Illinois Flyers 60, CCYA Tigers 54 Classic Championship Tennessee Edge 60, Arkansas Bulls 51 Classic Consolation Charleston Playmakers 56, Illinois Blue Ice 53
Sports, Pages 13 on 07/16/2012