Team Penny made out like bandits in Monday's Division I championship game at the AAU Boys 15-under Championships.
D.J. Jackson, a 6-3 forward, scored 17 points and Memphis-based Team Penny came up with 21 steals in earning a 53-41 victory over the Arkansas Wings Elite on Monday afternoon at Philander Smith College in Little Rock.
Team Penny trailed 30-29 at the half but held the Wings to two free throws in the third quarter to take control. The Wings did not hit their first field goal of the second half until 7-1 center Connor Vanover tipped in a shot with 7:47 left in the game.
"Their quickness was just tremendous," Wings Coach Leighton McCrary said of Team Penny. "We didn't handle it well. They had a bunch of quick, good guards. ... We made a lot of mistakes and their pressure bothered us. ... We've got to learn how to handle that pressure where you've got guys all up in your face."
Memphis is also taking the 15U national tournament away from central Arkansas. AAU President Henry Forrest confirmed next year's event will be held in Tennessee. Arkansas has hosted a major AAU tournament for the past 10 years.
On Monday, Team Penny scored the first nine points of the second half, taking advantage of eight third-quarter steals.
"We're a team with a lot of energy," Team Penny Coach Desmond Merriweather said. "We had guys step up when we really needed them to step up."
Rodarious Washington, a 6-4 forward, added 13 points and five steals for Team Penny, which played the majority of the game without 6-6 center P.J. Washington, who suffered a minor foot injury early in the game. Washington, who led Team Penny with 28 points in Sunday's semifinal game, re-entered Monday's game late and finished with six points.
Jackson also led Team Penny with six rebounds.
"D.J. is a do-everything type of guy," Merriweather said. "He's one of my best rebounders. He finishes. He can shoot the three. We have him playing forward. He's not that big, but for my team, he's got to play [forward]."
Ty Jones, a 6-4 guard from Pontotoc, Miss., led the Wings with eight points, all of which came in the first half. Vanover, who plays for Arkansas Baptist, and Avery Benson of Siloam Springs each added six for the Wings. Exavian Christon led the Wings with six rebounds. Benson made five of the Wings' eight steals.
Team Penny made 15 of 23 free throws. The Wings were 10 of 15 from the line.
"To be second in the nation, I'm not mad," McCrary said. "There's a whole bunch of teams who wish they were in our spot. I'm proud of these guys. They played well. Hopefully, we all learned from the experience."
Sports on 07/15/2014