Metropolitan AAU Championships

WEST HEMPSTEAD, NY - The Island Garden once again hosted the Metropolitan AAU Regional Championships. NYCHoops.net was on hand to check out the 9th through 12 grade Division I Championship Games.

9th Grade Division I Championship

Team NYC takes Over The City, 63-51

NYC took an early lead but The City came storming back. With 10:44 remaining in the first half, the City was up, 13-8 as 6'2" Brian Santelises (Wadleigh) scored inside.

Losini Kamara (Luhi) and the long range shooting of Alex Eastwood would swing the pendulum back in Team NYC's favor and soon they led by 7 with 7:30 left until the midway point. Jesse Jimenez (W.H.E.E.L.S.) closed the gap but Team NYC led 31-25 at the half.

Team NYC increased their lead to double digits behind buckets by Thorton Scott. 4:30 remained in regulation and The City trailed 55-40.

Kamara led Team NYC with 24 points with Scott contributing 14 points. Santelises was high man for The City with 14 points.

11th Grade Division I Championship

The City stokes; NY Gauchos choke, 61-55

After winning the 10th grade chip earlier in the day, The City hoped for a repeat performance as they played up against the Gauchos. Winning the game would be a longshot on paper with the Chos two years older on average with many heading to prep school.

6'8" sophomore Jamar Brown (Bread & Roses HS) kept The City in the hunt as he pounded in the paint. The young team hung tough trailing 6-5 in a helter skelter opening minutes.

6'6" Jaquan Lightfoot (Boys & Girls HS) was dominant on the boards but with 8:21 left in the half the Gauchos increased their lead to 15-5. An active Daven Joseph also caused The City issues in the paint. At the half, the Gauchos led 31-24.

The City tried to close the gap but with Jakwan Jones (Newburgh Free Academy) also in the paint they were only getting one shot opportunities. 5'7" Tyler Dearing (Teaneck HS) slowly began to shave with his perimeter game and soon the Chos lead was only 4 points. A trey by Dearing and Brown pounded in off a turnover to make the score 34-32, Gauchos.

The City tried to make headway but still trailed the gauchos 45-40 with 7:17 and Nakoy Singleton (Mt. Saint Michael) soon pushed the Gauchos lead back to ten with 4:46.

The City made a final push and with 1:53 left in regulation, jumpers by 6'2" Tyrone Cohen (Christ the King) and 6'5" junior Stephen Arowsegbe (Cardinal Hayes) tied the game at 54. After Gauchos turnover, a jumper by Dearing gave the City a 2 point lead and the Chos began to panic.

With a minute left to play the Gauchos continued to implode. Brown would extend the City's lead to 5 points and THe City would go on to win both the 10th and 11th grade championships.

Dearing led The City with 16 points.

12th Grade Division I Championship

DAC Marksmen cancel Team Long Island, 65-62

The Marksmen control the tempo for the majority of the game, capitalizing on transition buckets from missed perimeter shots.

Matched up evenly at the half, Team Long Island fell behind living and ultimately dying behind the play of Jonathan Grimsley.

Led by good floor generalship from point guard Shane Herrity (St. Francis Prep) and buckets from 6'1" Daniel Scarpella (Holy Cross), the Marksmen held onto a 60-56 lead 58.2 seconds left in regulation.

A three pointer pulled Team L.I. within a point but they were forced to foul and the Marksmen lived up to their name from the charity stripe in the final seconds.

Herrity led the Marksmen with 13 points with Scarpulla adding 12 points. Grimsley paced Team Long Island with a game high 23 points.

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