YB Power 2032 Demonstrates Strength and Resilience at GTE Holiday Classic

Playing in the 12U Division, 2032 started the weekend against Bureau's 7th grade squad. Led by Sam and Aiden, the squad battled back and forth with multiple lead changes throughout game. Bureau played aggressively, using their size to their advantage. 2032 received little help from the officials, with multiple fouls overlooked. Nevertheless, Power fought hard, and gave themselves multiple opportunities to tie/win the game in the last minute of play, only to come up short at the end losing 21-24.

The next game was against Bureau's 5th & 6th grade team. This time, Power was able to flip the size advantage on Bureau and dominate from the beginning. The team passed the ball well and was strong on the boards. Contribution came from across the lineup with 10 players contributing to the 45-28 win.

Getting the ball to Zay in the paint proved very effective.

Good ball movement and strength on the boards provided YB2032 with ample opportunities to score.

Sunday started out with a rematch against Bureau 7th in bracket play on route to the finals. This time, Power was ready, controlling early with Aiden scoring 6 points in the early minutes and establishing a lead. Bureau fought back hard, and took the lead back at several points in the game. Power played relentless defense, with Elle and Aiden generating multiple steals at key points to kill Bureau's momentum. Case shot lights out, scoring 8 points. Sam added 6, with Tucker making a 3 pointer to get the lead back with 6 minutes to play. The team never relented, and even though it was very close at the end, 2032 pulled away with a 33-28 victory and a spot in the championship game.

In the championship game against the Gremlins, Power started out strong, going up 7-0 as Eliza and Case took turns making unanswered baskets. But the Gremlins woke up and fought back hard. They switched to an aggressive full court press, which changed the pace of the game and ultimately led to several rushed decisions and turnovers for the Power team. Power was unable to stop the Gremlins from behind the arc, giving up multiple three pointers in each half which the Gremlins relied on for most of their offense. Despite some mistakes on both sides of the ball, Power fought hard for 40 minutes. Trailing by 2 with under a minute, they were unable to get a good look for the game tying shot. Gremlins collected the ball and scored with 5 seconds, to win the game 36-32. Coach Scott and Coach Anthony were proud of the team for demonstrating toughness and grit to the final buzzer. This team continues to grow mentally and physically tougher with each tournament. They are ready to do it again at the JPS Pre-Season Invitational!