Game 5: USA vs. France
Words. Aron Phillips
For the final game of the tournament, and the 2K Sports Preseason All-American Team as we know it, it was a whole spectacle. All the fans in the gym were pumped, and it was the first game all week that they played the national anthem (both American and French). It was a very nice touch.
The starters were Ray McCallum (PG), Cory Joseph (SG), Jordan McRae (SF), Tristan Thompson (PF) and Jared Sullinger (C), and all these guys have played extremely well all week. France’s point guard, Andrew Albicy, is nice! He won tournament MVP honors last year, and you knew he didn’t want to lose in front of his home crowd.
Thompson was battling early with France’s bigs and connecting, while Joseph’s phenomenal offensive skill set was truly on display. Even in the starting role, McRae’s threes were still falling, while Sullinger was banging down low and getting no calls. From the jump, you knew this was going to be a long game.
France was showing halfcourt pressure and trapping early. With their zone defense in place, it was way more of a grind-it-out game. They were thwarting our fastbreak offense, and were anticipating entry passes and getting steals on the perimeter. On the other end, our D was great too, as we had a 14-8 lead with 3:25 to play in the first quarter.
While Thompson (12 points, 6 rebounds) was in true beast mode down low, Josh Selby decided he was going to dunk on one of France’s biggest guys as he just kept rising and threw down a nasty one-hand slam. When Josh Hairston entered, he came up huge on the offensive boards, grabbing missed shots and tipping them in. By the end of the first quarter, we had pushed it to a 22-12 lead.
The crowd was deflated, and after the first quarter, both teams had a good feel for one another. It was getting very physical inside, as Sullinger (19 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks) even tried to take a charge but nothing was called. The gym was hot like a greenhouse, and it was clear after four games in four days that both teams were tired. Althought it wasn’t a championship game, the gym definitely had a championship atmosphere.
Funny side note: The DJ doesn’t edit songs over here because the hip-hop is in english! As the second quarter progressed, you knew things would even out once France started making their shots. The key was really to sustain and grow the lead. After a run by France, the score was 36-31 at halftime.
In the second half, France was battling back and cut the lead to 38-37 in the first couple minutes. But McRae (14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals) answered with a three (and another), and Justin Martin’s block led to a Selby runner off the glass. Not wanting to lose this game, Jason Morris and the squad was playing great defense and ended the third quarter up 51-45.
After playing well to finish the quarter, Hairston (8 points, 6 rebounds) continued in the fourth with a nice turnaround jumper. But despite everything that was clicking for us, including a nice no-look pass from Selby to Sullinger for the and-one, France had their own plans. With five minutes left to play, the game was tied 57-57, and the fullcourt pressure was making it hard to get into our sets.
Battling back-and-forth, we went down 74-70 with just under a minute to play after Albicy (13 points, 8 assists, 5 steals, 3 rebounds) stole the ball and took it hole for the bucket. But answering right back was Sullinger with a huge jumper, and a steal by Selby to tie the game 74-74 with 45 seconds left. After a possesion for each team without a conversion, we were headed to overtime.
In OT, Selby (25 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals) decided to takeover. First a three, then an and-one, folled by two at the line after a McRae steal, he was doing everything he could to get the team the W. With 1:02 left and an 82-82 ball game, Selby threw a picture perfect alley oop to Thompson to take a two point lead. The following play, Sullinger finally got that call and successfully took a charge.
After Selby got fouled and made one, the lead was 85-82 with under 20 seconds left to play. It was no surprise the ball was going to be in Albicy’s hands, as he knocked one in off the glass. Quickly fouling McCallum, although he missed both to make it a three-point game, France couldn’t convert on their final push.
Following the game, trophies were given to Joseph and Selby for their wins the night before, and McRae was named to the All-Tournament team. If we could have had more than one player, Sullinger and Thompson should have made it as well.
Game photos will be coming later…
Aron thanks for the shirt
and speak about Christophe Leonard he scored 34 points in this game
DEMATHA STAGS!!!!!!