USBA Nationals and Big Shots Myrtle Beach
Beach Basketball Champions!!! NOVA Cavaliers Leave Myrtle Beach with Best Showing in Program’s History
TOURNAMENT RECAP
17U (Hale)
Having come close in their previous Big Shots events this season, Coach Hale’s 17U Cavs team finally won the elusive Big Shots Myrtle Beach 1 Classic at the historical St. James High School. NOVA camethrough as the 17U Blue Bracket Champion by defeating Carolina Bearcats (NC) 65-50 and Duluth Elite (GA) 35-29 in the first two rounds of the bracket. On the second day of the tournament and in front of all the college coaches in attendance, the Cavaliers beat Cape Crusaders (DE) 59-48 in the final and took home the Big Shots Blue Division Championship.
After the Championship game was over, three of the NOVA Cavaliers were selected to the Big ShotsMyrtle Beach All-Stars Game: Matt Fall (Robinson HS, 2014), Jack Shaffer (Trinity Christian, 2014),and Kent Auslander (Herndon HS, 2014). Coach Dan Hale was also selected to coach the game. CenterHenry Quinn-Irons (South Lakes HS, 2014) also averaged 6.5 rebounds and Forward Towner Hale(Marshall HS, 2014) finished as among one of the team’s top scorers in the tournament.
NOVA Cavs returned Saturday to play in the Big Shots Myrtle Beach 2 Classic. Cavaliers were placedin the SLAM Division for the first time and lost in the first round 72-62 to North Georgia Heat(GA). NOVA then bounced back by beating Dillon Intimidators (SC) and Savannah Select (GA) toadvance into the Silver Bracket Championship game. In the final, the Cavs lost an exciting back andforth game to Flight 22 team from North Carolina, 54-51.
The 17U Cavaliers will play in their final tournament of the season in the highly anticipated HoopGroup JamFest in King of Prussia at Philadelphia University next weekend. This will also be theirlast NCAA Live period event of the summer and conclude their memorable season. Way to go Cavs!
16U (Gray-Mendes)
The 16U Cavs (Gray-Mendes) took home the 2013 USBA American Division Championship at North MyrtleBeach, South Carolina. Cavaliers lost the opening game of pool-play to Stanly County Suns, thenwent on a roll and beat CIC Warriors (NC) 65-36, Hot Shots (NC) 63-37, Southside Panthers (AL) 66-64to finish 3 and 1 in pool-play. NOVA finished 3rd place in pool-play due to point differential in atiebreaker, so they were placed in the American Division for the Championship tournament.
In the Bracket play, Cavaliers defeated NOVA GameChangers (VA) 69-33 in the first round, then wenton a 20-0 run to start off the second half in the semifinal win against Team 1on1 from Wake Forest,North Carolina. In the final, Cavaliers blew out Scotia Stings from Nova Scotia, Canada to claimthe USBA Championship.
The tournament championship marked a great conclusion to the 2013 season for the 16U team.Cavaliers finished the year strong and made the final in three of their last four tournaments. TheUSBA Nationals was their last tournament on the season and it marked a wonderful turn-around for ateam that started the gate slowly. The positive momentum by the Cavs will carry through theoff-season as they will look to carry on the Cavs winning tradition next year.
15U (Lin)
15U Cavaliers (Lin) closed the 2013 season with a USBA Classic Division Championship Runner-upfinish at North Myrtle Beach over the weekend. The Cavs lost the first three games of pool-play toCarolina Flyers (NC), D1SA Spartans Elite (VA), and Charlotte Reign (NC). Despite an 0-3 start(including a overtime loss), the Cavs bounced back by defeating Mass Fusion (MA) 42-39 in the finalgame of the preliminary, then they ripped off three more victories inthe Classic Bracket againstSumter Starz (SC) 31-27, Next Level Youth (NJ) 39-20, and Virginia Warriors 44-40. NOVA reached allthe way to the Classic Final before faltering 71-63 to Team 1on1 (NC) on Saturday.
The strong showing at USBA Nationals concludes a special year for the 15U club, as they also won theBRYC Open Classic, Battle of NOVA, and Battle of Brock earlier this season. Cavaliers improvedremarkably in their second season together and more are yet to come. We are very proud of theirachievements!!