Ravens outscore Royals, 61-57, to cart off Brusche’s Basketball Classic

…Eagles beat Jets to take 3rd place

Georgetown’s top club, Ravens staved off the challenge of Linden’s best, Victory Valley Royals to cart off this year’s men’s Brusche’s Basketball Classic and bragging rights with $450,000 winners’ purse last Saturday, when the final was played at the Community Hard Court in the mining town.
Royals, with their support base, were up by two points when the first stanza closed, with them leading, 15-13.
However, the visitors, with a clear height advantage hinged around Akil Hodges among others, were clearly going to pose problems for their shorter, running rivals.
With seconds to go for the half-time whistle, Nikkolai Smith pulled and nailed a ‘trey’ that broke a 26-26 deadlock, as the city team nudged into the lead 29-26.
Within the first minute of the second half, Royals tied things up at 29, but Smith, who would get the Most Assists award in this final, pushed his side into a 38-36 edge.

This was helped by the introduction of Owan Walton, who banged home one from beyond the arc; and when the third quarter ended, Ravens were comfortably ahead by 10 points 50-40, after a 21-14 run.
Despite a charge by the Royals in the final quarter, they were not equipped to handle the Ravens’ inside game, and were unable to close the scoring difference enough to force a win.
Hodges, playing well on both ends of the floor, topped his team’s scoring with 19 points, as Smith netted 15, Walton, 11 and Jude Corlette, eight points.
In addition to getting the cash incentive, Ravens received the championship trophy and replicas.

The best shots for the night for Royals were Vibert Benjamin with 14 points, Rakin McDonald and Kobe Tappin got eight each, and Yannick Tappin, seven.
For their efforts the Royals collected $225,000 and a trophy with replicas, while Georgetown’s Eagles who defeated Linden’s Amelia’s Ward Jets, 64-52, won for themselves $110,000 and a trophy.
Present at the final was United States-based former national captain James Brusche of the Brusche’s Basketball Foundation, and he helped with the handing over of the various prizes, along with the President of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association, Dawn McCammon Barker.