The stands were packed at the M.O. Campbell Center on Saturday night as the VYPE Holiday Invitational, powered by Daspit Law Firm, came to a thrilling conclusion.
UIL-5A contender CC Veterans Memorial and and 6A power Katy Jordan squared off in the final, following respective victories over Episcopal (68-55) and Iowa Colony (56-44) in the semifinals.
From the start, both teams came out aggressive.
Veterans Memorial set the tone with timely scoring from junior Sean Mondragon in the first quarter, who led the team with 6 points through the first 8 minutes.
Despite the Eagles’ considerable depth, Jordan kept up the pace, thanks to senior point guard Jaden Holt keeping the squad within striking distance.
By halftime, the score was knotted at 25-25, leaving the game up for grabs.
The Warriors made adjustments at halftime, eventually taking a 6-point lead in the third quarter, courtesy of Holt, as well as key contributions from Jalen Black (Sr. G) and Rayan Fadika (Sr. F).
However, Coach Billy White Jr. and co. answered with clutch sequences in the fourth, especially from sophomore Jeremiah Moore (11 points) and the aforementioned Mondragon (15 points), who both played pivotal roles down the stretch.
With the score neck-and-neck in the final minutes, the Veterans Memorial's sheer athleticism and conditioning helped the team ultimately hold on for the 55-52 win.
Coach White's son, Billy White III, was named the Tournament MVP, contributing 14 points and leading the charge in the second half.
As a whole, the Eagles’ defense, particularly in limiting Jordan's explosive scoring ability, was crucial in securing this definitive tournament series.
With the championship victory, the Veterans Memorial Eagles solidified their status as a premier state competitor to watch this season.Though falling short, Coach Charlie Jones' squad showed they are capable of competing at a high level, and both teams will carry the momentum of this game into their upcoming schedules.
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TOURNAMENT AWARDS
MVP
Billy White III, CC Veterans Memorial
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ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS
FIRST-TEAM
David Chong, Dickinson
Aiden Fyfe, Episcopal
Christian Gibson, Mayde Creek
RJ Greene, Iowa Colony
Jaden Holt, Katy Jordan
Sean Mondragon, CC Veterans Memorial
Reece Walker, Trinity Christian Academy
David Chong -- Dickinson
Alex Hinson (VYPE)
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Aiden Fyfe -- Episcopal
Alex Hinson (VYPE)
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Christian Gibson -- Mayde Creek
Alex Hinson (VYPE)
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RJ Greene -- Iowa Colony
Alex Hinson (VYPE)
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Jaden Holt -- Katy Jordan
Alex Hinson (VYPE)
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Sean Mondragon -- CC Veterans Memorial
Alex Hinson (VYPE)
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SECOND-TEAM
Amassia Dayian, Trinity Christian Academy
Maddox Davis, Westbury Christian
Rayan Fadika, Katy Jordan
Isaac Freeman, Tompkins
Jeremiah Moore, CC Veterans Memorial
Loukas Naum, Concordia Lutheran
Chris Williams, Stratford
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HONORABLE MENTIONS
Dre Charlot, Barbers Hill
JD Cheeves, Stratford
Jamal Chretien II, Mayde Creek
Jayden Evans, Iowa Colony
Rayan Fadika, Katy Jordan
Ghaven Mittal, Concordia Lutheran
Demarion Morgan, Westbury Christian
Alim Olajuwon, Episcopal