Game 7 at the MLK Day Showdown featured the Gardena Serra Cavaliers against the Alemany Warriors.
Alemany enters the contest with a 13-6 record while Serra comes in 16-4. Both teams came out fast and on fire from long range. For Serra, guard Ajon Efferson knocked down a couple jumpers but Alemany responded with jumpers from sophomore Bennie Boatwright and freshman Shacquille Dawkins.
After the first quarter, Alemany led 24-19.
Boatwright hit four three-pointers in the first half to spark the Warriors.
Efferson continued to be the driving force for the Cavaliers but Alemany took a 42-37 lead into halftime.
With 4:32 remaining in the third quarter, Serra has regained the lead 47-46 thanks to good work inside from Emmanuel Ndumanya.
A medium range jumper from Bear Henderson reclaimed the lead for Alemany but it was short lived as Serra's Tavrion Dawson tied the game at 49.
Trailing 51-49, Alemany's Brandon Boyd drilled a go-ahead three followed by a breakaway slam from Henderson to extend the lead to 54-51.
The third quarter ended with a flurry of jumpers from both teams. Bennie Boatwright, Gary Chivichyan and Brandon Boyd all hit late threes while Ron Freeman connected from long distance for Serra but it was the Warriors that led 63-56 heading to the final quarter.
The fourth quarter began with Boatwright continuing to sizzle from behind the arc with his sixth three-pointer. With four minutes left, Alemany led 70-63 when senior KJ Moffett drilled a baseline three-pointer to extend it to 73-63.
The long range shooting of Alemany was simply too much for Serra to handle tonight. In the end, Alemany pulled out a 80-67 victory.
Game 8: La Salle vs Providence
In the finale of the MLK Day Showdown, the host Providence Pioneers and sophomore sensation Marcus LoVett Jr. took on the La Salle Lancers.
The Lancers, led by freshman Vance Jackson, junior Connor Williams and sophomore Milan Acquuah got off to a quick start and led 23-10 after the first quarter.
After hitting two free throws early in the second, LoVett got it going with a nice layup and one to cut the La Salle lead to 23-15.
Acquuah responded for the Lancers with a jumper as the shot clock was about to expire to push the lead back to double-digits.
LoVett continued to get to the foul line and knock down free throws but the Lancers, led by Vance Jackson, were able to maintain their advantage and build a 32-17 lead.
The Pioneers made a mini-run to end the half on a coast to coast jam from junior Christian Ware-Berry that cut the deficit to 39-27.
La Salle outscored Providence 22-16 in the third quarter due in large part to their pressure defense that forced several Pioneer turnovers that led to easy baskets for the Lancers.
Trailing 61-43 entering the final quarter, LoVett was determined to make a game of it and knocked down a medium range jumper to start.
However, Vance Jackson continued to shine, drilling a dagger three-pointer to give La Sallle a commanding 66-49 advantage with less than five minutes remaining.
In the end, La Salle defeated Providence 83-61 to close out the MLK Day Showdown.
Freshman Vance Jackson was named CLA and Further Player of the Game with 30 points to lead the Lancers.
