Filipino-American Kihei Clark is named All-Star Game MVP after an all-around performance of 13 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals.
Team Hustle, true to their name, outhustled Team Heart, 99-91, in the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) Division I High School All-Star Game at the Mall of Asia Arena, Friday, March 23.
Led by some of the country’s best young players like Ateneo’s Kai Sotto and SJ Belangel, Coach Topex Robinson’s Team Hustle went toe-to-toe with Coach Chris Gavina’s Team Heart, which featured a mix of UAAP stars like Dave Ildefonso and Fil-Am stud Jalen Green. As a result of balanced scoring from both ends, the first quarter ended at an 18-all deadlock.
Business picked up in the second quarter, as dunks crashed down from both ends courtesy of Green and Sotto. Green would end up giving Team Heart a small 40-38 lead at the half after an open-lane tomahawk jam.
Green wasn’t done living above the rim by the third quarter, as midway through the period, he slammed another tomahawk poster over the 7-foot-1 Sotto. Fundamentals over athleticism prevailed, however, as Green’s fellow Fil-Am player Kihei Clark controlled the pace for Team Hustle en route to a 10-point lead, 62-52. But Team Heart decided to also live up to their name and gave all heart to an 11-2 run that cut the Hustle lead down to one, 64-63. National University (NU) guard Migs Oczon drained a long bomb, however, to halt the run and end the frame at 67-63.
The game got knotted one last time at 73-all before Belangel, NU guard Terrence Fortea and Clark sank three consecutive triples in the clutch to help Team Hustle pull away for good.
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