The Adidas Invitational has been one of the best exposure camps during the July "live" period. After hundreds of games in the last 5 days, one was finally televised. That game was the 17U Championship between the Florida Elite and New Heights (NY). Florida Elite, with stars Kasey Hill and Chris Walker, was looking for their 2nd straight Adidas Invitational title. On a team without a star, New Heights was looking to use their chemistry and hard work to pull the upset.
The fatigue proved true for both teams as only a total of 22 points were scored halfway through the first half.
New Heights played aggressive defense, frustrating Walker and Hill in the process.
Although turnover prone in the first 10 minutes, Kasey Hill found his rhythm towards the end of the half, showing why he is in the top 20 of the 2013 class. Chris Walker did his damage on the defensive end, blocking 6 shots in the first half and grabbing 7 rebounds.
New Heights wasn't flashy, but played solid defense and made perimeters shots to stay close to a Florida Elite team who could explode at any time. In fact, if Demarcus Croaker hadn't scored the final 10 points of the half for Florida Elite, New Heights would actually be ahead. Instead, at the half, it was Florida Elite 33, New Heights 27.
New Heights' Jordan Washington scored 8 points to open the second half, giving them a 35-33 lead. It was then that Kasey Hill started to take over. With 10 minutes remaining, Hill led his team to a 5 point lead at 47-42. Florida Elite never looked back, extending their lead throughout the half. New Heights was able to cut it to two with two minutes to go, but key free throws by Hill and Walker put the game out of reach.
In the end, Florida Elite held off New Heights 76-68 and captured its second straight Adidas Invitational title. These venues are mostly about players gaining exposure by college coaches, but it sure doesn't hurt to win it in the process.
Kasey Hill
6'0" 170 lbs
College: Florida
After scoring nine points but committing nine turnovers in the first half, the Florida commit just didn't look himself. The second half was a different story. Hill started scoring in a variety of ways, whether it was driving to the basket or hitting the spot up three. He also looked to get his teammates involved, something all great point guards should be able to do. He ended up finishing the game with 27 points, earning player of the game honors. Billy Donavan and his staff have to be happy in what they saw in Hill during this tournament.
Chris Walker
6' 10" 195 lbs
College: Undecided
Although he wasn't much of a factor on the offensive end, Walker showed on the defensive end why he is a top 10 recruit in the 2013 class. In the first half alone, Walker had six blocks and pulled down seven rebounds. He could definitely add some strength, but the basketball skills are there for him to make an impact on the D1 level. He currently has offers from Baylor, UCONN, Florida, Florida State, Kansas, and Ohio State.
Demarcus Croaker
6'2" 170 lbs 21
College: Undecided
Croaker is often forgotton on Florida Elite because of guys like Kasey Hill and Chris Walker. On Sunday, Croaker showed that coaches should be making trips to see him play. He was the x-factor for the Florida Elite by draining threes and blowing by his man. Croaker scored 21 points for Florida Elite, helping them win this tournament for the second straight year. He currently has been offered by Central Michigan, Florida State, Miami (FL), Murray State, South Carolina, UCF, Virginia Tech, and Wichita State.
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