2021 Gym Rat Live Tournament Recap

The 2021 Gym Rat Live Tournament was held at The Albany Capital Center in Albany NY, and was sure to be a stacked event.  With 20+ nationally ranked recruits, headlined by the #1 and #2 recruits in the nation respectively, this event was going to be a show.  A handful of the top EYBL teams were participating such as, Team Final, NY Renaissance, Expression Elite, City Rocks, and more.

Reid Ducharme steals the show against Team Final

A matchup between two historic programs, BABC vs Team Final was definitely adding up to be an amazing game, but I don’t think anyone would have predicted it to turn out like it did.  At halftime Final looked like they were about to cruise to a victory, with a massive 47-29 lead, that’s when Reid Ducharme, one of the top unranked recruits in the class of 2023, flipped a switch and brought his team back into the game.  Ducharme lit up the scoreboard in the second half, scoring 31 points, while dropping 9 3-pointers as well.  At one point what was nearly a 20 point deficit, was cut to 3 by the play of Ducharme, Powers, and company.  With 3:30 to go Final led BABC 72-69, but with the play of Jalen Duren, Dereck Lively II and company, they were able to survive a scare against BABC.  Final score Team Final 83-BABC 76.  Ducharme’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed however, as he has a Zoom call with Stanford later on today.

Team Final dominates vs the NY Renaissance

In what some thought would be the game of the tournament, Team Final put on a show.  Led by their two stars Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren, Final took a hold of the game from the first quarter and never took their foot off the gas pedal.  A very crucial point of the game was in the third quarter, when Emoni Bates went down with a hard fall and needed assistance getting off the court.  Most teams would have been unable to regain focus and close out the game, but not Final, with Bates sidelined, Final’s bench stepped up in a big way.  Otega Oweh provided a spark in the third quarter, going on an 11-0 run by himself, in which the Renaissance had no answer for.  Oweh finished the game with 22 points and 6 rebounds off the bench, while Corey Floyd Jr tallied 14 points and 3 rebounds, showing you just how deep of a Team, Team Final really is.  Bates later returned in the fourth quarter, where he was able to finish out the game, and help guide Team Final to a 84-62 victory, avenging their loss vs the Renaissance from the KYDA Invitational.

Top Performers

Denver Anglin (NY Renaissance) Anglin had multiple games with 5 + 3-pointers made and brought the intensity throughout the tournament on both ends of the floor, including a 23 point, 7 3-pointers made game against City Rocks

Jalen Duren (Team Final) Duren had multiple 20 point 10 rebound games throughout the tournament and was the leader of Team Final this weekend

JJ Starling (City Rocks) Starling played a big part for the home team City Rocks, having a 23 point game against Team Final, while also dropping 32 points on 60+% shooting against the NY Renaissance

Emoni Bates (Team Final) Bates came into the tournament as one of the newer members of Team Final, but that didn’t stop him from having great team chemistry throughout the weekend, playing well in all 4 of Final’s games, and coming 2 assists away from a triple double against Expression Elite

Jonathan Beagle (City Rocks) Beagle provided a spark for City Rocks throughout the tournament, providing with anything the team needed, from, points, to offensive and defensive rebounds, to timely assists