The final game of the first-round features IMG Academy out of the EYBL Scholastic taking on a young but talented Richmond Heights team that ran the table last season in Ohio and is looking to establish a national reputation.  All of the first-round games have been blowouts to this point, so we are hoping for a bit more competitive game this time around.

It didn’t look like that would happen as IMG raced out to an 11-1 lead.  Darius Acuff started things off with a three and then Khani Rooths put back a miss.  T.J. Crumble made one of two free throws for Richmond Heights but four points from Donnie Freeman and a drive and score by Rooths completed the run.  Richmond Heights recovered with two buckets from Jeremy Wilson and after and Freeman jumper for IMG, Demaris Winters hit a three to make the score 13-8 with 3:26 to go in the period.  The teams traded free throws and three pointers to make the score 19-12 after one period of play.

Kareem Stagg of IMG put back a miss to increase their lead but then Richmond Heights settled in.  Winters and Hosea Steele combined for eleven straight points and with 5:45 to go, Richmond Heights led 23-21.  IMG tied the game on its next possession with a bucket inside by Freeman.  That was the start of a 12-1 run by IMG to close out the period, five of those by Amari Allen, to make the half-time score 33-24.

Richmond Heights struck first in the third quarter with a drive from Steele.  The teams battled back and forth for the first few minutes and after Crumble hit a three for Richmond Heights, the score was 40-33 in favor of IMG with five minutes remaining.  That is when the Ascenders asserted themselves. At that point IMG ripped off a 21-4 run over the rest of the quarter.  That run featured a three and a slam rom Allen and a pair of threes from Acuff.  With one quarter left to play, IMG was up big, 61-37.

Long story short, things got worse for Richmond Heights in the fourth period.  The size and strength of IMG was simply overwhelming.  In the end, IMG won easily, 89-48.

It was a very balanced box score for IMG.  Acuff led he way with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists.  Freeman finished with 17 points, Allen added 16 points, Cole Certa hit four of five from deep late in the fourth quarter to contribute 12 points and Rooths tossed in 11 points.

For Richmond Heights, Crumble led the way with 12 points, Winters added 11 points and both Steele and Jones contributed 10 points.