This game is the championship of the Signature Series.  Both schools have burst onto the national scene in just the past few years and are loaded with college prospects.  Compass Prep actually started out the season ranked #1 in one of the pre-season polls.

It was Combine that out of the gate fast, running out to an 8-0 lead as Jayden Epps dropped in a pair of threes and Bray Thomas scored at the basket.  Compass came right back with a run of their own.  Marquis Cook scored inside, Mekai Mason hit a three and Lamar Washington dropped in a floater to make the score 8-7 with 2:45 left in the first period.  Things slowed down from there as the only scoring done the rest of the quarter were two free throws from Matai Baptiste of Combine.  The Goats of Combine led after one quarter of play, 10-7.

An early pair of baskets by Compass were quickly answered by a pair of Combine baskets to keep the margin at three into the second period.  Compass then got a putback bucket from Chance Westry and a transition basket from Kylan Boswell to take a 15-14 lead with 3:46 left in the period.  Shortly thereafter, with the game tied at 18-18, Boswell hit another three to give Compass a 21-18 lead.  After a Combine free throw, Compass scored inside to extend its lead to four at 23-19.  Combine answered with a series of free throws to get to within one, but a Adrame Diongue dunk for Compass gave them the lead at the half, 25-22.

Combine scored first in the third quarter, getting to within one.  That didn’t bother Compass as they put together a 6-0 run with a pair of baskets from Cook and a driving score by Westry to make the score 31-24 at the 5:55 mark.  Combine scored three straight points to get to within three but Mason of Compass scored five straight points to extend their lead to nine, 36-27.  Combine’s Epps drilled a three but that was answered in kind by Colin Smith of Compass.  Both teams would score a single basket the rest of the quarter to make the score 41-32 in favor of Compass Prep.

Compass Prep scored the first five points of the fourth quarter, extending their margin to fourteen at 46-32.  That was the beginning of the end for Combine as they just couldn’t keep Compass either off the boards or away from the rim.  Compass’ biggest lead was eighteen and finished off the game with a pair of spectacular slams, one by Cook and one by Westry.  Compass Prep wins the Signature Series by the score of 58-43.

Compass Prep was led by Cook with 12 points and Westry with 11 points.  Eight of the nine Compass Prep players scored in the contest.

Combine Academy got 14 points from Patrick Wessler while Epps finished with 13 points.