Giddey Earns High Praise, Mobley and Cunningham Lead Team Barry to Upset Win

Cole Anthony pulled down his shorts during a Desmond Bane free throw.

Bane wasn’t phased by the distraction and he sunk the free throw to hit the target score of 50 to clinch the first game of the Clorox Rising Star game.

Bane and Team Isiah, named after honorary coach Isiah Thomas, won the matchup against Team (James) Worthy 50-49.

Team Barry won the event overall after a 25-20 win against Team Isiah.

Thunder rookie Josh Giddey was a part of Team Worthy, and he played most of the game. Giddey’s stat line didn’t light up the point total and he didn’t quite end with a triple-double but he played well in the fast-paced game. He scored just two points but had nine rebounds and six assists.

The announcers of the game had high praise for the rookie, and Giddey put his name on a national stage riding the, nearly, most hype of any rookie at the event.

The MVP of the first game had to be Team Isiah’s Saddiq Bey, a sophomore for the Pistons, Bey had 16 points, four boards, three assists, three steals and the game saving block on Jalen Green.

The surprise of the game was Green going off for an electric 20 points in a game where the final hit when a team scored 50. Green was comfortable in the style of play and could’ve been the MVP with a team win.

The second game was much more of a serious game, as more offensive sets were ran and was a bit slower, but still just as competitive.

The shape was a little more serious than the first game and it ended with a win for Team Barry 50-48. Jae’Sean Tate took the ball at the top of the key and drove in making an acrobatic up and under layup to close out the game for his squad.

The MVP of this second game was Cade Cunningham. He tallied 13 points, six assists and five rebounds. Cunningham once again showed why he was the No. 1 pick and secured the rebound that set up the winning basket from Tate.

Before the championship game the event hosted a clutch challenge. Where teams of two had to hit five clutch shots, that have happened throughout the 75 years of the NBA. The team of Bane and Tyrese Haliburton edged out the team of Giddey and Evan Mobley for the trophy. The two teams were the only two teams of the four to finish the competition.

In the championship game Team Barry knocked down the first shot on a 3-point shot from Mobley, but Team Isiah followed with a 10-2 run.

In a game to 25, defense was intensified from what it was in the first games, something not normally seen in professional All-Star events, and every point mattered.

Team Barry clawed back using a team effort while Mobley and Tate led in points, Cunningham served up the assists that led to the points. Heading to a media timeout Team Barry led 20-18.

For Team Isiah Precious Achiuwa stole the show for his team as their go-to scorer down the stretch.

Cunningham knocked down a 3-point shot to give Team Barry the 24-21 lead. He then rebounded a missed Bey shot and dished the ball to Franz Wagner who earned his way to the free throw line where he knocked down the first free throw to win the game and event.

Cade Cunningham earned MVP honors of the event with a host of other players serving of the award. The Cleveland crowd was pulling for Mobley who played well throughout the event.

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