Last game of the night, two very familiar teams squared off for a chance to compete in the semifinals of the Phenom Hoop State Championship. Combine National and Combine Regional matched up in front of a packed house. Combine National was able to get the early edge with their size and shots falling for Trentyn Flowers, but Combine Regional punched right back at the end to be only down 13-11 after one. But that is when the offense started rolling for National, as 2023 Collin Tanner answered the bell with 17 points (5 3-pointers) in the quarter. It is what helped his team go from a two-point lead to a 20-point halftime lead, 46-26.
Second half wasn’t much different than the second quarter, as Tanner was knocking down shots but everyone else started to get into the mix. Combine National did a great job playing with energy on defense and also was able to get out in transition consistently. It is what helped them expand their lead to 30+ by the end of three quarters, and they never looked back from there.
Final: Combine National 86 – Combine Regional 59
Stats:
Combine National: Collin Tanner 25pts, Trentyn Flowers 10, Kendall Campbell 9
Combine Regional: Clinton Efinda 17pts, Jacob Brandly 16, Yohan Gutierrez 8
Standouts:
2023 Collin Tanner (Combine National): Tanner really changed the game in the second quarter, as he helped break up a close game to a 20-point lead in the quarter. Tanner was on fire from behind the arc, hitting three after three and showing his range in a big way. His shot-making is what really changed the game in the second quarter for his team, and he continued that in the second half as well.
2023 Clinton Efinda (Combine Regional): Efinda was a standout on Day 1 and continued his strong play here today. Continues to be the clear leader for this team and a big-time offensive weapon for his team. Efinda is a competitor on the floor with how he can attack a defense, get downhill to attack the basket, and his ability to finish against contact.
2023 Kendall Campbell (Combine National): I really liked what Campbell provided in this game as far as on both sides and energy. Campbell played hard, brought a physical force down in the paint that the Regional team couldn’t match, and he was an effective weapon defensively/on the boards.