As much anticipation as there was surrounding the previous game, one could truly argue that the battle between Apex Friendship and The Patrick School generated as much buzz as any contest. The Patrick School entered this contest just days removed from getting superstar junior Jonathan Kuminga eligible to play, which proved to be an absolute necessity for this event. He was their clear leader throughout the first half, truly carrying the offensive load in a mature, efficient manner from the opening tip. However, so did Nick Farrar and Apex Friendship. Although The Patrick School walked into halftime with a 36-33 lead, Apex Friendship certainly gave them more than they bargained for.
The second half showed flashes of The Patrick School preparing to take over, but Farrar simply wouldn’t let Apex Friendship fall off. He burdened the load for the entire half and kept his team with fighting distance of a victory. That being said, Jonathan Kuminga was nothing short of dominant and took this contest into his own hands quite effortlessly. The individual matchup between Farrar and Kuminga was worth the price of admission alone, as both guys played extremely well. Despite some lead changes, The Patrick School held tough and secured a 70-64 victory over Apex Friendship.
The Patrick School continues to look incredibly strong behind Kuminga, who finished with 31 points and 11 rebounds. They also enjoyed an excellent showing from Zarique Nutter, who finished with 16 points and 7 rebounds. On the other side, Farrar led the way with 35 points and 4 rebounds. Jayden Beloti also added 15 points and 5 rebounds.