The projected starting five for DeMatha High’s boys basketball team has traveled the country this summer with various Amateur Athletic Union teams.
Back together again on Sunday afternoon the Stags did what they do best: Win a title.
Rising senior guard Austin Freeman scored a game-high 15 points and rising senior center Jerai Grant added six points and 11 rebounds as DeMatha held off a late Paul VI rally to win the Nike Pro City/Kenner League Summer League championship game at Georgetown University’s McDonough Arena, 53-50.
Freeman, Grant, rising junior forward Chris Braswell and rising senior guards Isaiah Tate and Jeff Peterson have been pretty much everywhere this summer. Freeman’s list alone includes tournaments in Nevada, Arkansas, North Carolina, New Jersey and Ohio. He returned from the Reebok Big Time tournament in Las Vegas at 6 a.m. on Thursday. At 9 that night, he was helping DeMatha win a Kenner League playoff game.
“Winning here matters to us because we want to prepare for the beginning of the season, but also because we want to show the other teams in the [Washington Catholic Athletic Conference] that we’re still the team to beat,” said the Georgetown-bound Freeman, who plays AAU basketball for D.C. Assault. “This definitely helps set the tone for our season.”
Paul VI, which trailed by 18 points early in the second half on Sunday, scrapped its way back to within 44-40 after a 3-pointer from rising senior guard Donald Johnson with 4 minutes, 32 seconds remaining. But in the final minute Freeman converted a layup and broke a trap near the sideline and found Grant for a monster dunk to seal the game.
“DeMatha is loaded on paper and man-for-man,” said Paul VI coach Levi Franklin. “But we don’t ever back down from anybody. We can’t wait for the season to start.”
Game notes
» Rising senior guard Calvin Mainor led Paul VI with 14 points and rising senior guard Donald Johnson added 11 points.
» The Panthers reached the championship game of both The Rock and Nike Pro City/Kenner summer leagues.
» DeMatha opened the game with a 19-5 run.
