LITTLE ROCK — Despite a 25-point, 21-rebound performance from Razorback junior commit Reggie Perry, the Arkansas Hawks 17-and-under AAU team couldn’t pull off a victory Sunday afternoon in the championship game of the Real Deal in the Rock.
YGC36 - sponsored by Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart - downed the Hawks 73-72 in the title tilt at P.A.R.K. in Little Rock.
Desi Sills added 17 points and fellow Razorback pledge Ethan Henderson 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Hawks (5-1), who suffered their first loss in the finals and feature a starting lineup all committed to the Razorbacks.
“I thought our effort was good and I knew that team was really good,” Hawks coach Bill Ingram said afterwards. “They beat D-1 Minnesota. We missed too many free throws. I don’t know how many we missed, but I know it was double digits for sure because we only one person make two in a row.”
Ingram thinks the pressing style that the Hawks used during the tournament haunted them in the end.
“We have to get in better condition or we may have to pick someone else up,” Ingram said. “It is what is it. It’s a tough loss, especially here at the Real Deal with all this great fan support.
“We’ll get a chance to see these guys a couple more times in league play. In league play we only play twice a day. If we play them and we’re fresh then we probably beat them.”
Perry had 30 points and 11 rebounds, Sills 23 and DeShang Weaver 13 in the Hawks’ 90-81 win over Urban DFW Elite in the semifinals.
Little Rock Christian sophomore point guard Justice Hill, who admitted he is considering reclassifying to 2018 and arriving at Arkansas at the same time as his AAU teammates, had more than 40 assists in the event this weekend.
Ingram was pleased with the weekend at the Real Deal, which also featured the Arkansas Wings winning the 15-and-under title and the Hawks 16-and-under team finishing runner-up.
There were some 3,000 fans on hand - and 300 turned away - for Friday night’s game featuring the Arkansas Hawks and a second contest highlighted by South Carolina Stampede star Zion Williamson (6-7, 240), arguably the top player in the 2018 class.
“I can’t imagine how I’m going to feel tonight when I get home and reflect back on the whole weekend and all the support we received,” Ingram said.