As evening turned into night both the Acton Academy Eagles and Next Level 360 prepared for tip-off. The excitement from both teams was palpable, the anticipation was building on both sides, and as the energy in the building was hitting its peak, the game begun
Next Level started out strong, scoring two quick baskets before the Eagles could answer with a basket of their own. However, this two-point deficit would be short-lived as Next Level would go on a spectacular run. Steal after steal, forced turnover after forced turnover, Next Level was able to generate a mountain of fastbreak points. And as the dust settled on the first half, the Eagles found themselves down 45 to 12.
In the second half, the game was a little more competitive as the Eagles were able to slow down the Next Level offense. Additionally, as the half progressed, Acton was able to get a little bit of an offense of rhythm going. However, this would not suffice as Next Level did more than enough to maintain their lead, beating the Eagles handily with a final score of 26 to 71.
Overall, Next Level was able to execute well in all facets of the game. They shot efficiently from the field, they did a great job rebounding, they were aggressive driving to the rim, their passing was on point, and their teamwork was impeccable.
On the Eagle side of things, there were some bright spots. As the game wore on, you could see they were getting into an offense of rhythm with more and more players showcasing the ability to get to the hole and get fouled. Even though the shots didn't fall for Acton, they were able to create some high percentage looks throughout the game.
In the end, both teams played with their hearts, and it showed throughout the contest and beyond. Once the game was done, Next Level and the Eagles congratulated each other on a game well played, unprompted by referees or coaches; a perfect way to end such an intense game.