KANSAS CITY – Taking on an out-of-state opponent for the second straight year at Hy-Vee Arena, the Park Hill boys’ basketball team (4-3) had its largest margin of victory of the year on Dec. 19.
Park Hill junior Cameron Jones dunks the ball in the first quarter of the Trojans’ 68-47 victory over IMG Academy in the 12 Courts of Christmas at Hy-Vee Arena on Dec. 19.
The 3rd Annual Twelve Courts of Christmas is a growing basketball shootout that schools from all over come and play and the Trojans earned their first win there. A year after matching up with a Nebraska school, Park Hill took on IMG Academy from Florida.
The public school prevailed 68-47 over the private school to move over .500. This was the Trojans’ second consecutive win following a 2-game losing skid.
Cameron Jones came to play, scoring the first eight points for Park Hill, including a fast break slam dunk. The Trojans went up 6-4 after the jam and they led the rest of the way, although the first half stayed competitive.
Desire Tonye-Nyemeck ended the first quarter with back-to-back putback layups to make the score 12-7. To start the second quarter, Akoi Akoi scored five points off the bench and Jones knocked down his second triple of the night to extend the lead.
Gavin Schaag was scoreless and struggled to put the ball in the hoop in the first quarter, but that changed after subbing out and removing his undershirt. The senior looked like a new man when he stepped back on the court, making five of his next six shots – including 3-of-3 from deep – counting the early second half.
Schaag scored the last eight Park Hill points in the first half as IMG Academy went into the locker room behind 30-22. Tonye-Nyemeck set the tone of the second half with a monster dunk in the opening moments of the third quarter, followed by back-to-back threes by Schaag.
Park Hill slowly but surely pushed the margin to 20-plus points and won by 21. Jones led the way with 21 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and three steals.
Schaag ended the night with 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the field and 5-of-11 from deep. Akoi put up 11 points and forced two steals to lead the second unit and Tonye-Nyemeck had 10 points, seven rebounds and five steals.
Park Hill is the reigning champion in the William Jewell Holiday Tournament Patterson Division and will look to have similar success in the Nelson Division this year. The Trojans will start off with a matchup against Blue Springs (1-8) on Dec. 27.