SAN DIEGO – The 2026 Ballislife SeaWorld All-American Sport began off tightly contested however led to a blowout, as Staff Blue (Sharks) defeated Staff White (Dolphins) in a 160-136 shootout on the Nautilus Amphitheater on Saturday.
Oregon commit Tajh Ariza (Hyperlink Academy, MO) and Missouri commit Jason Crowe Jr. (Inglewood, CA) earned co-MVP honors for Staff Blue. Ariza led all scorers with 30 factors, making 11-of-18 makes an attempt from the sector with a handful of spectacular, high-flying slam dunks that we’ve turn out to be accustomed to seeing from the slasher. Crowe Jr. completed with 22 factors, 16 of which got here throughout the first half, due to a red-hot taking pictures show from the nation’s most prolific scorer.
“It means quite a bit to win co-MVP, particularly as a result of I received it with my greatest buddy,” Crowe Jr. mentioned. “We each received MVP on our group, in order that’s an awesome feeling. I grew up with him, we have been AAU teammates, and I haven’t performed with him in a very long time, so it simply felt good in our final recreation as highschool seniors.”
For Ariza, it was vindicating to go away San Diego with some {hardware} after he wasn’t chosen because the MVP for the Jordan Model Basic.
“It feels good, successful in Cali,” Ariza mentioned. “I didn’t win at Jordan, so simply getting one thing earlier than I end my profession. I simply wished to placed on a present for everyone watching. Enjoying with my bros, me and J. Crowe, it’s cool.”
Marcis Ponder Wins MVP for Dolphins
Florida State commit Marcis Ponder took house the MVP for Staff White within the loss, tallying 18 factors and 15 rebounds. Ponder scored 14 of these factors within the second half, ending a number of rim-rocking slam dunks, together with just a few thunderous alley-oops.
“It feels nice,” Ponder mentioned. “Coming right here to Cali with a number of the high gamers within the nation, I am simply pleased to be top-of-the-line and to take house the MVP. I solely received one job: operating the ground, blocking pictures, and getting rebounds. That is been my important job since I used to be 15, so I proceed to do it.”
Don’t attempt to dunk on Marcis!
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Staff Blue began to tug away shortly earlier than the halfway level of the second half and all however iced the sport on a powerful alley-oop slam by Okay.J. Torbert that prolonged their result in a then-game-high 21 factors, 125-104, with slightly below eight minutes remaining.
With the result all however determined, the remainder of the sport was an impromptu dunk contest with just a few pictures from the emblem combined in. Ariza and Oklahoma State commit Latrelle Allmond (Petersburg, VA) particularly confirmed out throughout the exhibition, together with Arizona commit Cameron Holmes.
Staff Sharks Dominate!
Staff White (Dolphins) introduced a 76-73 result in halftime, regardless of the unbelievable taking pictures efficiency by Crowe Jr. The all-time main scorer in California prep historical past placed on a present for his house state crowd, making 4 consecutive one-legged step again 3-pointers from the nook.
These weren’t wide-open, highschool 3-point makes an attempt both. They have been contested, and from previous the school line or deeper, and to high all of it off, he hit his signature celebration every time to a progressively louder response from the gang. Maybe probably the most spectacular a part of Crowe’s takeover was the truth that it occurred primarily after the 10-minute media timeout.
“I used to be simply attempting stuff,” Crowe Jr. mentioned. “It is an all-star recreation, so it doesn’t make any sense to not strive new issues, simply the issues I follow on a day-to-day foundation.”
For a lot of the primary half, Staff White’s Dakari Spear of Dallas, Texas, seemed to be making an MVP bid himself. Spear registered a dynamic three-level scoring efficiency, ending with 12 factors within the body after making his first two 3-point makes an attempt along with just a few artful layups on the tin and a powerful completion of an alley-oop lob that wowed the parents in attendance.
Last Rating: Staff Blue (Sharks) 160, Staff White (Dolphins) 136
