HawkeyeDrive.com 7/24/2014: PTL Notebook — Top seed falls, Culver’s/McCurry’s cruisesHawkeyeDrive.com

7/24/2014: PTL Notebook — Top seed falls, Culver’s/McCurry’s cruises

Posted on 24. Jul, 2014 by admin in Iowa Basketball

By Brendan Stiles

HawkeyeDrive.com

NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa — The Prime Time League semifinals had a little of everything Thursday night at the North Liberty Community Center. One game was an upset that featured the league’s top two players this summer and went down to the wire. The other contest was a complete rout from start to finish. When the night was over, it was fourth-seeded Westport Touchless Autowash/IAHomesForSale and second-seeded Culver’s/McCurry’s still standing and those two teams will meet next week for the PTL championship.

In terms of seeding, Autowash/Homes’ 99-96 win over top-seeded Jill Armstrong of Skogman Realty was an upset. But in all actuality, it was the second time this summer Autowash/Homes defeated the league’s best regular season squad.

Armstrong looked to be in control early on when it used a 20-4 run in the first half to go up 36-24 with about seven-and-a-half minutes remaining. From there though, Autowash/Homes staged a 26-12 rally of its own and actually went into halftime leading 50-48.

Autowash/Homes led throughout most of the second half, but Armstrong managed to tie the game at 86-86 apiece with 2:58 remaining thanks in large part to the play of junior forward Jarrod Uthoff, who has had as good a summer as any Iowa player. Uthoff shot 12-of-19 from the floor to finish with 28 points and also contributed 11 rebounds to complete the double-double.

“I’m just getting more comfortable,” Uthoff said. “I took way more shots than I ever had in games. I got to be more comfortable being in that position and being more aggressive.”

Northern Iowa’s Klint Carlson broke the tie with a one-handed dunk to put Autowash/Homes ahead before it received two of the biggest plays of the game from its pair of Hawkeyes. First came a 3-point play from junior center Adam Woodbury on the ensuing possession to extend the lead to 91-86. Then just as Armstrong got back within a field goal, junior guard Anthony Clemmons found himself open from behind the arc and drilled a 3-pointer to push it back up to 95-90, which ultimately allowed Autowash/Homes to preserve the victory.

Both Iowa players had 24 points each for Autowash/Homes in the win. Clemmons shot 9-of-15 from the floor and also contributed with eight assists. Woodbury, who will not be available for next week’s title game due to a prior commitment playing for the USA East Coast squad at the Four Nations Cup in Estonia, ended his summer with his fifth consecutive double-double as he shot 8-of-13 from the floor for his 24 points and hauled down 17 rebounds.

“I gained a lot of confidence and played with a great group of guys,” Woodbury said. “I’m excited to get the season started. I’ve put in a lot of work and I think it’s kind of starting to show.”

As for the nightcap, it was a complete whitewash as Culver’s/McCurry’s easily disposed of third-seeded L.L. Pelling/Comfort Care Medicare, 101-74. It began as though it could be a compelling game with senior center Gabe Olaseni setting an early tone for Pelling/Comfort Care.

But then came the barrage from Culver’s/McCurry’s, who led by as many as 26 points (39-13) in the first half and as much as 40 points for the entire game. Even though Pelling/Comfort Care got within 17 points at halftime, Culver’s/McCurry’s was just too much.

In defeat, Olaseni finished with 31 points on 12-of-16 shooting and also tallied 10 rebounds to complete the double-double. However, Pelling/Comfort Care didn’t receive the best shooting night from senior guard Josh Oglesby on Thursday. After scoring 26 points in Pelling/Comfort Care’s first round win over BlendCard last week, Oglesby only finished with nine points on 4-of-11 shooting.

“It just happens,” Olaseni said. “We’re a good team. They just jumped on us early. I’m annoyed that we lost, but my teammates played well.”

Meanwhile, Culver’s/McCurry’s received a double-double of its own from senior forward Aaron White, who finished with 17 points on 8-of-23 shooting and 14 rebounds. It also received a strong performance from incoming sophomore guard Trey Dickerson, who made his first North Liberty PTL appearance on Thursday and came away with 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting and eight assists.

“There’s a lot of high expectations, but I always expect the most out of myself,” Dickerson said. “I’m just looking to come out there and find my role.”

So now the championship game is set — Culver’s/McCurry’s vs. Autowash/Homes. One intriguing storyline involves two of the players who will be participating. White and Clemmons have each been part of two PTL championship teams during their Hawkeye careers. White hit the game-winning shot in the 2011 game, then teamed up with Clemmons when they won in 2012. While White was overseas playing at the World University Games last year, Clemmons earned his second consecutive crown and did so without the services of his then-teammate Uthoff. Like Woodbury next week, Uthoff played in Estonia last year and missed the championship game.

Culver’s/McCurry’s won the only previous meeting between these two teams 95-89 back on June 19, the league’s opening night. Neither Clemmons nor Dickerson played in that previous contest. White had 25 points and 10 rebounds for Culver’s/McCurry’s, while Woodbury finished with 27 points and nine rebounds for Autowash/Homes. The 2014 PTL title game is set for 7 p.m. Central on July 31 and will take place inside the Roberts Gym at the North Liberty Community Center.

*Be sure to visit HawkeyeDrive.com on the night of July 31 for complete coverage of the 2014 Prime Time League Championship Game between No. 2 Culver’s/McCurry’s and No. 4 Westport Touchless Autowash/IAHomesForSale.

VIDEOS:

FIRST HALF: Autowash/Homes (PURPLE) VS. Armstrong (GRAY):