By Chris Parker
Link Academy will play for its first Bass Pro Tournament of Champions title in its first appearance after holding off Christ the King 55-44 in the semifinals on Friday night.
It was far from easy.
Christ the King battled Link to a five-point, 40-35, deficit after three quarters.
Link Academy’s depth would prove to be the difference in the final frame.
“We just try to wear on you. We talked about taking this (game) from five (points) to 10 and then putting the game away, and that is what these guys did,” Link Academy head coach Bill Armstrong said. “You have to give them (Christ the King) all the credit for being super physical and really testing us defensively.”
Defense ruled the night for Link Academy.
The Lions forced 25 turnovers which led to 32 of the team’s 55 points. Link Academy scored 10 of its 15 fourth-quarter points off turnovers with the other five coming on free throws.
“Elliot (Cadeau) asked me on the way down ‘coach was that our best defensive effort of the year?’ I think no doubt about it. We were all over the place,” Armstrong said. “Our game goal is to get 32 deflections and we had 38; 38 (deflections) in a 32-minute game is a lot of deflections. That is just a testament to their effort and want-to.”
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Cadeau led the Link Academy offensive attack on Friday with 14 points on 6-for-18 shooting. It was a much different look than the opening round game against Bartlett where he scored five points on just six shots.
“My coaches told me to push the ball more and try to get more offense for myself. That was my main focus this game,” Cadeau said.
Behind Cadeau, Cameron Carr (13 points) and Ja’Kobe Walker (12 points) each scored in double figures.
The depth was on display with eight different players scoring in the game and seven different players recording steals.
“We have tried to build that depth all year. That is a testament to the other nine guys that aren’t up here. Not only are we able to do it in the game, but we do it every day in practice. These guys go at each other. What they do to sacrifice their bodies just in practice every day makes the games a lot easier. We try to use our depth throughout the game.”
CLICK HERE FOR POSTGAME REACTION FROM LINK ACADEMY
Christ the King was led by Devin Vanterpool’s 14-point output. Qingfang Pang scored 12 points.
The Royals will look to bounce back in the third-place game against Calvary Christian.
“We want to walk out of this tournament two and one,” Christ the King head coach Joe Arbitello said. “If you walk out of this tournament two and one, you are a pretty good team.”
Link Academy will turn its attention to Sunrise Christian Academy in the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions title game on Saturday at 9 p.m.
“We have been talking about it (a T of C championship). We’ve been waiting for this and preparing for this. All the season that has led up has prepared us for this moment. It would mean the world for us to be able to win this in front of a home southwest Missouri crowd and put our name on that trophy. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
