The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

BELIEVE Prep clinched the Post Grad Platinum Championships at the Big Shots Prep National Tournament over the weekend as Deyton Albury emerged as the most valuable player.

Albury, the starting shooting guard, scored 13 points as Believe Prep pulled off a huge 62-47 victory over TLAP Sports Academy in the tournament that was played in South Florida.

“It feels good. I know we were coming into this event this weekend against some top-notch competition with the same momentum that we had in the last tournament that we won,” said Albury of their triumph at the Insiders Exposure 1 Tournament the week before where he averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and three assists.

“We came with the same mentality that we can win this one too. So, it was good to be able to pull it off.”

As Albury averaged 14.7 points in the tournament, Believe Prep went undefeated in the three games they played.

Besides the championship, Believe Prep routed Combine Academy Black from North Carolina 63-48 with Albury scoring 11 and they knocked off 1st State 61-45 as Albury contributed 20 points.

With the tournament used as a showcase for the prep teams to display the skills of their players before the collegiate coaches and scouts, Albury said he just knew he had to shine under the bright lights.

“I know I had to come in and bring my A-game,” he said.

“I think I did very well defensively and offensively. I rebounded the ball well and that helped me to win the MVP.”

The former Temple Christian Academy star said he’s just waiting on reports from his coach Kevin Jackson to determine whether or not he received any offers and from who because scouts are not allowed to contact players right now.

“Right now, I feel I have the ability to play division one basketball, but it’s up to the coaches,” Albury said. “Coaches are not looking at how you can score the ball, but the little things you do also to help your team win.

“So, in practice, I’ve just been trying to fix the little things that I know the coaches are looking to see and just make that a major part of my game. So, I hope that they can see how I can handle the pressure.”

If there’s one thing that coach Jackson feels Albury needs to do to elevate his game, it’s his shooting. Albury agrees but admits that it’s something that will come in time.

“That’s a mental aspect that I have to work on,” he said.

“It takes getting up early in the morning and working on my jump shot. I just have to learn to shoot the ball a lot more than I am doing right now.”

The 18-year-old Albury, who graduated from Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas, where he starred in basketball and football, will lead Believe Prep as they return on the road this weekend in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for another tournament.

Hopefully, they can win their third straight title.

“I just hope to do what I did this weekend,” Albury said. “I know everybody will be looking at me, so I have to continue to perform as best as I can every time I step out on the court.”

Since joining Believe Prep last year, Albury has posted an impressive 44-9 win-loss record and is currently riding a 10-game winning streak over the past two tournaments.