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Kiyan Anthony and the LuHi Crusaders fell short of the Nike EYBL Scholastic Tournament glory after a 74–71 loss to Link Academy. Before the game, Kiyan had a brief adorable moment with a young fan. His mom La La posted a video of the encounter on her Instagram story with the caption:
“Adorable moment with Kiyan.”
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La La has been a big supporter of Kiyan's basketball career, regularly posting updates about his progress on her social media accounts. The popular Hollywood actress and reality TV star also celebrated the Syracuse signee's 18th birthday recently, posting several pictures of him on Instagram.
Kiyan had been looking to end his high school basketball career on a high note at the inaugural Nike EYBL Scholastic Tournament. Through last week, he led the LuHi Crusaders to victories over Oak Hill Academy, Montverde Academy and Bella Vista.
Despite his heroics in the run-up to the final against Link Academy, the tournament crown was beyond Kiyan Anthony's reach.
Kiyan Anthony and LuHi lose the Nike EYBL Scholastic Tournament to Link Academy
The Link Academy Lions wrote their names in history as the first winners of the Nike EYBL Scholastic Tournament. They paraded stars like Jerry Easter, Chris Cenac and Trent Perry as they triumphed over some of the top programs in the country.
The championship game with LuHi was keenly contested, with Link ahead by three points as the game went into halftime. They had an incredible start, converting 8-for-11 throws from the field and scoring 3-of-5 free throws. LuHi didn't take it quietly, with Kiyan Anthony, Dylan Mingo and Kayden Mingo leading the charge.
The Crusaders scored 7-of-13 attempts in the second quarter, making sure they were closely behind with just a three-point deficit at halftime. Notwithstanding, Link increased its advantage to eight points by the third quarter, entering the final quarter with that lead.
However, LuHi was within a point of catching up with Link in the final quarter, but the duo of Cenac and Easter finished the job. The Houston-bound power forward sealed the win in the final seconds, converting one of two free throws to restore the Lions’ three-point lead.
Kiyan Anthony's effort to tie the game at the death didn't materialize. He and his teammates had to deal with the pain of the defeat.
For the Lions, Cenac was the championship hero with 22 points, six rebounds, and six blocks in the final game.
