KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Austin Rivers couldn’t have invented a better scenario with help from a Disney Imagineer.

Exactly 24 hours after avenging last year’s loss to Team Takeover (Washington, D.C.), one of two teams left on Rivers’ mental payback list, Rivers was warming up with his Each 1 Teach 1 (Orlando, Fla.) AAU teammates to finish team No. 2, the St. Louis Eagles (St. Louis, Mo.). This time it was for the title at the AAU 17-under Boys’ Basketball Super Showcase, presented by Champion®.

Rivers’ game-high 24 points helped Each 1 Teach 1 knock off the Eagles handily, 78-60, in the finals Tuesday night.

“Team Takeover had beaten us in the title game of this tournament last year so we had to get them,” Rivers said. “Now we had the team that beaten us pretty bad earlier this summer. We had to get them back.”

They did.
 
Rivers’ backcourt mate Trevor Lacey of Butler (Huntsville, Ala.) added 22 points to E1T1’s victory. Ben McLemore, a recent transfer Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), led the way for the Eagles with 18 points.

“It just feels so great to win this tournament,” said Rivers, last year’s ESPN RISE National Junior of the Year. “There are so many great teams on the circuit and to come out on top just really shows how hard we’ve worked. This is the best feeling.”
 
Added E1T1 coach Therion Joseph: “Just to get back to the title game after getting there and losing last year is a big accomplishment. Then to go one step further is amazing. These kids have put in the work to be champions.”

The most telling defensive stat was 5-for-18. That’s what E1T1 forced Eagles’ star Bradley Beal to shoot from the field.

Beal torched E1T1 for 36 points in a win in April at Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League.

“I guess it was just one of those games,” said Beal, a shooting guard committed to Florida. “But honestly, it’s been like this all tournament for me. I’ve had a few good games, but I’ve been off. I just couldn’t get it going. They had a lot of new guys on their team and it was tough. This is just the worst feeling ever.”

After trailing 36-28 at the half, Lacey pumped in 12 points in the third quarter to extend the lead to 15. The Eagles made a run in the fourth when Beal drained a 3-pointer from the left wing to cut the lead to eight. But the Eagles’ guards couldn’t stop Rivers’ penetration. He went 6-for-8 from the free-throw line down the stretch.

“I couldn’t get the 3-ball to fall so I just went to my drive because I knew I could get into the lane when I wanted to,” said Rivers of Winter Park (Winter Park, Fla.). “I don’t know if I’ve ever not made a three in a game, but I’m even more confident now that I can adjust and remain effective. We’re gonna enjoy this one.”

Added Joseph: “We can’t celebrate too long. We’ve already started AAU Nationals. This will give us a lot of confidence for that. We’ll have Austin when we get into the bracket rounds so we’re feeling good. Hopefully, we can celebrate another title later this week.”