JDub knocks down the triple for the win! 🗣️ #PaniniRisingStars
Bennedict Mathurin MVP of 2024 Rising Stars with triumphant win for Team Jalen: Victor Wembanyama out of the finals
NBASaturday, 17 February 2024 at 14:01
Bennedict Mathurin put on a show in the Rising Stars tournament, leading Team Jalen to a championship victory over Team Detlef 26-13. It was a shocking turn of events, as Team Pau led by #1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama lost in the first round to a team full of G-League players.
It was a tough start for Team Jalen, as in the first round against Team Tamika his squad started off trailing 9-0. Orlando Magic All-Star Paolo Banchero made some highlight plays to get the crowd hyped up, such as powerful slams. However, after some motivational talk by head coach Jalen Rose, a member of the legendary "Fab Five" back with the Michigan Wolverines, his team got fired up and rallied on to come out on top.
The Pacers second year guard led the way, scoring 18 of the team's 40 points. He was taking over, hitting step back threes and driving through the lane for tough layups. In the midst of the comeback, Mathurin got into it with Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey.
At first it seemed like playful trash talk, but things got more serious and they went at each other. Ben told Ivey "Even in Rising Stars, you can't guard me", and ultimately he got the last laugh as he hit clutch 3s over the Pistons guard, and to top it off the hometown star hit the game winning mid range pull-up jumper.
Despite the anticipation of facing off against #1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama and company, an upset occurred and Team Detlef, a team full of G-League players, was the opponent instead. In the championship game, the Canadian shooting guard set the tone early with his energy and hustle.
He didn't have to take over like the previous game, instead he spread the wealth and played hard on both sides of the ball. This allowed other players to make an impact, such as Chet Holmgren who anchored the defense and spaced out the floor for open driving lanes. Ultimately, the teamwork led to a victory as it was too hard to stop all these promising young stars.
This stage allowed Bennedict Mathurin to showcase his talents on National TV. While the Pacers fans in attendance are familiar to his game, the casual fan got to witness his versatility and potential as an elite scorer in the NBA.
During the championship match, superstar Tyrese Haliburton was on the broadcast and compared his teammate to Jordan Clarkson. He described them as tough competitors, elite scorers, and someone who hustles on defense.
In his postgame interview, the Rising Stars MVP said that he was trying to win the tournament for his team. He also wanted to put on a show for his home fans and bring back a trophy for the city of Indiana. After accomplishing what he wanted to do, he said that he felt blessed and grateful that everything fell into place.
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