For one half, SPK Law did everything right against the No. 1 seed in the league.
It limited PBC's second-chance opportunities by controlling the glass, got out in transition and scored a number of easy buckets, and their players knocked down shots from all over the floor.
Then, PBC showed why it's the best team in the league.
"We didn't have any Pitt players, and we didn't know each other coming in," PBC guard T.J. McConnell said. "We passed to each other and everything and played great."
Every PBC starter scored in double figures as it overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to defeat No. 4 seed SPK Law, 86-79, in the 2011 Pittsburgh Basketball Club Pro-Am summer league championship Wednesday night.
PBC was led by the league's best frontcourt duo in Jakim Donaldson and Kyle Goldcamp. Donaldson finished with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 14 rebounds. Goldcamp tallied 18 points on 8-of-13 from the field and 13 boards in the win.
"We wouldn't have won it without them," PBC guard T.J. McConnell said.
Donaldson, who was named the league's most valuable player, has impressed a number of people this summer. The Oliver High School grad walked-on at Edinboro and earned a scholarship his sophomore year. He now plays professionally in Spain.
The 6-foot-7 forward led the league in rebounds and field goal percentage. He finished with a double-double in all eight games this season.
"It's testament to really my team," he said of his summer's performance. "It was really fun having a team like this. They're really unselfish. All the players make each other better.
SPK's Ashton Gibbs didn't disappoint, going for 30 points and finishing with the league's scoring crown. Toward the end of the first half, PBC started doubling Gibbs on every inbound to keep the ball out of his hands. No one else could step up for SPK to score consistently.
SPK used their transition offense capped by a Gary McGhee fast-break dunk and a Blake Allen three-pointer to grab a 16-6 lead with 19:30 left in the first half. Then, Gibbs would 11 of his team's next 18 points to go ahead by a 34-15 margin.
"We just did a good job of getting a body on both of their guys. They're both tremendous rebounders," said McGhee, who's SPK team led 53-37 at the half.
PBC came out firing in the second half. It started the half on a 13-4 run behind a McConnell three-pointer and then a fast-break layup.
PBC finally took the lead on Goldcamp's and-one layup with 7:11 left in the game. It was PBC's first lead since a 3-2 mark just over a minute into the championship. SPK seemed to have one final chance offensively, but a Lamar Patterson drive was blocked by Donaldson.
The Edinboro alum would then hit both free-throws in a one-and-one on the other end to put PBC up seven with 1:31 remaining. PBC went 8-for-10 from the line in the final two minutes.
Notes: Before the final yesterday, Gary McGhee signed a contract to play professionally in Croatia.
Ashton Gibbs and Kendrick Perry receiver a double technical with just over four minutes remaining after Perry elbowed Gibbs and defense and the two got in each other's faces.
Pittsburgh-native and former Russian national player J.R. Holden was in attendance.
PBC won the rebounding margin, 45-39?Both teams shot very well from the free-throw line - PBC (21-of-25), SPK (15-of-17).
Stats
PBC
T.J. McConnell - 11 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 4/18 FG, 2/6 3PT-FG
Michael Talley - 13 points, 3/13 FG, 0/4 3PT-FG, 7/7 FT
Jakim Donaldson - 21 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists, 7/11 FG, 7/9 FT
Kyle Goldcamp - 18 points, 13 rebounds, 8/13 FG
Kendrick Perry - 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4/14 FG, 3/8 3PT-FG, 5/6 FT
Jim Wood - 7 points, 3/6 FG, 1/2 3PT-FG
Danny Herrera - 0 points, 0/1 3PT-FG
SPK Law
Ashton Gibbs - 30 points, 5 assists, 10/18 FG, 1/4 3PT-FG, 9/10 FT
Lamar Patterson - 13 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 5/18 FG, 1/7 3PT-FG, 2/2 FT
Gary McGhee - 18 points, 9 rebounds, 7/10 FG, 4/5 FT
Jake Matthews - 4 points, 8 rebounds, 2/10 FG, 1/5 3PT-FG
Nick Dvorsky - 3 points, 1/1 FG, 1/1 3PT-FG
Blake Allen - 10 points, 8 rebounds, 4/10 FG, 2/5 3PT-FG
