My third highlighted game of Day 2 at @BCAT featured another highly anticipated showdown as Independence squared off against Knox Catholic. With plenty of talent on both sides, this one carried a big-game feel from the opening tip and did not disappoint. Knox Catholic came out firing early, showcasing crisp ball movement, unselfish play, and efficient shot-making. The offense flowed beautifully as they consistently found quality looks and built a 16-9 advantage after the opening quarter. Every possession seemed connected, and Catholic looked comfortable from the start. Independence refused to let things get away from them in the second quarter. Led by their trademark toughness and defensive swagger, they began to settle into the game and turn up the intensity. The energy shifted as the pace became more physical and every possession carried a little more weight. The Magician, Kobi Jackson, started finding ways to create offense and keep Independence within striking distance. Despite the push, Knox Catholic remained composed and carried a 24-20 lead into halftime. The third quarter proved to be a turning point. Knox Catholic came out of the locker room with another level of intensity. The defense tightened, the rebounding became more physical, and the offense continued to execute at a high level. Independence fought hard, but Catholic steadily stretched the margin and took a 35-24 lead into the fourth quarter. Then came the knockout punch. Knox Catholic unleashed a fourth-quarter blitz, attacking in waves on both ends of the floor. The defense smothered driving lanes, the offense continued to move the ball with purpose, and the lead quickly ballooned. What had been a competitive battle through three quarters turned into a statement finish as Knox Catholic pulled away for an impressive 55-33 victory. The charge was led by #35 @IvanMoskal88032, who was an absolute force in the paint. Ivan delivered a dominant performance with 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks while controlling the interior on both ends of the floor. Teammate #14 @ErwanJovis was equally impactful, recording a double-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and a steal while bringing toughness and energy throughout the contest. Independence was led by the Magician, @Kobijackson2027, who once again put his offensive brilliance on display. Despite constant defensive attention, Kobi poured in 26 points while adding 4 rebounds and 3 steals. Time and time again, he found ways to create something out of nothing, keeping Independence in the fight and reminding everyone why he is one of the most exciting players to watch whenever he steps on the floor.

Congrats to @Kobijackson2027 on the nomination. It was a great night at #Willcos2026

Want to make a lasting impact? Serve others. Our all-time leading rebounder shared how being the ultimate teammate helped define his success on and off the court. Great having @TylanLewis3 at camp today!

Great to have @jettmont1 at Kids Camp today! More than a player. Today, our campers heard how true identity isn’t found in basketball, but in who you are beyond the game.

Luhl-Vuhl

Keldon Johnson on embracing his role as the sixth man: “I remember a couple years ago, I had a hard conversation with Pop. One morning, we were getting ready to play Dallas, and he pulled me to the side and told me that he thought it would be best for the team if I started coming off the bench. I said, ‘Yeah, of course. Whatever’s best for the team, I’ll do it.’ And I truly meant that, too. But I’m also just human, man. And I was like 24 years old. If I said that I fully bought into this role from the jump, I’d be lying. I had averaged 22 points in the NBA. I’d won a gold medal with Team USA at the Olympics. So I just didn’t understand. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. And ultimately, I didn’t take it well. I sulked. I let the outside noise affect my play. I didn’t present the best version of myself as I was coming off the bench for the rest of that season. And I knew that I was much better than that. I’ve been reflecting on that part of my journey a lot lately, with the position we’re in right now. To backtrack a little bit…. When I was drafted in 2019, that was probably one of the most stressful nights of my life. I’d had a great year at Kentucky, and I thought I was going 9 or 10. In my mind, my floor was 15 to Detroit. The crazy thing is, I didn’t even work out for San Antonio. We talked a little bit on FaceTime, but I honestly didn’t think I’d still be on the board at 19 when the Spurs picked. Definitely not at 29, where I ended up going. I don’t know why I slipped so much, but thank God I did, because I landed at a proven organization with vets who could mold me. That situation could have gone one of two ways. Thankfully, it went the good way. Dejounte was young, too, but he knew the ropes better than me, and he made sure that I did everything the right way. I can’t thank him enough to this day for how much he’s helped my career. Same thing with DeMar DeRozan. Those guys really embraced me and took me under their wing as a young guy, and showed me how it was done. I feel like I had such a great group of vets, whether it was LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills, Rudy Gay — all those guys went out their way to make sure I was solid. I feel like they knew how good I could be before I even knew how good I could be. They didn’t let me skip any steps, which was huge for my career early on. And yeah, fast-forward to summer 2024, and I got to thinking back on my first couple years here in San Antonio, and how I could get that spark back, get back to being me. That’s when I started to see the bigger picture. We had picks. There were all these signs that we were building something that was gonna be special, all these bright green flags. But there was this one red flag. Me. In that moment, I had to take a hard look in the mirror. And man, I just got embarrassed. I hated that feeling — the feeling that I had let my vets down, and especially let my younger teammates down. This organization believed in me since day one, when Pop and our GM at the time R.C. Buford took a leap of faith on a player who was sliding in the draft and didn’t even have a workout at their facility. They had a plan, and I was a big piece of that plan. I just needed to get out of my own way. Period. I knew that I could either be the person who tries to fight the change, who makes it about them and their ego, and tries to do everything their way (which never really works). Or, I could trust the process. And the Spurs never gave me a reason not to trust it. So I bought into my role, and I put my best foot forward each and every night. Whatever I had to do to be the best version of myself, I did it. And I feel like this season has been a testament to that. I’m just really at home here. I think that’s probably obvious, right? The cowboy hat isn’t a gimmick. San Antonio is all me. Being a country boy, that’s just a part of who I am. From Huntington Prep to Oak Hill Academy to Kentucky, I feel like I just carried that country boy vibe with me everywhere I went.” playerstribu.ne/KJ

Trap bar deadlifts, rows, bench press, explosive medicine ball work, cuts & sprints Notice: no circus tricks on bosu balls or eyewash Good for the pros, great for the youth athlete Simple ≠ easy

So down by 1 at half to Oregon…want a glimpse of what happens at halftime that ignites 2nd half turnarounds….🔥🔥🔥

Season Highlights🎞️🔴🔵🏀🤘🏽 #GUTH #5 Carter Webb @imCwebb 6’3 Fr. | Murfreesboro, TN “CWebb” is one of the smoothest players in Juco basketball. Elite 3-level ISO scorer that can really shoot it. Great mid-range game. 49% from 3 with 86 Made Player Comparison: Devin Booker

3⃣0⃣ years ago tonight ...

ONE OF THE ALL TIME SHOTS IN TOURNAMENT HISTORY