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The St. Louis Game Face team will be making its first trip to the upcoming AAU national 12-under boys basketball tournament next month.

The team earned the nationals berth against long odds in the state finals last month. The Game Face team was seeded only eighth going into last month's double-elimination meet.

But, when the three-day meet was over, Game Face team had won all its games. That included a tight 61-55 double-overtime win over The Pack in the final game.

That victory earned Game Face a berth in the national 12-under tournament July 13-20. The meet will be played in Virginia Beach, Va.

Coach Terry Hickey's team includes players from many different areas of St. Louis.

For instance, 12-year-old Tyler Kiel goes to school at Sperreng Middle School in South County. He was the leading scorer in the final game with 20 points. He played every minute of the two-overtime game.

Twelve-year-old Connor Sexton goes to Corpus Christi School in the city of Jennings. He was the second leading scorer in the finals with 14 points and also played every minute.

The late-game hero was 12-year-old Ryan Goldkamp. He goes to St. Dismas School, which is located in Florissant. He had two important steals late in the second overtime to give Game Face the final lead.

And 12-year-old Reed Eason is from Parkway Northeast Middle School. He and Sexton did most of the heavy rebounding against the taller, heavier players from The Pack. He said, "They were knocking us around."

All four were first-year players on the Game Face team.

The final game against The Pack was close most of the way. Game Face had the half-time lead, thanks to a rebound basket with just four seconds left.

But, The Pack scored two quick fast-break baskets to open the second half and grab the lead. They opened up a 39-33 lead before Game Face put on an all-court pressing defense and finally tied the game at 45-all.

From then on, the two teams were never more than two points apart. The regulation time ended at 49-all.

Sexton tied the game at the end of the first overtime with a left-handed hook shot. That period ended, 53-53.

Sexton also scored the first basket in the second overtime. Then, Goldkamp got his important steals.

"They were throwing the ball over to my corner all game. But, I was just missing the steals. Finally, I got to a couple at the end," he said.

On the first steal, he was fouled and made one of two free throws. On the second, he made a lay-up and then converted a free throw. That gave Game Face the margin they needed to finish off the game.

Game Face had a series of close wins all through the tournament. Earlier, they defeated the defending champion Panther team with some hot shooting by Matt Hickey, the coach's son. Matt hit five three-point shots, including three in a 45-second stretch that gave Game Face the lead for good.

The Pack held Matt in check in the finals. Coach Hickey said, "The Pack knew where he was and played close defense the whole game."

Game Face was doubly pleased with the finals victory. First, it earned them a trip to the nationals. But, by winning, Game Face avoided having to play a second game with The Pack that same night.

In double-elimination, each team gets a chance to come back from a loss. The Pack lost early in the meet but made the finals by winning all its games in the losers' bracket.

If The Pack had won the first game against Game Face, both teams would have had one loss apiece. They would have played a second game immediately after the first.

The Pack is coached by Antonie Evans. That team finished third in the state finals last year and advanced to second this year. But, the Game Face team came from far back to claim the top prize this year.

AAU offers many sports for kids in St. Louis area The Ozark Chapter of the AAU organization sponsors competition in many different sports for kids in the St. Louis metro area. For information on the national AAU program, you can click on to the website: www.aausports.org. For specific information about sports programs in the Ozark region, you can click on to the website: www.myteam.com/go/ozaau.