MVP Onyia leads Team Black comeback in U19M game
Ed Onyia played a pivotal role in Team Black’s huge comeback enroute to being named MVP in the Under-19 Men’s game at the 2025 Hoopsfix All Star Classic, at Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The Leicester Riders forward top scored with 14 points in the win for Billy Beddow-Patel’s side as they rallied from a 20-point deficit in the first half to take a 74-70 victory.
Despite being down 33-14 at the end of the first quarter, a Khyle Capanzana triple gave Team Black a 63-62 lead with seven minutes in the game remaining as Onyia’s and Devontae Da Costa’s energy and defence proved to play a major part in their fightback.
Da Costa also wound up notching 13 points for Team Black while Capanzana had a steadying influence down the stretch and finished with 11 points.
The game started off in emphatic fashion with a huge throwdown dunk from Onyia. Team White, however, were the ones on top for the rest of the opening period and led by as many as 20, as Amarlie Wilkinson put up nine points in the first quarter.
The push from Team Black began in the second quarter as they stayed withing striking distance to cut the lead down to nine points by halftime, with the score at 44-35 in favour of Team White heading into the break.
In the third quarter, Team Black looked to build on the momentum they wrestled away from Team White as they cut the deficit down to five midway through the third and they would eventually overturn their scoreboard disadvantage within the first few minutes of the final period.
Capanzana closed the game out by sinking two free throws with 4.5 seconds left to clinch the triumph.
Wilkinson ultimately had a solid showing for Team White after winning the Bouncewear Dunk Contest earlier, scoring 17 points for the game, while Lewis Obiorah and 3-Point Shootout champion Nojus Zajankauskas both chipped in with 10 points apiece.
Re-watch here:
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