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Team Pau wins the 2023 Rising Stars championship, Jose Alvarado named MVP.
Team Pau emerged winners of the 2023 Rising Stars championship played in the early hours of Saturday, February 18, 2023.
In a set of three games, Team Paul led by Pelicans sophomore guard Jose Alvarado emerged victorious.
The Rising Stars challenge has gone through several modifications from the rookies against Sophomores to Team United States of America against Team World.
In this edition, there were four teams adopting the first name of their coaches Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, Deron Williams, and Jason Terry.
The coaches Gasol, Noah, and Williams selected seven players from the 21 players called up from the league while Terry competed with players from the G-League.
Game 1
In the first semifinal, Team Pau recorded a blowout 40-25 victory against Team Deron.
2022 NBA number one overall pick Paolo Banchero led the way for Team Pau as he recorded nine points and five rebounds.
New Orleans Pelicans sophomore Alvarado contributed 13 points in 10 minutes off the bench while Sacramento Kings rookie Keegan Murray had the clinching three-pointer to seal the win,
Game 2
In the second semifinal, Team Joakim recorded a 40-32 victory against Team Jason.
New York Knicks sophomore guard Quentin Grimes led Team Joakim to victory with a game-high 13 points including the three-pointer that sealed the win.
He had help from Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey with three points, and six assists, San Antonio Spurs rookie Jeremy Sochan with six points, and Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley with eight points.
Rising Stars Championship game
Following their victories in the semifinal, Team Pau and Team Joakim contested the Rising Stars Championship game.
The championship game was played to a Final Target Score of 25 unlike the Final Target Score of 40 for the semifinal games.
Team Pau did just enough to record a 25-20 victory against Team Joakim with some big shots late in the game.
Knicks guard Grimes continued his impressive showing from the semifinal in the Championship game.
He dropped s14 points on five-for-eight shooting to power Team Joakim to an 18-16 lead late in the game.
However, Pelicans guard Alvarado took matters into his own hand to make another clutch shot to seal the win at the Vivint Arena, in Salt Lake City Utah.
Alvarado was named the Rising Stars Championship game Most Valuable Player (MVP) as Team Pau celebrated the victory.
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