Chad Baker-Mazara Just Can’t Stop Winning Maui Titles; Leads USC Over Arizona State
Alright, let’s get one thing straight: Chad Baker-Mazara has a thing for Hawaiian championships. The man loves the Maui Invitational so much that he decided to win it two years in a row. Last year, he was cutting down the nets with Auburn. This year? He just ran it back with USC, dropping a cool 23 points to power the Trojans past Arizona State, 88-75. It’s like the guy’s personal vacation spot, but instead of mai tais, he just collects championship trophies.
Baker-Mazara was absolutely feeling it from the jump, going 9-for-16 from the field and splashing four three-pointers. He played with the kind of swagger you’d expect from a defending champ, basically treating the court like his own personal playground while the Sun Devils were left scratching their heads.
How the Trojans Pulled Away
The game was a tight one for a while, with both teams trading blows like a couple of heavyweights. At halftime, the score was knotted at 43-43, and you could feel the tension in the Lahaina Civic Center. It felt like one of those games where the next big run would decide it all.
And that’s exactly what happened.
With about five minutes left on the clock, USC decided they’d had enough of this back-and-forth nonsense. Ezra Ausar, who had been a beast all tournament, hit a crucial bucket to push the lead to double digits at 77-66. You could almost hear the collective sigh of relief from the USC bench. Then, the Trojans’ defense stepped up, drawing a huge offensive foul. On the other end, Jordan Marsh calmly sank a jumper from the free-throw line, stretching the lead to 81-69.
If that wasn’t the nail in the coffin, Marsh came back down and hit a dagger of a three-pointer to make it 86-71. At that point, Arizona State was just playing for pride. Game, set, match.
Chad Baker-Mazara Key Performances In the Championship Showdown
While Baker-Mazara was the undisputed star of the show, he didn’t do it alone. Jaden Brownwell stepped up big time, pouring in 16 points and providing a much-needed secondary scoring punch. Ausar, fresh off a 25-point explosion in the semifinals, added a solid 14 points. What was even more impressive was USC’s performance without its leading scorer, Rodney Rice. It was a classic “next man up” performance, with guys like Jacob Cofie (11 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks) and Jordan Marsh (9 points) making critical plays.
For Arizona State, it was a tough pill to swallow. They showed a lot of heart, but they just couldn’t keep pace with the Trojans’ second-half surge. Maurice Odum led the Sun Devils with 17 points, and Anthony Johnson chipped in with 15. One interesting, and probably frustrating, note for Sun Devils fans: their team trailed by double-digits in all three of their tournament games. Playing from behind is a tough way to live, and it finally caught up to them in the championship.
In the end, USC’s depth and Baker-Mazara’s championship pedigree were just too much to handle. The Trojans are leaving Maui with some shiny new hardware, an undefeated 7-0 record, and a whole lot of confidence. As for Baker-Mazara, maybe he should just buy a condo in Lahaina. It seems to be his happy place.
