INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Philadelphia rookie V.J. Edgecombe led Workforce Vince to victory within the Rising Stars occasion at NBA All-Star weekend Friday evening, scoring 17 factors within the semifinal earlier than hitting two free throws to finish the ultimate.

San Antonio guard Dylan Harper ended the primary semifinal in memorable trend by scoring the game-winning bucket over Ron Harper Jr., his older brother.

Dylan Harper then scored eight factors within the last for Workforce Melo whereas teaming up together with his Spurs teammate, Stephon Citadel, final season’s Rookie of the Yr.

Citadel made a putback dunk off Jeremiah Fears’ miss to drag Workforce Melo inside one level of victory within the last, however Edgecombe drew a foul from Donovan Clingan and coolly hit each free throws to finish it at 25-24. Edgecombe was named the Rising Stars MVP.

The NBA’s rookies, sophomores and G League prospects opened the All-Star weekend on the Los Angeles Clippers’ Intuit Dome with this four-team match of three video games performed to a set level whole.

Dylan Harper referred to as recreation within the first semifinal with a succession of strikes that might have been realized on the driveway at residence, bullying Ron Jr. into the paint earlier than hitting a step-back jumper. Dylan caught out his tongue in gleeful celebration of solely his second basket within the semifinal, and their well-known father laughed heartily at courtside.

Edgecombe scored practically half of his crew’s 41 factors — together with the final 10 in a row — whereas successful the second semifinal to arrange a showdown between the groups led by NBA greats Vince Carter and Carmelo Anthony.

The Rising Stars recreation wasn’t a full showcase of the NBA’s prime younger expertise as a result of No. 1 decide Cooper Flagg dropped out of the sport attributable to harm, as did Washington’s Alex Sarr and Memphis’ Cedric Coward.

Edgecombe hit three 3-pointers throughout his scoring barrage within the first semifinal to win his duel with Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel, who scored simply 4 factors. The 2 rookies are the one severe contenders with Flagg for the Rookie of the Yr award.

The occasion acquired off to a rousing begin when Clippers prospect Yanic Konan Niederhäuser dunked a lob from Ron Harper Jr. for the primary basket of the evening. The Swiss large man who was drafted final summer time by the All-Star weekend hosts, acquired raucous cheers from the followers in The Wall, an extra-steep supporters’ part put in at Intuit Dome by Clippers proprietor Steve Ballmer.

Niederhäuser led his dropping crew with 11 factors within the first semifinal.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA