Brian 'Tugs' Bowen leads La Lumiere Prep to 70-52 national championship win over Montverde Academy

The former Saginaw Arthur Hill basketball star took the Lumberjacks to the state final game two years ago then lost in last year's national championship game only to prove he is a true champion with a national title this year.....

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Jason Marcoux

Jason Marcoux

Andy Marlin USA Today Sports

The third time was a charm for former Saginaw Arthur Hill H.S. boys basketball star Brian “Tugs” Bowen, who led his La Lumiere Prep H.S. (La Porte, IN) basketball team to a 70-52 win over Montverde Academy (Montverde, FL) at the 2017 Dick's Sporting Goods National Championship game in Middle Village, NY this afternoon.

After taking two different teams to their respective championship games over the past two seasons only to come up short, the 6-foot-7 senior five star recruit-who is still undecided where he'll be playing college basketball- can now officially call himself a champion.

Bowen, the nation's No. 12 recruit according to the ESPN 100, transferred to La Lumiere Prep after his sophomore year, following a trip to the 2014-15 MHSAA class A boys final with the Lumberjacks and then made it to the 2015-16 Dick's National Championship game, where his Lakers fell to last years champion Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA) on a devastating last second tip-in.

Bowen and his teammate, Jaren Jackson Jr. (a 6-foot-11 senior who is committed to Michigan State) paced La Lumiere Prep this afternoon. Jackson Jr. finished with 17-points and 5-rebounds, while Bowen Jr. added 15-points, 7-rebounds, and 2-assists.

La Lumiere Prep also received help from senior Jordan Poole (a University of Michigan commit) who chipped in with 13-points and sophomore Tyger Campbell who had 10-points and 7-assists.

Montverde Academy was led by Mississauga, ON native, 6-foot-7 sophomore R.J. Barrett (who is ranked No. 1 on the ESPN 25 for the class of 2019) who led all scorers with 25-points, however, he was the only Montverde player to score in double digits.

Bowen (18.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and Jackson (15.7 ppg, 8 rpg) also competed in the 2017 McDonalds H.S. All American game on Wednesday and were joined by Barrett (25 ppg, 8 rpg) on the Dick's all tournament team.

The only item remaining on the “Tugs” bucket list now is to announce where he will be playing his college basketball next season. Bowen earlier announced he had narrowed his choices to six schools back in October, listing: Creighton, N.C. State, Arizona, UCLA, Texas, and Michigan State as the final six.

The logical choice would seem to be MSU considering his teammate, Jackson, will be playing there and the connection to the program through his cousin, former Arthur Hill, MSU, and NBA star Jason Richardson; although, he could also opt to join his former Arthur Hill teammate, Eric Davis Jr., at Texas or maybe choose to start his own legacy at one of the other schools.

Whichever school he may choose, there is one thing for certain, that team will be getting a legitimate champion.

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