Brian Bowen headed back to national championship game after 54-52 semi final win on ESPN

Bowen led all scorers with 19 points after a shaky first half where he was only 1 for 9 from the field.....

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Jason Marcoux

Jason Marcoux

Bowen

Dennis Schneidler USA Today

Former Saginaw Arthur Hill H.S. basketball standout Brian Bowen Jr. (ranked No. 12 in the country on ESPN 100) is headed back to the Dick's Sporting Goods National Championship game for a second straight year after leading his (28-1) No. 1 seed La Lumiere Prep H.S. (La Porte, IN.) boys basketball team to a 54-52 semi-final victory over Findlay Prep H.S. (UT.) in a game which was broadcast nationally on ESPN from Christ the King H.S. in Middle Village, NY earlier this afternoon.

Bowen, a senior, decided to transfer to La Lumiere for the 2015-16 season following his sophomore year at Arthur Hill where he helped lead the Lumberjacks to the 2014-15 MHSAA class A state final game alongside current Texas guard Eric Davis Jr.

Last year, Bowen and his La Lumiere Prep team suffered a heartbreaking 62-60 overtime loss to Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA) in the national championship game when current Virginia Tech freshman Khadim Sy (then a 6-foot-9 H.S. Senior at Oak Hill Academy) tipped in a shot at the buzzer for the win.

Trailing 25-20 after a very shaky first half that saw Bowen shooting just 1 for 9 from the field, La Lumiere re-energized and jumped out to a 15-0 run to start the second-half, which led to a 44-32 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The No. 4 seed Findlay Prep team would not go quietly however, after trailing by as much as 15 in the fourth quarter, they cut the La Lumiere lead to 1 point, but some crucial missed free throws in the final seconds would seal it for Bowen and La Lumiere.

Bowen, who turned things around in the second half, led all scorers with 19 points and had a tough rebound and put-back with 2:38 remaining that was crucial in slowing a late push by Findlay Prep.

La Lumiere will now take on No. 3 seed (26-4) Montverde Academy H.S. (Montverde, FL.) in the championship game tomorrow afternoon at 12 noon on ESPN. Montverde Academy advanced to the final after beating Greensboro Day H.S. (Greensboro, NC.) 72-45 in the other semi-final game on ESPN earlier today.

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