The 2024 AAU National Championship was the championship series of the AAU's 2024 Regular Season and conclusion of the season's playoffs. It was contested between defending National and Florida State Champion Miami and Illinois State Champion Springfield. In a rematch, Springfield defeated Miami 4-1 for their 5th National Championship overall. Sasha Vanderkecha was named the Tournament MVP, receiving 6 out of 11 votes.
Background
Springfield had a deep roster, with multiple players averaging over 15 minutes per game. Their offense relied on ball movement, being called "one of the most beautiful-to-watch teams in the AAU" by USA Today.
This was Springfield's sixth appearence in the AAU National Championship, and they headed to the postseason with the best record in the AAU and a franchise record 19 game winning streak, ending with a 22-4 run in their last 26 games. In the first round, they faced rivals in Dallas, who suprised Springfield by taking the series to seven games despite Springfield sweeping the regular season series for 2 consecutive years. Springfield won 4-3. In the National Quarterfinals, they eliminated Portland and won 4-1. In the National Semi-Finals, they eliminated Oklahoma City and won the series 4-2, despite being swept by Oklahoma in the regular season, and for the first time, they qualified for back-to-back-back National Championship appearences.
Game Summaries
Springfield rebounded from their seven-game loss to Miami in the 2023 AAU National Championship to win the series 4-1, for the organization's fifth AAU National Title. Springfield would go on to win it's fifth title in eleven seasons, as well as its fourth in seven. They defeated Miami by margains of at least 15 points in each of their four wins, and also outscored them by an average of 14.0 points per game in the series, which is the largest differential in National Championship History. Springfield finished the playoffs with 12 wins by 15 points or more, the most ever in the postseason. Miami had won 11 straight playoff series, which was the fifth longest in league history.
Springfield's Sasha Vanderkecha was named the Tournament MVP after leading the team in scoring in each of the final three games, averaging 23.7 points and shooting 68.5 percent, after scoring just nine in each of the first two games, Overall, he averaged 17.8 points on 61.2 percent shooting in the series, the highest field goal percentage of any Tournament MVP, and shot 65 percent when guarded by Darik Queen in the series. Vanderkecha also lead the team with a 57.9 three-point field goal percentage.
Chandler Dawes of Springfield led all players in the series with 70 rebounds, Conor McCaffrey led Springfield in minutes played at 40.0 per game, while Charlie Dawes led the team in assists with 39.
Game 1
Springfield 110 - Miami 95
Chandler Dawes scored 30 points and had 14 rebounds to lead Springfield to a 110-95 win in Game 1. The game was played at DePaul University in Chicago Illinois, which suffered a malfunctioning air-conditioning system, which caused temperatures in the arena to exceed 90 F in the second half. The conditions caused Miami's Darik Queen to dehydrate and experience cramps, limiting him to just five minutes of playing time in the fourth quarter. With Queen on the bench, Springfield went on 16-3 run in the game's final four minutes, and outscored Miami 36-17 in the fourth qaurter.
Game 2
Miami 98 - Springfield 96
Queen rebounded from cramps in Game 1 with 35 points and 10 rebounds to lead Miami to a 98-96 win to tie the series. McNeely made the go-ahead three-point shot on a pass from Queen with 1:18 remaining in the game, as Miami won their 13th straight following a postseason loss. Tempertures in the DePaul Gym were comfortable for the game after a broken circuit breaker was repaired following Game 1.
After enduring criticism for not finishing the previous game, Queen started slowy in the first quarter, shooting 1-of-4 with three turnovers. Meanwhile, Springfield began the game making 10 of their first 15 shots. Queen then made 11 of his next 13, and finished 14-for-22 while playing a game-high 44 minutes. He had 11 points in the second quarter, when Miami overcame an early 11-point deficit. The score remained close through the remainder of the game. Springfield held a two-point led with 6:43 remaining in the fourth quarter, when Miami's Mario Temple elbowed McCaffrey in the midsection for a flagrant foul. Conor McCaffrey and Chandler Dawes then combined to miss four straight free throws. Queen scored 33 in the final three quarters; he had 22 in the second half, when every shot he made was from 18 feet or further. He also made a key strip of McCaffrey late in the game.
McNeely finished with 18 points, and Knox added 14 for Miami. McCaffrey had 24, Hammond added 28 and Dawes scored 23 points with 19 rebounds for Springfield, who had won eight consecutive home games by at least 15 points.
Game 3
Springfield 111 - Miami 92
Springfield took a 2-1 lead in the series after a career-high 29 points from Vanderkecha and a National Championship record 75.8% shooting effort from the team during the first half. Vanderkecha, limited to only 18 points in the first two games, made his first six shots and was 10-of-13 for the game. Springfield led by as many as 25 and were comfortable ahead most of the game, including 71-50 at the half. The 21-point margin was the largest halftime lead in the National Championship by a road team since Game 3 in 2007 by the Mac Irvin Fire against Seattle. Miami scored 10-straight points in the third quarter to bring the score to 81-74, the closest they would get to Springfield the rest of the game.
Game 4
Springfield 107 - Miami 86
Vanderkecha had 20 points and 14 rebounds in another rout of Miami, as Springfield won 107-86 to take a 3-1 lead in the series; no team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in the AAU National Championship. Springfield again built a large lead on the road before haltime, taking a 55-33 lead in the second quarter after scoring seven consecutive points, culminated by a soaring dunk by Vanderkecha. The Springfield defense held Miami to just 35 percent shooting in the first hald after allowing Miami to shoot 50 percent overall in the prior game. Miami had followed their prior 13 playoff losses with a win.
Miami struggled to defend Springfields' crisp ball movement, orchestrated by Charlie Dawes and his game-high nine assists. Springfield made 57 percent of its field goals, with McCaffrey scoring 21 points, and Chandler Dawes scoring 17 and bringing in 16 rebounds.
Game 5
Springfield 104 - Miami 87
Springfield won 104-87 to win the championship in five games and avenge last season's loss to Miami in seven games. Vanderkecha had 22 points and 10 rebounds for Springfield, and was named the Tournament MVP. Queen had 17 first-quarter points for Miami, who got off to a fast start in building an early 22-6 lead. Springfield bounced back to outscore Miami 37-13 from the beginning of the second quarter through the middle of the third.
Paul Hammond had 27 points and five assists off the bench for Springfield. Queen finished with 31 points and 10 rebounds, while McNeely had 13 points and Knox added 13 but shot only 4-for-12 from the field.