Bristow’s Jayden Ross is one win away from becoming a national champion.
Ross, a junior forward for the University of Connecticut, faces Michigan in the NCAA Division I men’s basketball national championship on Monday in Indianapolis. Tip-off is at 8:50 p.m. on TBS and TNT.
UConn reached the final by defeating Illinois 71-62 in the Final Four on Saturday. The Huskies previously defeated Duke in the Elite Eight on March 29, erasing a 44-29 halftime deficit to win 73-72.
In the win over Illinois, Ross played 19 minutes off the bench. The 6-foot-7 wing hit two 3-pointers and finished with seven points and three rebounds.
Ross didn’t attempt any shots in 21 minutes off the bench against Duke, but did contribute three rebounds, one assist and one steal.
Freshman forward Jacob Ross (center) has not appeared in a game this season for the Huskies as he plans to redshirt.
Photo by University of Connecticut Athletics
On the losing end in the Elite Eight was Manassas’ Patrick Ngongba II, a 6-11 center for Duke. In 22 minutes off the bench, Ngongba recorded six points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block.
Also falling in the Elite Eight were Nate Ament and the Tennessee Volunteers, who were eliminated by Michigan on March 29. Ament, a 6-10 forward from Manassas, finished 2-12 from the floor with seven points, six rebounds, two assists and one block in the 95-62 defeat.
Now, Ross is the lone Prince William County native left in the tournament. His younger brother, Jacob Ross, is also on the team, but the freshman forward has not appeared in a game this season as he plans to redshirt.
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