SUPER REGIONAL - Jacksonville
By J-Hen | Mar. 27-29, 2009 (Photos provided by J-Hen) TRAVEL BALL-Road To Redemption On Friday, I found out that T.I. will be going to jail for 1 year and 1 day. So, I'm going to step in and host the new show Florida Travel Ball -The Road to Redemption. There are a lot of problems on our travel ball scene and my goal is to fix or minimize them. I remember coming into travel ball about the year 2000 and it was so beautiful back then. First of all, I will explain a little of travel ball, you have to understand a little history before you can know where you are going. What kind of a team am I:
1. AAU team - I play in tournaments to qualify for the AAU National Tournament. 1A. Where can I find a list of these tournaments: (click here) 2. USSSA Team - I play in tournaments that are not as competitive as AAU tournaments. 3. Exposure, Elite Teams - I play in tournaments during the weekend of April 17-19, 2009, The month of July and one weekend in the Fall. The tournaments are usually played out of state and college coaches are able to attend the tournaments and evaluate my play. 3A. Where can I find a list of these tournaments: (click here) 3B. Which ones are the best? -It's according to your preference: Spring Showcase Boo Williams (click here) Cost - $475 - This is one of the cheapest tournaments you can attend on the National Level Logistics - It used to be a nightmare when he had too many gyms, but since he has built the sports complex it's much better. Hotels - Reasonable Competition - You have 24 Nike teams that attend. You will not get to play them unless you are in the Super 32 bracket, but what's good about this is that most of the top coaches are at this event and once in a while will stop in and see some of the younger talent. About 200 teams will attend. Florida teams planning to attend this tournament: Essence, Orlando Comets, PC Ballers, Lady Bulls Deep South (click here) Cost - $850 - This is one of the most expensive tournaments on the National Level. Logistics - It's according to where you are playing and staying. You play at University of North Carolina and North Carolina State. Hotels - A little higher than normal Competition - The talent pool has gone down since Mike White has distanced himself from Adidas but still very competitive and college coaches come out in bunches. Over 200 teams will attend Florida teams planning to attend this tournament: DEBO, Jax Sparks, Jax Rams, Breakdown Peach State Tip-Off Classic (click here) Cost - $675 - This is in the middle of the two major tournaments on the National Level. Logistics - 8 gyms in one building and a prime spot for a basketball tournament. Hotels - Reasonable and away from all the hustle and bustle of Atlanta. Competition - You have good games because most of the teams are about the same in competition. About 60-80 teams will attend. Florida teams planning to attend this tournament: FGB, DasHuh Foundation, South Florida Jaguars That's the end for now and trying to get some of the travel ball problems fixed. SUPER REGIONAL It's still Friday night and the first major tournament of the year has kicked off in Jacksonville, Florida. The Coast 2 Coast SRT, is a qualifier for the AAU National tournaments. The tournament was sponsored by Georgia Coastal Youth and The Lady Sparks and over 45 teams participated in it. Their were rams, sparks, jaguars, warriors, 76ers, ballers from the past, and newbies like celtics, diamonds, and devine elite. Refereeing: It wasn't that bad, consistent with how AAU calls are made, I heard some people whining about it. One thing to remember, this is not high school, they are not going to call all the touch fouls. At most major tournaments, you have college refs and they will let the kids play. And college coaches want to see how tough kids are, not a bunch of free throw shooting. Management and Schedule: Their were not a lot of problems. Because of things like overtime and injuries, tournaments do get behind, but besides that the schedule was great. Who ever fixed the schedule should be given a steak dinner or something. Facilities: Anytime a tournament is played in one building it's a beautiful thing. AIN'T I (REMix) In 2003, I hosted the State AAU Tournament in Daytona Beach, and there was a new team of 8-10 year olds that blew everyone out with their aggressive style. AIN'T I - JACKSONVILLE RAMS are for real, as they are known on Sunshine State Exposure - RAM TOUGH. The first Rams game was against the Gainesville Warriors and trying to explain to a mom from Gainesville this is real basketball, I just got quiet and let her witness the destruction that the rams do to a team. They won the game by a score of 89-58, Loilya Briggs (14) and Antoionette Bannister (13) led the way. Warriors, Shayla Williams (6'0 - Bucholz- 2010) and Jessica Thomas (5'6 - 2013) combined for 31 pts. In the Rams second game, I saw the rams struggle as the bigger more physical 76ers out of Georgia unleashed a press that kept the rams from pulling away, but Shelita Stringfield (23 pts) helped the rams win it by a score of 76-60. The Rams ended up winning the Jr Division (16U) in a blow out over DEBO Elite 98-56. But the semifinal game was their toughest test of the early season, after trailing most of the game, they ended up topping the PC Ballers 84-82. The Rams have a core of girls that seems like they have been playing together since they were born at Jacksonville Medical (Antoinette Bannister, Brittany Roundtree, Shaleita Stringfield, Loilya Briggs, Bland) but recent additions make this team a nuclear weapon on the travel ball circuit. The Rams have added Dianne Pierre (Lincoln Park), Brandi Green (Lake Howell),and Alexis Brown (Ribault). Peyton Gardner (Winter Park) has returned to finish her senior year. What makes this team great is the IQ of basketball all these young ladies possess. YOU DON'T KNOW ME PC Ballers is their name and Coach Coley finally explained the correlation with the PC Challenge. In the past, when the PC Ballers wasn't playing they let some of the girls play with the PC Challenge. Well, coach didn't say it but I will, their might not be too many times these young ladies will be playing with the Challenge. This team is good and they will be one of the most sought after teams on the summer circuit from Florida. This team is led by Jerica Coley (2010), Tamara Taylor (2011), Kamika Idom, and more. But what makes this team unique is that their is not selfish playing going on, and they enjoy playing with each other. Jerica Coley is one of the hardest working kids I've seen playing basketbll in the state. DEBO is not as bad as I thought they would be, with the addition of Ysenia Lora and Keisha Jones of Winter Haven to go with, the all-everything, Morgan Jones. Look for DEBO to compete, but one thing that's going to hurt, they have no post players. South Florida Jags after loosing Jassany WIlliams and Dawn Maye the last two years are still competing, but, without a stellar go-to person, will not be on the elite level for now. Players like Clarrissa Codington (2011), T'keyah Williams (2011) and April Carson (2011) will make next year fun. The host team, Sparks are rebuilding, Alicia Kahan is a small guard that can get it done, but until Adrianna Robinson and a few others get back from track season, the sparks will not be setting any fires. In the 15U division the South Florida Pressure seems to be a strong program coming out of the south. This age group was dominated by the GA/Lina 76ers of Georgia. GA/Lina 76ers also dominate the 14U and 18U division, but a new and upcoming program out of St Augustine has arrived in the St. Augustine Celtics. Also, another 14U team that showed hard work this weekend was the Brevard Blue Thunder. Stop the press: When the season started, word on the street was that the Comets 13U would be the hottest thing smoking. Well, South Floirda Jags13U, has a team that you just need to see. These young ones can play basketball. Coached by Fitzroy Anthony, this team will be one to be reckoned with. Let me tell you how I came to watch this team. I was standing around talking to a GA/Lina coach and we were both watching this team warm-up, when I saw a kid touch the rim. I said to him did you see that, he said yeah is that 15U, I said no, its 13U. The kid's name is Ieshia Small, and she has been on the travel ball circuit for a couple of years. But this is the ironic part, she has traveled with Breakdown. Ieshia is a wing, about 5'10 and the last time I saw her, she was very slim, but the kid has been eating well and has filled in with muscles. Ieshia has a little problem finishing after doing some big girl moves, but this kid is special. This year it was Alexis Prince, next year it will be Ieshia Small. They have a few more kids on their team that can play, like Aisha Edwards a small guard that runs that team well, Neydja Petithomme, and Tiffany Suarez. As the other teams got younger in age, you saw that Florida has some talented kids. WHO AM I Their are a few kids that might be overshadowed, because their team is not that well known or did not do good this weekend. New to the block and a team to be reckoned with is the Lady Diamonds 13U Players: Jessica Thomas (2013) will be attending Bucholz, this kid is a player, and she gets it done. Her awareness of the game seems incredible for a young kid, and battle tested, she held her own against the Jacksonville Rams. Tyesha Flagler (2012-Pedro Mendez) a newcomer that runs the point, plays hard nose defense and runs a team very well. Dianne Pierre (2011-6'0-Lincon Park) a great addition to the Rams, helped them on the inside, not dominant yet, but is very solid and fits in well. Did I see former DEBO player 6' 2 Katherine Zander (2011-Orange Park) playing with the Clay County Fevers! THATS ALL FOLKS (Final game scores)
The weekend was great for the first tournament of the year, I hope to see more action in the upcoming weeks. And remember when I'm on the scene, Sunshine State Exposure, We Represent Florida. |
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