PeachJam

 

 

NIKE Peach Jam

EYBL Championship 17U

North Augusta, SC

July 12-15, 2011

 

©2011 by Ron Harrison

 

 

The NIKE Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) consists of 40 of the top Nike 17U travel teams.  These teams play in three regular season events with the top 24 converging on North Augusta to battle it out for the title.  The top 24 will be divided into four pools, play five games with the top two teams in each pool advancing to an Elite Eight who participates in a single elimination tournament for the championship.

 

The 24 teams were assigned to four pools as follows:  Pool A: Team Takeover (DC), Houston Hoops (TX), Georgia Stars (GA), All Ohio Red (OH), Arkansas Wings (AR), and Athletes First (OK).  Pool B: Oakland Soldiers (CA), Baltimore Elite (MD), Indy Spiece (IN), Boo Williams (VA), Louisiana Select (LA), and Team Texas Titans (TX).  Pool 3: Memphis YOMCA (TN), Playaz Basketball Club (NJ), CP3 (NC), California Supreme (CA), The Family (MI), and Albany City Rocks (NY).  Pool D: BABC (MA), CIA Bounce (CANADA), Mac Irvin Fire (IL), All Iowa Attack (IA), Howard Pulley (MN), and Mean Streets (IL).

 

The standings reported after pool play was completed are Pool A: Georgia Stars (GA) (4-1), Team Takeover (DC) (3-2), Athletes First (OK) (3-2), All Ohio Red (OH) (2-3), Arkansas Wings (AR) (2-3), and Houston Hoops (TX) (1-4).  Pool B: Oakland Soldiers (CA) (5-0), Texas Titans (TX) (3-2), Baltimore Elite (MD) (3-2), Louisiana Select (LA) (2-3), Boo Williams (2-3), and Indy Spiece (IN) (2-3).  Pool C: Memphis YOMCA (TN) (5-0), Playaz Basketball Club (NJ) (4-1), CP3 (NC) (2-3), The Family (MI) (1-4), California Supreme (CA) (1-4), and Albany City Rocks (NY) (0-5).  Pool D: BABC (MA) (4-1), Mac Irvin Fire (IL) (4-1), Howard Pulley (MN) (3-2), CIA Bounce (CANADA) (2-3), Mean Streets (IL) (1-4), and All Iowa Attack (1-4).

 

The teams advancing to the Elite Eight are Georgia Stars, Team Takeover, Oakland Soldiers, Texas Titans, Memphis YOMCA, Playaz Basketball Club, BABC, and Mac Irvin Fire.

 

Thursday July 13th

 

Georgia Stars (GA) 76  Mac Irvin Fire (IL) 61  (Quarterfinal)

Georgia Stars led 33-32 at halftime but pulled away in the second half for a 15 point victory.  6-6 Sr. Jaron Blossomgame led the victors with 22 points.  6-6 Sr. Marcus Hunt added 18 points including four three point baskets.  6-8 Sr. Tony Parker recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.  6-8 Sr. Alex Poythress also pounded the boards pulling down 10 rebounds.  6-4 Jr. Billy Garrett Jr. led Mac Irvin Fire with 21 points including five three point baskets.  6-7 Jr. Jabari Parker added 12 points and 6-8 Sr. Steve Taylor recorded 11 points and eight rebounds.

 

Oakland Soldiers (CA) 79  Playaz Basketball Club (NJ) 73 

(Quarterfinal)

6-0 Sr. Dominic Artis led Oakland Soldiers with 26 points including six three point baskets.  6-10 Sr. Brandon Ashley added 18 points and 11 rebounds.  6-8 Jr. Aaron Gordon also reached double figures with 14 points.  6-8 Sr. Kyle Anderson narrowly missed a triple-double for Playaz as he recorded 20 points, nine rebounds, and 10 assists.  6-1 Sr. Myles Davis recorded 14 points including four three point baskets.  6-6 Sr. Savon Goodman also tallied 14 points.  6-7 Sr. Jerome Frink recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

 

Memphis YOMCA (TN) 69  Texas Titans (TX) 68  OT  (Quarterfinal)

This was definitely a game of contrasting halves as YOMCA led 31-20 at halftime but the Titans outscored them 39-28 in the second half to force overtime.  6-3 Sr. Anthlon Bell led the victors with 19 points including five three point baskets.  6-8 Sr. Jarnell Stokes added 15 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists.  6-3 Sr. Martavious Newby recorded 10 points, seven rebounds, and five steals.  6-8 Jr. Julius Randle led Texas Titans with 30 points and 10 rebounds.  Randle was 14 of 17 from the free throw line. 5-9 Jr. Marquan Botley and 6-4 Jr. Matthew Jones added 14 and 12 points respectively.

 

BABC (MA) 79  Team Takeover (DC) 56  (Quarterfinal)

BABC raced out to a 48-28 halftime lead on their way to victory.  6-7 Sr. Georges Niang led BABC with 31 points and nine rebounds.  Niang was deadly from the field as he was 13 of 16 from the floor.  5-9 Jr. Jalen Brantley added 21 points including four three point baskets.  6-9 Jr. Nerlens Noel recorded eight points, eight rebounds, and five blocked shots.  6-4 Sr. Jonathan Tshibuy led Team Takeover with 12 points and seven rebounds.  6-8 Jr. Beejay Anya added nine points and seven rebounds.  6-3 Sr. James Robinson, 6-3 Sr. Kethan Savage, and 6-8 Sr. Jerami Grant also scored nine points each.

 

Friday July 14th

 

Memphis YOMCA (TN) 78  Georgia Stars (GA) 64  (Semifinal)

Memphis YOMCA pulled away  in the second half to defeat Georgia Stars 78-64.  6-8 Sr. William Goodwin led the victors with 29 points and 12 rebounds.  6-3 Sr. Anthlon Bell added 15 points on five three point baskets.  6-8 Sr. Jarnell Stokes recorded 12 points and pulled down 17 rebounds.  6-3 Sr. Martavious Newby chipped in with 10 points and six rebounds.  6-6 Sr. Marcus Hunt led Georgia Stars with 19 points and three blocked shots.  6-6 Sr. Jaron Blossomgame added 11 points and 12 rebounds.  6-8 Sr. Alex Poythress also recorded 11 points.

 

BABC (MA) 74  Oakland Soldiers (CA) 60  (Semifinal)

6-7 Sr. Georges Niang led BABC with 18 points.  5-9 Jr. Jalen Brantley added 17 points including three three point baskets.  6-9 Jr. Nerlens Noel recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 blocked shots.  6-2 Jr. Rene Castro chipped in with 12 points and seven assists.  6-8 Jr. Aaron Gordon led Oakland Soldiers with 13 points and six rebounds.  6-5 Jr. Isaac Hamilton also recorded 13 points.  6-10 Sr. Brandon Ashley also reached double figures with 10 points.

 

BABC (MA) 84  Memphis YOMCA (TN) 67  (Championship)

5-9 Jr. Jalen Brantley led BABC with 24 points including four three point baskets.  6-7 Sr.Georges Niang added 21 points and seven rebounds. 6-9 Jr. Nerlens Noel had an impressive evening with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and six blocked shots.  6-2 Jr. Rene Castro also reached double figures with 12 points.  6-3 Sr. Anthlon Bell led Memphis YOMCA with 19 points including five three point baskets.  6-3 Sr. Martavious Newby added 14 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists.  6-8 Sr. Jarnell Stokes also scored 14 points and dished out five assists.  6-8 Sr. William Goodwin chipped in with 10 points.

 

Summary

 

Congratulations to Coach Leo Papile and the BABC squad for capturing the title in this star-studded field this week.  The talent level was excellent and the event was attended by many of the top college coaches in the nation.  Many players from all classes impressed this week.  Nike does an excellent job promoting and running their events and the event was well-covered by the media with several of the wrap-ups listing their top performers for the event.

 

Acknowledgements

 

Congratulations to Nike for putting on another special event.  I had the pleasure of covering a Nike event in Lexington KY several years ago and their attention to detail is amazing and their staff made every effort to accommodate any request to help in covering their events.