B’More Elite Invitational Final Action

Ron Bailey, Publisher

Tourney lived up to expectations.

May 10, 2010 – This past weekend Hoop Magic Sports Academy was action-packed, given the Second Annual Baltimore Elite Invitational was held there. Teams from as far as Eastern Canada attended, giving observers, players and coaches – both travel team, high school and NCAA Division II/III – an opportunity to see college stars of tomorrow between the lines.

The following teams were declared champions, winning their respective age groupings.

17u – NJ Playaz

This Playaz team was a finely tuned machine, gunning down foes with efficiency and many weapons. The title was secured by a 77-60 defeat of Team Final (PA), a squad many believe to be the nation’s best travel team . Such monikers are bestowed, when many rank your chief player, Mike Gilchrist, number one in the Class of 2010, and you have the likes of Rakeem Christmas inside and Ty Johnson leading things. Add Syracuse-bound Trevor Cooney firing jumpers from all over the court to this trio of blue chippers, and it’s easy to accept that logic.

Myles Mack at the free throw line for NJ Playaz.

Funny thing though, the Playaz didn’t accept it. In fact, they beat Team Final in nearly every aspect of the game: Rising seniors Myles Davis and Mack routinely tickled the twine form deep – in halfcourt and open floor situations – while center Desmond Hubert held it down in the paint. Class of 2012 forward/guard Kyle Anderson really stepped up, not only running the team at times against Final but shooting over smaller opponents, something he really hadn’t done all tourney long.

In short, the boys from Jersey balled.

Playaz MVP: Myles Davis
Final MVP: Mike Gilchrist

16u Team Takeover

Up only 50-48 and facing a talented, big, and athletic Takeover Canada team, Team Takeover (DC) coach Ken Johnson decided to hold the ball for about two and a half minutes, leaving only slightly more than 120 seconds in regulation. The move left all courtside befuddled, and was assumed a measure countering Takeover Canada coach’s effective and well executed 2-3 zone.

Beejay Anjay (left) battled behmoth Sim Bhullar.

When asked afterward about the move, Johnson indicated “two of my best players had four fouls”, thus precipitating his strategy. As fate would have it, those players, including standout rising junior swingman Jerami Grant, wouldn’t greatly impact the game’s outcome from that point, but Class of 2012 forward Arnold Motto would; he scored on an old fashioned and-one play, notched a couple of rebounds, and even got a steal. The largely unknown Cameroonian import was a dynamo, and his late exploits secured a 55-48 win for Takeover DC.

For the Canadian squad, Richard Peters played solidly in the championship, as did Class of 2012, seven foot-four center Sim Bhullar. One can’t forget Anthony Bennett, an athletic frontcourt guy.

Takeover DC MVP – Jerami Grant
Takeover Canada MVP – Sim Bhullar

Richard Peters talks high school and development

15u Team Takeover

In possibly Sunday’s most exciting game, Team Takeover (DC) squeaked by Team Philly (PA) 47-43. The victor’s coach, Doug Martin was on his teams’ controls, during timeouts and game play actively encouraging his team to execute, thinking the game in the process. The clearly listened to their coach.

Takeover 15u champs!

Team Philly had opportunities, missing two point blank layups with under a minute to play. Haniff Sutton, Brandon Austin and Dom Reid, currently a freshman point guard, forward and swingman, respectively did work.

Team Takeover was paced by Stan Robinson, a budding swingman , along with point guard Will Ferguson.

Takeover MVP – Stan Robinson
Team Philly MVP – Haniff Sutton

Stan Robinson talks about the win
Doug Martin during a timeout
Doug Martin talks about his team’s development

14u DC Assault

DC Assault out-paced Xpress (MD) 82-66, using a three guard lineup to make that happen. Trey Campbell led the squad, and was its Baltimore Elite Invitational MVP, as he scored, passed and led.

Trey Campbell talks about the win

NOTE:
Be sure to check i95Ballerz.com and Hoop Magic Sports Academy for updates on the Toll Road Access Hoopfest, July 30-31