15:U AAU Teams in Nationals

[Guest teamtenn]

To Coaches and Players:

 

This email will start controversy, but I look forward to your response. Ronald Taylor, Will Gordon and I had the opportunity to see some of the most talented teams in the country. We watched Ohio-Red, Cinncinati Salamone, DC Warriors, Dallas Mustangs, Georgia Stars, Hoosier Hoops, Houston Hoops, etc. The question comes to mind is:

 

Could any other team other than Memphis YOMCA compete against these powerful aau teams? No! Mid-state Ballerz, Charles Davis, Team Tenn, Tenn. Thunder and the list goes on and on could not beat these teams. These teams are big, strong, fast, physical and they execute on the court. How would the Tenn. Travelers do against Dallas Mustangs, Ohio-Red, Cincy Sal. They would lose all three. We don't have the players that can match up mentally and physically with these players. I am intiminated by the play of these teams. It is truly unbelieveable. I invite you all to come to Clarksville and see for yourselves. We are not ready as teams to compete on a AAU National level (Team Tenn). I am not interested in playing a nationally ranked team and almost upset them and lose to a team I should beat. Our teams should be able to play in tournaments and WIN and not be 1-3, 2-2 and

3-1. Win the tournaments. We have great individual players but not any team players. If we had 6 strong teams with the best players from Tennessee (Tyler Smith, Jamont Gordon) then we might have a chance.

Other than that, the story will be:

 

1. Play your substate

2. Play your state

3. Go to the Nationals, play your pool and lose

4. Go to the Classic. Most teams are 1-2 or 0-3.

 

We only have one team in the Championship Barcket and that is YOMCA. I look forward to your response. John Richardson

[kj23]

Tennessee "lets face it" is a football state. Most of our kids play football 1st. They do not put the time they need to put in for basketball. To be a good basketball player you have to have the heart for the game, great def., a jump shout, and put the time in to get it. To play great def. you have to be in shape. So you have to put the time in running and working out. To have a great jump shout, you have to put the time in the gym and just shoot. All of our kids just want to handle the rock and dunk. As a coach we sometimes hurt our kids. Most coaches teach there post player to play with there back to the goaled. Thats why the n.b.a. go over seas and find 6'9"-6'10" players that can face the goaled. They are coached to face the goaled so they can shoot are go past our post player. As for our 1-2-3's they send to much time trying to handle the rock and not learning the game.

 

Players if you keep the ball out of the middle of the floor you just took one of there options away. Because most all plays start from the middle of the floor. John you are so right. Memphis and other States players put the time in and most not all of our players don't.

 

Kenneth Jones

Tennessee Thunder

[Edited by kj23 on 7/11/02 2:37P]

[Guest teamtenn]

Kenny,

 

I appreciate your response to my post. Players can all just set in the stand and look in amazement as these teams play ball and these kids get D1 scholarships. You kids can't honestly be satisfied with making bad grades and play juco ball. Players don't hate the coaches, but learn how to play the game called TEAM BASKETBALL. Classes are in session at the Dunn Center at APSU.

[Edited by teamtenn on 7/11/02 3:20P]

[Edited by teamtenn on 7/11/02 3:39P]

[kj23]

John I did not mean hate but hurt.

[gomab2]

Well, it looks like I am going to be the first one to disagree..................

 

Coach, I firmly believe that Memphis YOMCA is not the only team that can compete at the National level, especially in the 15's age group. At this point in time, I believe that there are three programs that can compete Nationally in every age group: YOMCA, the Travelers, and the Midstate Ballerz....

 

As for specifically the 15's age group, I am not as impressed with the competition as you are, and I truly believe that the Midstate Ballerz 15's could compete with any team in the AAU Nationals. I think the Ballerz 15's are better than the YOMCA 15's (though the YOMCA 16's and 17's are better than the Ballerz 16's and 17's). I really believe this, even with the disasterous weekend that left that group short of even AAU State in that age group.....

 

The Ballerz 15's had a great season, even with the one disasterous weekend. The Ballerz 15's won two big tournaments, the Memphis Basketball Classic (including two convincing wins by 8 and 22 over the Memphis Wildcats, who at that point had Josh Stafford and Jordan Mincy) and the Arkansas Wings Challenge of Champions (including two wins over the host Wings, who were doing Very well in AAU Nationals even without two of their star players, who did not make the trip to Clarksville). The Ballerz lost by 7 to Virginia state champs Team Richmond (also in the Championship bracket at Nationals) while missing 4 starters (including the Delks and all but one post, playing with just 6), and beat 1st Baptist Crusaders (MD) by 12 with the same depleted lineup (1st Baptist also attended AAU Nationals). The Ballerz also, with just 6 players, beat Nationals-bound St. Louis Gateway. The Ballerz are 4-1 vs 16's competition, with the only loss to Nationals-qualifying Tn Breakers by 9 points (Ballerz only having 7 players).......

 

The Ballerz 15's were a great group, with the top players playing 16's and 17's the rest of the year. This group was as good as any team in the state, and could play with any team in the country. What team, outside of YOMCA (AAU State champs and Midsouth-hoops.com Tourney champs) can bost even one Tournament Championship, more or less Two? The Ballerz 15's can play with the elite teams in the Nation..........

[TheNatural]

Well since everyone is chiming in; let me throw in my bell. I will agree with Gomab that the 15yr Ballerz were special and I feel they could compete at the nationals. But since they had that tragic weekend we can only speculate on how well they would have played.

 

Now about why we cant win in Nationals. To win like YOMCA you have to play like YOMCA. We can?t have 5 teams in Middle TN area competing against each other. With taking the Travelers out (since they don't play AAU) and them taking 6-8 top players its make it even harder with the group setup. If we are going to win we will need to put together an ALL NASHVILLE Team, A ALL MIDDLE TEAM, and A ALL EAST Team. Some areas could field more than 1 competitive team in some age groups. Now I know what some of you are saying WHO COACHES THESE ELITE TEAMS? On this I am open to suggestions?? A committee of the participating programs picks coaches, each program has a certain age group, etc... I don't have all the answers if I did I would be going and placing in the nationals!! Hah

Then comes the egos and pride stepping up. When it comes to this one i say, who is aau for? Yes I love to win but it?s for the kids. If keeping the programs like they are is better then we will always be chasing YOMCA. But if we truly want to show what Tennessee has to offer, I feel with have 3-4 teams of players that can competed against this age group (15) Nationally if we can get the teams together.

 

I feel we need some sort of unification. But let me say this, the game is for all the kids not just the top 10%. The reason they play is to better prepare them selves for HS and maybe College, to hang out with friends, to have something to do, and just have fun. So as bad as we want to win lets not forget about them. All these suggestions have are made in the opinion that we are wanting to show well against other national Summer League Programs. If you do not agree with these opinions remember what they are OPINIONS!!!

 

Ok I am getting off my soapbox!!

 

Let know what you think!!

[Edited by TheNatural on 7/12/02 12:54A]

[TheEgoHasLanded]

OK here is my opinion

 

I am a Memphis Rebels fan...the Rebels are 0-3 against YOMCA...and they have been winning in every game they played.

 

As far as the Memphis teams not competiting against the Mustangs your wrong...

 

HAHA ask the Mustangs who ended their BCI run...it was none other then the Memphis Rebels themselves...ahh yes yours truly was an assistant coach last year about this time, when we went into a Dallas Junior High School around 3 o clock in the afternoon and won in Overtime... 00 for the Mustangs was just as good then, and probably better, he hasnt grown and he made the mistake of going inside, getting called for blocking then slamming the basketball to the ground and getting called for a techinical...later on he got a nother techinical for hanging on the rim after a dunk, but the Rebels beat them...Yes that is the same Mustangs team that won the 14 and Under AAU nationals just a few weeks...

 

They also beat the Arkansas Hawks, who went on to finish 3rd in the country, and had made it to the elite 8 at the time of this posting...I wish I could have met you guys Coach and Gomab, I am sure we could have had some excellent conversations

 

I was able to watch...the Kansas City Keys, Wisconsin PlayGround Warriors, Arkansas Hawks, YOMCA, Ohio Red, Waco Tx, Dallas Mustangs...

 

The solution is rather simple...let us first examine it

 

The Arkansas Hawks (with whose coach I have become acquanted with) play about 50-60 games a year, and they draw kids from all over Arkansas, I mean all over.

 

The Dallas Mustangs have kids from Dallas, Arlington, Denton, and Amarillo (the Denton Bulls picked up some Mustangs players and vice versa, They changed their name to the Amarillo Bulls, for reasons unknown to me).

 

If you gave me the pick of the best players in the city of Memphis...then we would win or get very close, and if we had decent to adequate coaching.

 

I mean let's look at the 15's u could have...

 

Kinnard, Mincy, Stafford, Owens, Cromwell, Ingram, Brown, Lea, Henderson....there is no way to stop that team...and I mean no way, they are tall, big, strong, and can shoot...

 

Unfortunately there are several quality AAU teams in Memphis...

2nd Pres, Rebels, Wildcats, Tigers, YOMCA, Wildcats, Raleigh Egypt All Stars, Idlewild...

 

all those teams would probably get 2nd or 3rd in their pool in AAU.

 

But when you have 10 teams, and you have 12 guys on a team...the talent level is spread out.

 

SOLUTIONS

 

1-get one or two teams, and let that be that.

2-if a team finishes in the top 10 (like we have been known to have) give your automatic bid to another TN team...it lets more kids play and experience it

3-get some real good coaches

4-play quality teams like the hawks, wings, alabama ice...who have been there and will always pose a problem.

5-and probably most important..eliminate attitudes from players, we have that problem in memphis with kids quiting, showboating, or not playing hard..it causes problems from the inside out.

6-start the teams out at a younger age...have the midstate ballerz get a 14 year old team, that way when they qualify as 16year olds their seeding will be better, the rebels were seeded 100 cus they don't play AAU, that probably hurts them in terms of who they get in pool play.

 

By the way, the best player I saw out of all the games and all the teams...#44 for the Jackson Mississippi Dream Team...I have never EVER seen a 15 year old built like that...he was probably 6'2 225...but was very very good, even though his team didnt win anything.

[Edited by TheEgoHasLanded on 7/12/02 1:38A]

[Guest teamtenn]

Gomab:

 

I read your email. As a coach, never make excuses about losing a ball game. Your team has to execute offensively and defensively during 32 minutes of the game. Now, you state about your team accomplishment in other tournaments, but IF your team was as good as you say, then your team would be playing in the AAU nationals. YOMCA is the king of the mountain until my team (Team Tenn) defeats them. I respect them as state champions and I study there team structure. There is not to much either one of us can say about competing on the national level until a new state champion is crowned next year. The Bulls had to defeat the Pistons and Celtics before they became champions. Again, YOMCA is the only team that can compete on the national level. I invite you to the final four tonight at 7:00 pm and tell your kids to attend so they can see what final four, final two and subsequent 15:U AAU National Champions.

I am picking the Arkansas Hwaks to win this tournament.

Coach Jonathan of the Hawks has his kids peeking at the right time. Coach Richardson

[Guest teamtenn]

The Natural:

 

I like your email. You used past tense to identify your assestment of the midstate ballerz. Sport is a cruel business via football, baseball, basketball, etc. If your team minimizes its mistakes you will more than likely win the basketball game. Things that dictate the outcome of a game is rebounding, turnovers, free throw and field goal percentage. Defensive strategy in the last minute of game is critical. This is where coaches truly show their coaching ability. It is obvious that my team (Team Tenn), midstate and other teams didn't execute and win to get to the next level. I don't make excuses when I lose. Practice hard and study video tape to see where the game was lost. Classic tape is Maplewood vs Bearden in the state tournament. A missed ft and a defensive breakdown costed us the ball game. Ronald Taylor has the same assestment of pooling the talent together. You are right when you talk about player egos. It is definitely hard for a coach to deal with.

[Edited by teamtenn on 7/12/02 4:14P]

[Winner]

Simply stated...

 

Tennessee AAU teams will have trouble competing on a national level because...

 

1) AAU teams that are SP0NSORED like NIKE Team This and ADIDAS Team That will always have the advantage of pulling in the better players because it not only costs them nothing to compete, they actually GET something in the way of NATIONAL competition, recognition and gear.

 

2) TSSAA locks the Tennessee players out of practicing anytime other than the window between the end of the State Tournament and the beginning of the school year. Other states don't have these restrictive rules on practice and competitions. I'm not saying TSSAA is wrong, just stating a fact.

 

3) I have competed recently with my 19U team against teams actually sponsored by the STATE they are from. It's pretty prestigious to represent your state on a national level.

 

4) In deference to a point already made in another post... Tennessee is a not a FOOTBALL state. It's not a BASKETBALL or Baseball state either. High school sports are not supported, promoted or tauted like they are in many other states. There are some county schools in KY and IN that have 8,000 fans at home games and are sold out a year in advance. A friend of mine who coaches Football in Texas says they routinely have 12,000 at their games. This kind of support demands success. There is a lot of pressure on high school coaches to produce. This culls out the bad coaches. There are some really great coaches and programs in TN, but most coaches don't care that much about building a program. The ones that really care either don't have the support or move on to places that do.

 

In conclusion (did I say 'Simply stated' somewhere above?)

 

Until these issues are addressed... and it would take years for this to happen... we won't produce the players that other programs/states/sponsors produce.

 

If it's going to change, we need AAU programs that are successful to work hard for sponsorship and to continue trying to compete nationally. This will cause the programs to proliferate themselves and to grow into national competitors.

 

Keep working hard AAU coaches. We will get there eventually. We're doing it for the right reason... the kids.

 

Thats my opinion... oughta be yours.

[TheEgoHasLanded]

YOMCA is sponsored by Nike...they are usually called Team Nike...they got the sponsors...wheres the championships?

[Stokomo]

For what little it's worth, here's my opinion. I believe TN has teams other than YOMCA or the Travelers that can compete with other teams around the country. My team last year went to the 16 & under Nationals and went to the 2nd round before losing to the Indiana team by 5. They placed 2nd in the nation that year. This year we beat them at Carson Newman by 9. We are 17-4 this year. Had a bad weekend at the 17 & under State. I still say Rocky Nichols would have made the difference. Besides Vince Redd, no one was a factor inside. But yes, other teams can compete. You just don't see the sponsorship $$$ that needs to be there. We are very limited on where we can go because of financial strapped. I've had teams that could compete with anyone in the state or nation. Take my first team, Jamichael Mills, Ryan Black, Fred Smith, Jonathan Wilson, Nathan Norman, Shane Carnes, and Clay Potter. They beat a Clarkville team that placed 6th in the nation that year. We beat them by 19. Money was why we couldn't go to the nationals. Today, money continues to be a factor. Sponsors will not put money into high school sports around here, even though we have won over 200 games in eleven years.