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AA state tournament


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8 hours ago, OldSportsGuy said:

sadly high school hoops is not for the best players anymore. Most compete with their high school team but really focus on the AAU summer games.

There are more and more 'prep schools' popping up everywhere. However, just because a prep school pops up, doesn't mean that they will get the best players. The best players ARE making their way to the elite AAU programs though. 

The real focus is on AAU summer games and rightly so. When else can John Calipari, and Coach K, and so on and so forth, when can they actually go to the schools and actually see these kids play? Once during the year probably ... and that is if the coach can get there. The big time programs are focused on the NCAA right now. The other schools are focusing on the NIT right now. AAU allows the coaches ample opportunity to view these guys play in a lot of games ... not just one. It also gives them an opportunity to see them play against really good competition ... and not against average players who won't play for a college after high school is over. For instance ... James Wiseman at East played against other elite big men when he plays in AAU and they go to the Peach Jam in Augusta. His high school team played a national schedule in November and December, and they plaued in the City of Palms classic, as well as, the Penny Classic games. So, coaches get a chance to really evaluate him against top notched, quality competition ... other guys who are 7 feet tall who can play ... not some 6-5 guy who can't even hope to guard him or some 6-9 stiff with two left feet. East is not the norm though ... what East has done is what Prep schools do.

It is the evolution of the sport. AAU wouldn't thrive if it weren't convenient for the college coaches. Because it is convenient for the college coaches, it is lucrative for the shoe companies. The shoe companies make millions from signing the young phenom early, before his career takes off. The key here is the convenience to the college coaches. High school games are not convenient to the college coach. Why would I fuss, fight, and scurry to see some potential phenom play in a high school game against competition that is not on his level, when I can go watch him in the summer, when i'm not coaching my team, and I can watch him play against a gym full of other elite basketball players ... all under one roof. This happens several times throughout the summer. I can see a LOT of players ... and then make a selection of those I want to target. I can talk to thier parents and the whole nine yards.

So ... I get your 'sad' comment ... but, it's not like it is ever going to go back to the old days. AAU just checks all of the boxes for the college programs. It just does. 

Edited by kwc
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16 hours ago, kwc said:

There are more and more 'prep schools' popping up everywhere. However, just because a prep school pops up, doesn't mean that they will get the best players. The best players ARE making their way to the elite AAU programs though. 

The real focus is on AAU summer games and rightly so. When else can John Calipari, and Coach K, and so on and so forth, when can they actually go to the schools and actually see these kids play? Once during the year probably ... and that is if the coach can get there. The big time programs are focused on the NCAA right now. The other schools are focusing on the NIT right now. AAU allows the coaches ample opportunity to view these guys play in a lot of games ... not just one. It also gives them an opportunity to see them play against really good competition ... and not against average players who won't play for a college after high school is over. For instance ... James Wiseman at East played against other elite big men when he plays in AAU and they go to the Peach Jam in Augusta. His high school team played a national schedule in November and December, and they plaued in the City of Palms classic, as well as, the Penny Classic games. So, coaches get a chance to really evaluate him against top notched, quality competition ... other guys who are 7 feet tall who can play ... not some 6-5 guy who can't even hope to guard him or some 6-9 stiff with two left feet. East is not the norm though ... what East has done is what Prep schools do.

It is the evolution of the sport. AAU wouldn't thrive if it weren't convenient for the college coaches. Because it is convenient for the college coaches, it is lucrative for the shoe companies. The shoe companies make millions from signing the young phenom early, before his career takes off. The key here is the convenience to the college coaches. High school games are not convenient to the college coach. Why would I fuss, fight, and scurry to see some potential phenom play in a high school game against competition that is not on his level, when I can go watch him in the summer, when i'm not coaching my team, and I can watch him play against a gym full of other elite basketball players ... all under one roof. This happens several times throughout the summer. I can see a LOT of players ... and then make a selection of those I want to target. I can talk to thier parents and the whole nine yards.

So ... I get your 'sad' comment ... but, it's not like it is ever going to go back to the old days. AAU just checks all of the boxes for the college programs. It just does. 

Agree with everything you typed. Great post

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 First of all I want to congratulate LA on a well deserved win. You made the plays and adjustments and was just the better team yesterday. Having said that our best rebounder and defender down low hurt his back two minutes into the game which really hurt our interior defense. LA took complete advantage and that was a big difference. We will be back as we only lose 1 player and have several young kids that will get better. Good luck to LA today but I see a Hamilton and probably Stratford Championship but wouldn’t count out Fulton. 

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