Indianapolis was the host for two events this past weekend the always entertaining adidas Invitational and the Hoosier Shootout.
The Memphis Magic Elite had some trouble during pool play against their Super Pool peers finishing 1-2 but more than made up for things advancing to the Final Eight of the Platinum bracket of the adidas Invitational before falling to Team Work.
The Magic defeated D1 Minnesota 85-71 in round of 16 to advance to the Elite 8.
Tim Shaw (Germantown) was a leader on the floor for the Magic. The diminutive rising senior made big plays the entire weekend scoring from the outside or driving to the hoop for a big finish or a timely drop to a happy teammate.
Curtis Phillips (White Station) came out of the shadows of his more written about high school chums and did a little establishing of his own. The 6'4 Phillips was solid all weekend scoring from the perimeter with a nice outside stroke or taking folks off the dribble. He certainly will be the focus of more attention as the summer creeps along.
Derrick Dandridge (White Station), T.Q. Brewster (Craigmont) and Tyler Turner (Mississippi) all made significant contributions to the Magic rise during the weekend event.
Team Xtra Crispy (TXC)
Staying at the adidas Invitational much noise was heard from Team Xtra Crispy (TXC) despite finishing 1-3 on the weekend with a depleted lineup. They played the vaunted Louisville Magic to a one point game and gained some serious respect for their efforts. In bracket play TXC fell with a lineup consisting of 6 players despite 32 points from Nate Moran (BGA).
Props certainly need to go out for Jacob Adcock (Brentwood), Jack Bautista (Brentwood), Zac Wracher (BGA) and Andy Schumpert (Brentwood) for their efforts over the weekend.
Team TXC will venture down to the Kentucky Hoop Fest this week in Louisville.
Tennessee Xtreme Playmakers (TXP)
A solid showing for the kids from Nashville as they went unblemished in pool play at 3-0 and fell in the first round of the platinum bracket to the always powerful Indiana Elite 66-64.
Anotrain Moore (Hillsboro) was quite a force on the offensive side of the ball, crushing several dunks off the wing and hitting a few short baseline jumpers as well. Once he takes his defensive assignments more seriously then we could have an emerging prospect on our hands.
Chucky Sutton (LaVergne) and Christian Lynn (Goodpasture) provided a great deal of the scoring for TXP. Gonda Ameri (Smyrna) provided a nice low post presence scoring off the block and creating some havoc in the lane. Brayden Ward (Shelbyville) and Marquis Johns (LaVergne) contributed in every way when they were on the floor.
Look for TXP in Louisville this week at the Kentucky Hoop Fest.
Tennessee Chosen Few (TCF)
The Tennessee Chosen Few got off on the wrong foot in the basketball capital of the world. Indiana. Dropping a big lead in their opening pool game it seemed the TCF was reeling as they finished 1-2 heading into be=racket play.
A funny thing happened on the way to the bracket action, things got serious and TCF came together and played like they were capable of and made a serious run falling in the silver bracket title game to Field house Elite 69-61.
Bracket action started with a simple 72-40 victory over FRB. Zak Carter (Hardin Valley) led the scoring with 13 points followed closely by Devin Sibley (Karns) with 12 and Andre Wilson (Austin East) and Tyler Yoder (Stone Memorial) with 11 each.
Luke Matthews (Stone Memorial) took scoring kudos with 14 as the TCF barreled past Mercury Elite 57-33. Yoder added 10 in the win.
Carter exucted a game winning lay-in as TCF slipped past TNBA East 64-62 to move into the round of eight. Sibley led the scoring charge with 15 followed by Imani Miller (North Carolina) with 12, Wilson with 11 and Tre Fields (Virginia) with 10.
Sibley was the main man as TCF moved into the title game with a 78-67 romping of MOAM. The rising senior notched 32 points followed in the score book by Carter with 14 and Yoder with 12.
Sibley dropped 18 in the title game but it would prove to not be enough as TCF ended their run with the second place trophy. Wilson finished with 11 and Oterriah Lee (CAK) added 10.
Coaches were quick to point out the overall contributions of Tyleke Love (Dobyns-Bennett). The 6'5 senior was a monster on the glass finishing with several double digit board games and was a consistent scorer throughout the event keeping the TCF in many games with clutch buckets.
Hoosier Shootout
Tennessee Velocity
Over at the Hoosier Shootout the Tennessee Velocity got their July off to a good start winning their pool but falling in the quarter-finals of the Gold Bracket.
Levi Woods (Meigs County) and Ben Snider (Ooltewah) consistently topped the scoring charts for the Velocity. Jack Graham (Bearden) had a solid weekend shooting the ball and coaches lauded the efforts of the dual Isaac's. Isaac Merian (Oak Ridge) and Isaac Edmiston (Maryville).
Chattanooga Elite
Finishing 1-2 in pool play the Chattanooga Elite rebounded to finish the event 3-3 with a run in the silver bracket of the Hoosier Shootout. Orlando Moore (Brainerd) was the big man on campus leading the Elite in scoring with games of 19 and 17 and providing several highlights with some rim shacking dunks.
Kendrick Thompson (Cleveland) was solid throughout the weekend as well scoring a team high 25 in one pool victory and making them regret for not guarding him on the perimeter.
Coaches lauded the efforts of Alex Watkins (Tyner Academy) on the boards and defensively; as well as, Jaylen Smith (Georgia) who controlled tempo and hit some key threes in the bracket action advancing.
