Play Hard Play Smart Hosting Spring Tune Up

The Play Hard Play Smart Basketball Club(Sacramento, CA) are hosting the "Spring Tune Up" tournament on April 2nd, and 3rd, that will take place at Natomas High School. Scouting services will cover the tournament, and will also be sponsored by Adidas. The age groups will be 9U-Varsity, with the tournament costing $250. Register online at www.playhardplaysmart.com


-Brandon Bracy

Bay Area Sports Releases Early JV Rankings

BayAreaSports.Org released its early Junior Varsity rankings Monday, after hosting their tournament at Jesse Bethel. Rankings are updated every two weeks at most. Here is their rankings for the elite division.

1. Cali Starz
2. Team Rampage
3. Mountain House Wolverines
4. Oakland Rebels Black
5. SF Rebels
6. FTS
7. Thunder Prime
8. Peak Basketball Purple
9. Cool Kids
10. TSU Supreme
11. Hoyas Blue
12. Roadrunners
13. Alameda Vipers
14. Team Steady
15. Golden City SF Black
16. Berkeley Bears
17. Team Select Carper
18. Anutha Level
19. South Bay Spin
20. Calstars

-Brandon Bracy

Cal Basketball Grabs the Number 3 Seed In Pac-12 Tourney

The California Bears(22-9) grabbed the 3rd seed yesterday, in the Pac-12 tournament. The Bears will take on the winner of Oregon State and Arizona State, in the quarterfinals. Cal has never won a Pac-12 tournament, and will look to change that this weekend.

Cal will play their first game on Thursday night at 8:45 PM.

-Brandon Bracy

Kennedy Uplifting the City of Richmond

For the Kennedy High School(Richmond, CA) boys basketball team, the 2015-2016 season has been special. Their record of 19-13 might seem like an average record to most, but it's what they have done  over the past week that has made this season special. Last Saturday, they knocked off St. Mary's of Berkeley behind Alfonso Murrie's game winner, and a week later they find themselves, heading into the State playoffs for division 4, for the first time in school history.

The eagles will travel all the way to Modesto, CA on Wednesday, to take on Central Catholic(25-5). For Kennedy, they are playing for something that is much bigger than basketball, as they will have the whole city of Richmond behind them. This team has brought positivity to the city of Richmond, and will try to keep this historic season alive by pulling off another upset.

-Brandon Bracy

The Struggles of Becoming an Elite AAU Program

With so many different AAU organizations across the US, there are a handful of organizations that stick out. AAU teams such as the Oakland Soldiers, Compton Magic, and New York Gauchos, are just examples of major AAU basketball clubs, that have been able to produce NBA talent, while also getting sponsored by major shoe companies. Nike, Adidas, and lately, under armour, are sponsoring the top teams in the country. One question the average person may ask is, how do you get sponsored by these shoe companies? That answer may vary, but winning big tournaments, while having big name "ranked" players on your team, will certainly give you an upper leg over other AAU basketball clubs.

As a coach and head trainer of my organization, Team Rampage, I would love to one day be on the same level as the Oakland Soldiers or Compton Magic. With my organization being new, and without the financial support, the struggle with trying to achieve this goal is very difficult. For example, if I have or develop a top elite player, and a top team like the Soldiers like the player I have, they have the power to lure that player over to their team, and have him play for the Soldiers, leaving my team behind. I can cry and scream, "Where is the Loyalty" all I want, but the reality is that, a team like the Soldiers with all of the sponsorships, and history they have, it's hard for a middle or high school kid to turn that down. 

Situations like this, happen every year all across the US in AAU Basketball. AAU can be a doggy dog world, with the powerhouses always on the search for talent. For my organization, I plan on changing the landscape of AAU, by teaching the fundamentals of the game. I may not be able to convince kids to play for me due to my lack of sponsors, but I can convince kids through hardwork, that playing for my organization will make you a better player, and prepare you for the next level. Us AAU coaches and organizations that have to compete with powerhouses in the area, must stick to the art of teaching "Real Basketball". The Shoes, the jerseys, the bags, will all eventually wear out, but what we teach these kids about the game will last with them forever. With so many different AAU organizations across the US, only a handful stick out, but to me, the handful of clubs that need to stick out, are the ones that teach the game and fundamentals to the kids!

-Brandon Bracy

CJ Anderson the Basketball Player?

As the Denver Broncos take on the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50, Vallejo, California native and Denver Broncos running back CJ Anderson, prepare to bring home a Super Bowl near his hometown. CJ has become a household name across the NFL because of his hardnose running style, and toughness. However, very few people across the nation know that CJ Anderson, was once an AAU Basketball player, during his youth years growing up in Vallejo.

CJ Anderson once played basketball for the Vallejo Baytrotters, along with former Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets Center, Greg Smith, who is also from Vallejo, California. CJ was a very good athlete, who was also a good leader at the point guard position. CJ would even go on to play basketball for Jesse Bethel High School (Vallejo, CA), all four years of his high school career. For some people reading this, it may be hard trying to imagine CJ Anderson running point guard, rather than running through holes for touchdowns, but there are many NFL players, who have an AAU Basketball background.  

CJ is just one of many athletes in the NFL, who played AAU Basketball growing up. The hardest thing for young athletes to realize when they play multiple sports, is what sport they love to do, versus the sport they should do. For CJ, basketball was a sport that he can play at a high level, but football was a sport that he loved more, and also had a better chance playing professionally. Today, there are athletes that play AAU Basketball, that will make it in another sport. No matter what sport that may be, the athlete must be realistic when it comes to ability, size, and the amount of interest they are getting in each sport. 

St. Patrick-St. Vincent Boys Capture 5th Seed

The St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School(19-11) boys basketball team, grab the number 5 seed in the Northern California State Playoffs. They will play this Wednesday at home in Vallejo, against the number 12 seed, Burton(20-10) of San Francisco.

The Bruins are coming off a 64-53 lost in the North Coast Section Division 4 Championship, against Salesian(Richmond, CA). The Bruins didn't shoot the ball well against Salesian, as only three players scored over five points. Coach Walker hopes that his team will turn it around Wednesday, as they will have a fresh start and, hopes of making a state run.

-Brandon Bracy