Two Ohio Teams Place at 6th Grade AAU Nationals

Cap City Cardinals' Trey Pugh

Congratulations to the Capital City Cardinals and the Dayton Pilots for placing 5th and 7th, respectively out of 68 teams participating in the 6th grade D-II AAU Nationals in Virginia Beach, VA.  Both teams finished pool play unblemished at 3-0, then lost their 3rd round games.  The Capital City Cardinals lost to the Saginaw Panthers 46-41, and the Pilots were defeated by the Illinois Speed 44-37.  Ironically, the Cardinals and Pilots met in the first round of the quarter final consolation bracket.  The Cardinals won the game 42-40 before downing the N.Ky Tarheels (50-44) to take 5th place.  According to coach Tony Freeman, the Cardinals' success at the nationals, "Was a team effort."  The top players on that team include: Trey Pugh, Ryan Teaks, Garcia Dixon and Dylan Dupler. The Pilots bounced back with a 47-41 win over the Kazoo Blues to claim 7th place. Columbus' OIC Dynasty and the Cincinnati Bull Dogs will begin play at the D-I AAU Nationals in Virginia Beach today.