National Youth Basketball League Loaded with Talent

The inaugural season of the National Youth Basketball League (NYBL) will feature 24 of the nation’s most elite sixth grade teams. Modeled after Nike’s very successful Elite Youth Basketball League, the NYBL seeks to enhance the level professionalism and structure in youth basketball, while also fostering more competitive and team-oriented play. Each of the 24 teams will be competing in 3 sessions which are spread out though out the eastern part of the country starting in mid-March, and culminating in the NYBL finals during the last weekend in May.

In terms of the talent level, 7 of the top 8 finishers in last year’s 5th grade AAU Nationals will be participating in the NYBL. If that wasn’t enough, according to AAU’s “Power Rankings,” 16 of the top 25 teams in the country will be participating in the league. The league is also proud of the fact that of the 24 teams in the league, 12 different states will be represented.

Carolina Preps-Placed 3rd at AAU Nationals Last year

The following teams have joined the league: SC Hornets (2nd); Carolina Preps (3rd); Memphis War Eagles (4th); Team Takeover (5th); Reach Higher Kings (6th), Southern Stampede/Worldwide (7th), Metrolina Havoc (8th), All-Ohio Red; ETU Select; Team Izod/Sports U; Arkansas Solderz; Maryland’s Finest; WV Xplosion; Atlanta Celtics Black; E.O.T.O.; 6th Man Warriors; CJ Hawks; New York Gauchos; New Heights; Team Penny; Enplay Elite; Derby State Racers; Murphy AC; and the Southern Kings. Moreover, because All-Ohio Red and All-Ohio Purple have now combined, All-Ohio Red is widely considered the top team in the country.


Jordan Mitchell-#1 Ranked 6th Grader in the Country

In addition to the many elite teams that have committed to the NYBL, at least 38 nationally ranked players will be lacing em up when the league tips off in mid-March. Below is a list of the nationally ranked players in the league: Jordan Mitchell (All-Ohio Red); Kobe Langley (Carolina Preps); Wendell Moore (Carolina Preps); Antavion Collums (Memphis War Eagles); Myles Pierce (Metrolina Havoc); Jerome Francis II (All-Ohio Red); Chandler Lawson (Team Penny); Tyler Brelsford (ETU Select); Chris Hinton (Southern Stampede); Jalmir Young (ETU Select); Khalif Battle (CJ Hawks); Joseph Cooper (Memphis War Eagles); Anthony “AJ” Hoggard (Team Izod/Sports U); Chris’Sean Stringer (All-Ohio Red); Tyrese Jenkins (ETU Select); Kenneth Womack (Maryland’s Finest); Jalen Gaffney (Team Izod/Sports U); Keyshawn Langley (Carolina Preps); Juwan Gary (SC Hornets); Kyle Sturtevant (Southern Stampede); Decorie Jefferies (Memphis War Eagles); Jordan McCay (Team Izod/Sports U); Naseem Khaalid (SC Hornets); Travon Ford (Southern Stampede); Chris Payne (All-Ohio Red); Justice Ellison (Team Takeover); Michael Green (Carolina Preps); Jay Heath (Team Takeover); Terrance Williams (ETU Select); Airion Simmons (Arkansas Soldierz); Kerry Martin (WV Xplosion); Charise Hunter (Reach Higher Kings); Jaidon Lipscomb (All-Ohio Red); Bryan Antoine (CJ Hawks); Charles Creek (Maryland’s Finest); Thomas Bruner-Boyebi (SC Hornets); Kevin Cross (Arkansas Soldierz); and Deonte Hamilett (WV Xplosion).

Over the course of the next several months, the Buckeye Prep Report will be covering the teams and players participating in league. For the record, 2 of Ohio’s top 6th grade teams are in the league, including DeMarko Bradley’s All-Ohio Red team and Kevin Jackson’s Murphy AC squad. Also, of the 38 nationally ranked players in the league, the Buckeye State has five representatives. Look for future features and profiles as this exciting new event tips off in a couple of months.