Session #1 Random Thoughts & Observations

Although I was only able to attend the final day of session one in Maryland, I was impressed with a number of things I saw.  First of all, as expected, the competition was fierce. In fact, a few of the games I watched reminded me of the final day of an AAU Nationals; where the top 3-4 teams  battle it out for a championship or to simply medal. The buzz in the gym you get when elite teams face off is what makes events special, and it’s in those games where you can see players getting better right before your eyes.

From what I witnessed the short time I was in DC, players, coaches and parents alike were all excited about being part of the NYBL! There is nothing like being surrounded by the top talent in the country and watching competition in its purest form. Although updated team rankings will be released by the end of the week, it’s clear that the top 10 teams may include Ohio Select, Carolina Preps, Deron Williams Elite, Arizona Monsoon, Metrolina Havoc, SC Hornets, Southern Stampede, 6^th Man Warriors and ETU Select.

SC Hornets Finished 4-1

In terms of the regional break downs, the big question is this; is the South really that strong, or is the North just weak. I think the question may be answered during session # 2 in North Augusta, GA when the South will hook up with the East teams and the North will try their hand at the West teams. I would have to think that the North teams realize they will have to bring it in May to gain back some of the respect they lost last weekend.

Although all of the teams in the NYBL are talented, and had somewhat of a reputation heading in to DC, I think most people were surprised at how tough Deron Williams Elite played. Clearly, they have upgraded their roster from since year, and may now be one of the top 3-4 teams in the country. Another surprise was the play of Arizona Monsoon.  They may not scare anybody getting off the bus, but when the ball is tipped up you know you have a game on your hands! Very skilled and team-oriented is how I would describe Monsoon’s play.

Carolina Chaos-Big Surprise in Maryland

Maybe the biggest surprise of the weekend was to 5-0 finish of the Carolina Chaos. I hadn't heard a lot of buzz about this team going into prior to Maryland, but their play over the weekend has people talking! Also, I have to give a shootout to the 6^th Man Warriors who logged in a very solid 4-1 resume in DC.  Although they have good all around talent, their bigs was the difference. Everybody expected teams like Ohio Select, Carolina Preps, SC Hornets, Southern Stampede and Metrolina Havoc to handle their business, but it was nice to see some new names emerge.

I’m already hearing from coaches about joining the league next year. Although some coaches decided to take a “wait and see” approach to joining the league this year, and in fact, many of them had doubts that we could pull it off [the league], they now know the potential of the NYBL and regret being on the sidelines! We are already hearing from coaches from the west coast about next year, and we plan to add a 4^th session further west to pick up more of those teams.

Terrance Williams-ETU Select

I had a chance to look through some of the score books and noticed a few players who had big games over the weekend. Levar Allen Jr. from 6^th man Warriors dropped 30 points against the Arkansas Soldierz, and then hit Enplay Elite for another 22. Rumor has it that he may have had a second 30 point game over the weekend. The Hornets’ Thomas Brunner went for 25 points against the Metro Flyers, and he followed that up later with 17 against the Gauchos. Terrance Williams from ETU Select had a big game against Future Phenoms to the tune of 24 points. Gerard Reynolds from Ohio Select gave Deron Williams Elite 23 points from the post, and before that he went for 18 markers. Metrolina Havoc’s Myles Pierre busted Team Izod for 20 points in a win. The Hornets’ Naseem Khalid had 20 points against Team Rio Elite. New Height’s Ed Sanchez scored 19 points against Carolina Preps followed by 17 versus Southern Stampede.  Look for the All-Session Teams to highlight a more complete list of the standout performers for the weekend.

West Coast Elite Article