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Brandon Knight & Team Breakdown are No.1! | August 13, 2008
2008 Summer Club Teams Final Top Twenty Rankings…
By Van Coleman van@hoopmasters.com
The second half of July saw one team emerge and finish above the rest, as Team Breakdown won two majors to become the "Team of the Summer"...
August 12, 2008- We've hit the end of the July evaluation period and seen a number of tournament champions crowned over the past couple weeks, so we its time to finalize our summer club rankings, and we have another new number one squad…
And the team of the summer, national number one ranking goes to South Florida's Team Breakdown that came away with late July championships at both the Reebok Summer Championships and the 17-Under AAU's National Championship. They lost two games over the two week period to DC Triple Threat and Houston Hoops (without Kenny Boynton), but bounced back in both cases to wing two of the top five tournament titles in the second evaluation period. Without a doubt they end the summer as our choice as the summer's top summer club squad.
Team Breakdown survived two of the deepest tournaments of the summer to claim our title of the summer's best. They tool a loss early in Las Vegas and missed the finals of the Crete or Finish tournament, but came back to win the Summer Championship. It was a deep field they overcame in Vegas that set them up to make their final run of the summer in Florida.
In Orlando, they started the week without Kenny Boynton as he went down with an ankle injury in pool play, He missed the first three days before returning in the tournament rounds. But, that led to the emergence of 6-8 Keith Clanton on the inside that seemed to give them a real balance to their game they needed win the AAU Crown. Although the trio of Clanton, Boynton and Brandon Knight came up big in the final scoring 19, 18, and 18 respectively; it may have been the big games that 6-2 Pe'Shon Howard & 5-7 Ray Taylor in the quarters & semi's that made it possible for Team Breakdown to win their second major title in just two weeks.
Overall, it was definitely a team effort, one that yielded Team Breakdown our title as “Best of the Summer!”
But, before we look at our final Summer Club Top Twenty teams, let's look at the champions of the major tournaments that were held during the second half of the July evaluation period:
Second Half of July Tournament Results
Nike Main Event – California Supreme 79 - Houston Hoops 70 (Semi-finalists: Mac Irvin Fire / Drew Gordon Soldiers)
Adidas Super 64 – Grassroots Canada 88 – Compton Magic 79 2OT (Semi-finalists: Atlanta Celtics / Pump N' Run Elite)
Reebok Summer Championships – Team Breakdown 81 – D-One Sports 64 (Semi-finalists: DC Triple Threat / Houston Elite)
17-Under AAU National Championship – Team Breakdown 77 – New York Gauchos 60 (Semi-finalists: SYF Players / BABC)
Fullcourt Press End of Trail – California Supreme 82 – San Diego Magic 63 (Semi-finalists: Team Odom / The Hood)
AAU Super Showcase – Athlete's First 67 – Illinois Warriors 62 (Semi-finalists: New York Gauchos / Spiece Mo-Kan Players)
Desert Duel – Mac Irvin Fire 67 – Illinois Wolves 66 2OT (Semi-finalists: Beach Ball Select / Arizona Premier)
Double Pump Best of Summer – DC Assault 71 – I-5 Elite 69 (Semi-finalists: New York Panthers / Las Vegas Prospects)
Reebok Create or Finish Classic – D-One Sports 86 – DC Triple Threat 81 OT (Semi-Finalist: Team Breakdown / Franchize All-Stars)
Price Chopper – Illinois Warriors Champion – Spiece Mo-Kan Runner-Up (Semi-Finalists: St. Louis Eagles / All-Iowa Attack)
Las Vegas Summer Classic – Athlete's First 88 – Arizona Rush 54 (Semi-Finalists:
Some of the summer club's who struggled in the earlier parts of July bounced back over the last two weeks of July. Teams like Athlete's First, Mac Irvin Fire, Illinois Warriors, and the California Supreme won tournament titles to finish among our top Baker's dozen nationally. Three teams, Team Breakdown, California Supreme, and Athlete's First won two titles, but only Breakdown won what would be considered a major title summer-double with one of the Vegas majors in the Reebok Summer Championships and the AAU's top event the 17-Under National Championships. That's why they are our No.1!
So with that in mind, here's our End of Summer look at the top twenty traveling teams in our final Summer Club Team Rankings…
Summer's Top Twenty Summer Club Teams
1. Team Breakdown (Fla.) - Former Rank (2) Tournament Highlights: Champion 17-Under AAU National Championship / Champion Reebok Summer Championship / Champion Breakdown Hoop Festival / Runner-Up GBOA South Invitational / Champions Real Deal on the Hill / Runner-up Gibbons Tournament of Champions Players to Watch: Kenny Boynton 6-2 SG / Brandon Knight 6-2 (2010) PG / Keith Clanton 6-8 PF / Pe'Shon Howard / Guillaume Sabour Pina 6-8 PF / Ray Taylor 5-7 PG
Summer Overview: The Breakdown squad has met just about every challenge this summer including championship wins in Las Vegas & Orlando that says they are summer's best!
2. Grassroots Basketball (Canada) – Former Rank (BR) Tournament Highlights: Champion Adidas Super 64 / Champion Pittsburgh Jam Fest Open Division – Players to Watch: Tristan Thompson 6-8 (2010) WF / Kadeem Coleby 6-8 PF / Junior Cadougan 6-1 PG / Jason Calliste 6-2 SG / Myck Kabongo 6-0 (2011) / Renaldo Dixon 6-8 PF
Summer Overview: We were disappointed that they left after advancing to second round of Double Pump End of Summer Classic due to earthquake in Los Angeles area, but we felt win in Las Vegas deserved major recognition.
3. Compton Magic (Calif.) - Former Rank (6) Tournament Highlights: Runner-Up Adidas Super 64 / Undefeated at FCP Showcase / Champion Las Vegas Showcase / Runner-up Arizona Cactus Classic Players to Watch: Joe Burton 6-8 C / Roberto Nelson 6-4 SG / Terran Carter 6-6 CF / Xavier Thames 6-4 PG / Justin Hawkins 6-3 CG Summer Overview: The Magic are the top team on the West Coast edging Cal Supreme, Pump N' Run Elite, and the two Northwestern squads The Panthers and Rotary Select as “Best in the West”. They would have had a real valid argument for number one spot in they could have closed the deal at the Super 64!
4. Atlanta Celtics (Ga.) - Former Rank (10) Tournament Highlights: Final Four Adidas Super 64 / Champion GBOA South Invitational / Runner-Up Gold Division Adidas It Takes 5ive Classic / Champion Gibbons Tournament of Champions / Final Four Real Deal on the Hill Players to Watch: Derrick Favors 6-9 WF / Terrance Shannon 6-7 WF / Noel Johnson 6-7 WF / Manny Atkins 6-6 SG / Andre Malone 6-4 SG / Trae Golden 6-2 (2010) PG.
Summer Overview: The Celtics were the only team to beat Breakdown in a final, and did it twice once in May & again in June. But they couldn't close the deal in Las Vegas that could have made them number one here.
5. Athlete's First (Okla.) - Former Rank (15) Tournament Highlights: Champion AAU Super Showcase / Champion Las Vegas Summer Classic / Champion Nike Memorial Day Classic / Runner-Up Boo Williams Invitational Players to Watch: Xavier Henry 6-6 SG / Daniel Orton 6-10 C / Terrance Boyd 6-5 WF / Kyle Hardrick 6-9 PF / Nick Johnson 6-1 CG
Summer Overview: Former No.1 stumbled at Peach Jam missing Elite Eight by two points, but bounced back to win Super Showcase and Summer Classic. Would have loved to have had them in Vegas, but Showcase avenged most of Peach Jam struggles.
6. California Supreme (Calif.) – Former Rank (11) Tournament Highlights: Champion Nike Main Event / Champion FCP End of the Trail / Final Four Nike Peach Jam Players to Watch: Jeremy Tyler 6-10 (2010) PF / Gary Franklin 6-2 PG / Justin Cobbs 6-1 CG / Jamaal Franklin 6-5 WF / Solomon Hill 6-6 WF / Chris Cunningham 6-8 PF
Summer Overview: The Supreme finally had everyone available at the end of summer finishing the first half of July with a final four at the Peach Jam, then closed the month with two solid tournament wins at the Nike Main Event and FPC End of the Trail Classic.
7. D-One Sports (N.C.) – Former Rank (BR) Tournament Highlights: Runner-Up Reebok Summer Championship / Champion Create or Finish Classic / Elite Eight Gibbons TOC Players to Watch: John Wall 6-5 PG / Ryan Kelly 6-9 PF / J.T. Terrell 6-6 WF / Quddus Bello 6-3 SG / Ryan Norris 6-3 SG
Summer Overview: John Wall and Ryan Kelly formed one of top inside-out duos of the summer to lead D-One to runner-up spot at Reebok Summer Championships and title in Create of Finish Classic in Vegas. Missed final four at Gibbons TOC, that cost them some early respect they earned over the second half of summer.
8. New York Gauchos (N.Y.) – Former Rank (HHM) Tournament Highlights: Runner-Up 17-Under AAU National Championship / Final Four AAU Showcase / Champion Rumble in the Bronx / Runner-Up Nike Memorial Day Classic / Final Four Real Deal on the Hill Players to Watch: Durand Scott 6-4 CG / Doron Lamb 6-4 (2010) SG / Tevin Baskin 6-7 CF / Dan Jennings 6-8 PF / Sandro Carrissimo 6-2 CG
Summer Overview: The Gauchos just seem to find a way to get to the deepest part of tournaments led by their guard duo of Scott & Lamb. The emergence of Tevin Baskin was key to late run in Orlando, but unfortunately they just couldn't seem to get by the Breakdown losing to them in the semi's at Real Deal & Finals in Orlando.
9. BABC (Mass.) - Former Rank (3) Tournament Highlights: Final Four at 17-Under AAU National Championships / Runner-Up Nike Peach Jam / Champion King James Shootout / Final Four Boo Williams Invitational Players to Watch: Alex Oriakhi 6-8 PF / Jamaal Coombs-McDaniel 6-7 CF / Gerald Coleman 6-3 SG / Phil Pressey 5-9 (2010) PG
Summer Overview: They have finished in top four in every tournament we've seen them this summer including a win at the King James, but they just never could close out a major like Peach Jam (2nd) or 17-Under (4th) to stay among the elite teams of the summer.
10. Boo Williams (Virg.) - Former Rank (1) Tournament Highlights: Elite Eight (5th place) 17-Under AAU National Championships / Champion Nike Peach Jam / Champion Boo Williams Invitational / Final Four Nike Memorial Day Classic - Players to Watch: Steven Pledger 6-8 PF / Marshawn Powell 6-7 PF / DeShawn Painter 6-9 PF / Ricardo Ratliffe 6-7 PF / Tristan Spurlock 6-6 WF
Summer Overview: The BWSL squad has been more up and down than any other team this summer from the high of winning the Peach jam to losing in the Elite Eight 48-47 to BABC in the 17-Unders. It must have been a tough summer for Boo Williams as this squad had depth to challenge for Team of the Summer, but just didn't get it done in Orlando.
11. Houston Hoops (Tex.) - Former Rank (5) Tournament Highlights: Runner-Up Nike Main Event / Final Four Nike Peach Jam / Champion Arizona Cactus Classic / Final Four Nike Memorial Day Classic & Boo Williams Invitational Players to Watch: Tommy Mason-Griffin 6-o PG / Keith Gallon 6-9 C / Augustine Rubit 6-7 PF / Jamal Fenton 6-3 CG / Garland Green 6-2 SG
Summer Overview: They were in my top ten until they disappointed at the 17-Under AAU Championships, not making it to the Elite Eight. They came off win in made for TV game with Team Breakdown, minus Kenny Boynton, but still a formidable foe, then didn't make the run we expected at the AAU title, had they, we could have been looking at top three finish.
12. Illinois Warriors (Ill.) – Former Rank (13) Tournament Highlights: Champion Price Chopper / Runner-Up AAU Super Showcase / Elite Eight Nike Peach Jam / Champion Sabres Invitational / Runner-Up Real Deal on the Hill Players to Watch: Delino Deer 6-10 C / D.J. Richardson 6-4 SG / David Brown 6-4 SG / Darius Smith 6-2 CG / Kyle Cain 6-7 PF / Drew Crawford 6-5 WF
Summer Overview: Warriors have been a tough out all spring and summer long. They get it done the old fashioned way with hard work when they are at their best. They dropped key finals to Team Breakdown & Athlete's first in Arkansas & Orlando that kept then from cracking top ten. This group constitutes one of Larry Butler's best coaching jobs.
13. Mac Irvin Fire (Ill.) – Former Rank (17) Tournament Highlights: Champion Desert Duel Memorial Classis / Final Four Main Event / Champion Bill Hensley Memorial Run N' Slam Players to Watch: Mike Shaw 6-8 (2011) PF / Crandell Head 6-3 (2010) CG / Terry Johnson 6-0 CG / Tony Nixon 6-4 SG / Derrick Needham 6-0 CG / Wayne Blackshear 6-4 (2011) SG
Summer Overview: The Fire got the most out of its players all summer, and finished with a big win at the Desert Duel short three starters, but tapped into some young players to pull out the win. They folded in final two minutes in Semi at Main Event or they might have been in top ten here. Still the future is really bright with Shaw, Head, & Blackshear coming back next year.
14. SYF Players (Ind.) – Former Rank (HHM) Tournament Highlights: Final Four 17-Under AAU National Championship / Champion Best of Midwest Classic / Champion GBOA North / Elite Eight Spiece Bill Hensley Memorial Run N' Slam / Players to Watch: Scott Wood 6-6 WF / DeShawn Clay 6-3 SG / Jonathan Nwannunu 6-8 PF / Jacob Kitchell 6-8 (2010) PF / Hayden Humes 6-8 PF
Summer Overview: The Players really came on in July following late spring win Championship at Best of Midwest, than making run to final four in Orlando knocking off a couple ranked squads along the way before losing a close one to the New York Gauchos in the AAU Semi's, then ended their summer with a huge win over BABC in the third place game.
15. Pump N' Run Elite (Calif.) - Former Rank (12) Tournament Highlights: Final Four Adidas Super 64 / Champion Double Pump Three Stripes Classic / Champion Las Vegas Spring Classic Players to Watch: Tyler Honeycutt 6-8 PF / Reeves Nelson 6-7 CF / Vander Joaquim 6-10 C / Tyler Lamb 6-4 (2010) SG / Chase Tapley 6-2 PG / Kendall Williams 6-2 PG
Summer Overview: The Pump N' Run Elite had a number of roster changes from spring on and still were able to keep a high level of play that included a super pool play upset over the number four rated Atlanta Celtics. Had Reeves Nelson been healthy all summer who knows where they might have finished; but they are still among the “Best in the West”.
16. D.C. Assault (D.C.) - Former Rank (9) Tournament Highlights: Champion Double Pump Best of Summer / Runner-Up Adidas It Takes 5ive Classic / Final Four Breakdown Hoop Festival Players to Watch: Wally Judge 6-9 PF / Rodney McGruder 6-7 CF / Roscoe Davis 6-10 PF / Daryl Trayham 5-9 PG
Summer Overview: The Assault seem to really come together in July after a somewhat lack luster spring; but did stumble in round of sixteen at Super 64. Rebounded behind the play of Wally Judge, who re-emerged as one of the top power players in the rising senior class; to culminate their summer play with a championship at the Double Pump Best of Summer tournament.
17. D.C. Triple Threat (D.C.) – Former Rank (BR) Tournament Highlights: Final Four Reebok Summer Championships / Runner-Up Create or Finish Classic Players to Watch: Chris Braswell 6-9 PF / Maurice Creek 6-6 WF / Erick Greene 6-3 SG / Brendan Bald 6-5 WF / Michael Gbinije 6-6 (2011) SF / Lasan Kromah 6-4 SG
Summer Overview: They were among the top performers in the second half of July making deep runs at both the Reebok tournaments in Las Vegas including a win over Team Breakdown in Semi's of Create or Finish Classic. They feature a deep squad headed by high scoring trio of Braswell, Creek, and Greene.
18. Indiana Elite One (Ind.) - Former Rank (8) Tournament Highlights: Champion Kentucky Hoopfest / Elite Eight Adidas It Takes 5ive Classic / Champion Pittsburgh Jam Fest 17-Gold / Final Four Gibbons TOC Players to Watch: Mason Plumlee 6-10 PF / Stephen Van Treese 6-9 PF / Jordan Prosser 6-8 PF / Bobby Capobianco 6-8 PF / D.J. Byrd 6-4 SG / Ray McCallum 6-2 (2010) PG
Summer Overview: They struggled in the second half of the month of July making the sweet sixteen at the Adidas Super 64, but they didn't make the deep runs we expected based on the talent on this club, but they showed their potential with those kinds of runs in the spring. They played much of the summer with a number of different line-ups.
19. Ohio Force (Oh.) – Former Rank (4) Tournament Highlights: Champion Adidas It Takes 5ive Classic Players to Watch: Matt Kavanaugh 6-10 C / Bill Edwards 6-7 CF / Ryan Siggins 6-6 WF / Zach Brown 6-3 SG / Alan Roberts 6-1 PG
Summer Overview: They started July with one of the best runs by a team, as they made their way through adidas' best to win the crown at the It takes 5ive Classic. They slipped here because they didn't have same success in Orlando, but they were a tough out everywhere they played. One of best stories of July!
20. The Playaz (N.J.) – Former Rank (20) Tournament Highlights: Elite Eight Adidas Super 64 / Champions Joe Brown Memorial/ Final Four GBOA East Players to Watch: Dominic Cheek 6-6 WF / Brian Oliver 6-6 WF / Austin Johnson 6-8 PF / Dylan Bulger 6-10 C / Sherrod Wright 6-4 SG / Karon Abraham 5-10 PG
Summer Overview: Had solid run in July with title at Joe Brown Memorial and Elite Eight finish pushing No.4 Atlanta to the limit in quarter-final before dropping the game. One of east's best clubs
20. Worldwide Renegades- Orange – Former Rank (13) Tournament Highlights: Final Two Breakdown Hoop Festival (Had to forfeit final due to flights) / Elite Eight Reebok Summer Championship Players to Watch: Richard Howell 6-8 PF / Jeremy Olsen 6-10 C / Ari Stewart 6-7 CF / Mfon Udofia 6-3 PG
Summer Overview: Airplane flight snafu kept them from going head to head versus Team Breakdown in Florida. They were an explosive team that we felt just held on to this final spot in rankings by an eyelash.
High Honorable Mention – (In No Specific Order)
Team Texas Elite (Tex.) – Tournament Highlights: Elite Eight Nike Peach Jam / Elite Eight Desert Duel
Georgia Stars (Ga.) – Tournament Highlights: Elite Eight Nike Peach Jam
Juice All-Stars (N.Y.) – Tournament Highlights: Champion GBOA East / Champion Reebok Summer East Championship.
KC Pump N' Run (Mo.) – Tournament Highlights: Champion Next Level Ballers / Elite Eight Price Chopper
Howard Pulley (Minn.) – Former Rank (HHM) Tournament Highlights: Champion Kingwood Classic / Elite Eight AAU Super Showcase
Rising Stars JG Gold (Ill.) – Runner-Up Pittsburgh Jam Fest
I Can All-Stars (Calif.) - Tournament Highlights: Runner-Up Double Pump Three Stripes Classic
CP3 All-Stars- Tournament Highlights: Champion Hoop Group Southern Jam Fest
Shoreshots Select (N.J.) - Tournament Highlights: Champion Triple S Harley Davidson Jam Fest
Dallas Heroes (Tex.) - Champion Roundball Review High Profile Classic / Runner-Up Great American Shootout
Team Daniels - Tournament Highlights: Final Four-Forfeit Runner-Up Breakdown Hoop Festival
Northwest Panthers (Ore.) – Tournament Highlights: Elite Eight Reebok Summer Championships / Final Four Cactus Classic
Best of the Rest –
Spiece Mo-Kan Players (Mo) / Branch West (Calif) / Illinois Wolves (Ill) / Playground Elite (Wis.) / Franchize All-Starz (Tex.) / Las Vegas Prospects (Nev.) / Seattle Rotary Select (Wash.) /Team NLP (Ill) / New England Playaz (Mass.) / M33M Ballers (Tenn.) / Colorado Chaos (Colo.) / New York Panthers (N.Y.) / Team Odom (Calif.) / Spiece Indy Heat (Ind.) / Memphis YOMCA (Tenn.) / Belmont Shore (Calif.) / L.A. Dream Team (Calif.) / Dallas Mustangs (Tex.) / Texas Select (Tex.) / EBO EA Sports (Calif.) / Team Jones (Ore.) / Spiece Rising Stars / Arizona Magic (Ariz.) / Inland (Calif.) / Texas D-1 Ambassadors (Tex.) / Birmingham Storm (Ala.) / Blessed IJN (Ind.) / Carolina Celtics (N.C.) / REACH Legends (Mich.) / Martin Bros. Select / So Cal All-Stars / New Mexico Force / All-Iowa Attack / Spiece Gym Rats / Ohio Basketball Club / Wisconsin Playground Warriors / Meanstreets / St. Louis Eagles / King James Shooting Stars / Net Gains (Minn.) / Beach Ball Select (S.C.) / Arizona Premier / Arkansas Wings / Team Philly (Penn) / The Hood (Calif) / Gold Coast (Fla) / Philly Pride (Penn) / Drew Gordon Soldiers (Calif) / Alabama Challenge / Charlotte Royals (N.C.) / Southeast Elite (Ala) / MBA Black (Miss.) / Alabama Lasers / Upstate Basketball (N.Y.) / Arizona Stars-Jefferson
Editor's Note: If you feel we missed someone from our list of summer club teams; please email us at van@Hoopmasters.com. A number of teams were short players when we saw them this summer, so they could have been left off the above list. Let us know.
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