Vegas Recap!

Las Vegas – We finally wound up a long and grueling season and finished on a good note with all of the teams participating in the Ultimate Showcase Tournament in Las Vegas.

Our girls showed remarkable improvement from game to game and tournament to tournament. They met up with one of their California nemesis and finally put a stop to our losing streak.

Our 5^th grade boy’s team showed they could play with anyone in the country, by making it to the final four. The guys learned a couple of things which will help for all of their tomorrows. In fact if it hadn’t been an error by the official scorer’s table the guys would have ended up in the championship game against a Dallas team whom had defeated them earlier. April is already highlighted on the calendar, that’s when we travel to Dallas to play our new rivals.

Our 16 and under team showed they could compete with anyone as well. This team should be playing in the 15 year old division but we decided to play up which was the right decision. I emphasize this because we had guys from our 7^th grade team and freshmen competing up which will only help them. They just experienced the same thing our older guys went through last year so watch and wait, we’ll be back.

Finally our 17u team performed pretty well, we had a couple of new additions join us in the last month of the year and even for the final tournament which gave us more depth. Some of us got it and some didn’t, but overall we were better team. After going undefeated and making it to the championship game which was an accomplishment all by itself. Winning only one game last year and none the year before we showed we’re getting better. In the previous years we always played up so that’s where our 16u team will benefit from doing this as well.

So the championship game is here and we’re playing Michigan Select who we defeated earlier in the tourney. It seems that their guys are a little more motivated than we are to play, so the ball is tossed and the game is underway. The game goes back and forth until midway through the second half when Michigan makes a little push and gains some separation. It seemed as if we got a little selfless and the game got away from us at the end. In all that was a good loss for us, it showed us that you always have to stay and play together as one. We all would have loved to win it especially me, for selfish reason…my son Emery high school career is over and I wanted him to win his last game, but it wasn’t meant to be. So was it a good loss, yes… why? We’ll be better for it next year.

August has arrived and a few of our guys showed up for the Ryan Hollins camp which had some really good speakers and some coaches from all over. I believe everyone who attended was able to benefit from being there. Special thanks to Ryan for joining the Pressure family and giving the guys some needed insight to the game of basketball from the academic side as well as on the court training.

Finally break time has arrived for all, after some of the staff worked Ryan’s camp and then Justin’s camp the following week, we’re all looking for that down time which is now here. We look forward to seeing everyone September 18^th and 19^th for our first practice at our Culver City facility. We have some exciting plans that we will be implementing this upcoming season so stay tuned. Please continue to monitor the website for updates and changes.

I would like to thank all of you who are part of our Pressure Program and I look forward in seeing you all, take care and hope to see you soon.

Coach Brice