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Talent and tumult highlight AAU tournament. |
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INDIANAPOLIS -- Fans berating referees, young girls crying when their team loses, college coaches driving at breakneck speed between games, AAU coaches shopping players, rumors flying, and a buzz of a new hot player in the air. Welcome to the surreal world that is the AAU National championships. It is a world of $1.00 sodas, half-cooked hot dogs eaten on the run, of hundreds and hundreds of unpaid volunteers and some of the finest high school girl's basketball. It is less a tournament than a vehicle to showcase top talent in the quest for the ultimate prize -- a scholarship to a top DI school. This is the largest single-sport gathering in the 110-year history of the AAU. Over 700 college coaches, 2,200 athletes, and 182 teams will compete during 634 games held on 22 courts over 8 days in sites scattered around Indianapolis. There are three separate age groups here: 18-, 17- and 16- and younger. (Player's ages are determined as of Jan. 1, 1998.) The top two teams in each four-team pool advances to the bracket portion of the tournament. Tiebreakers are determined by combined point differential, with 13 points the maximum allowed for each game. Losers in pool play enter the Shootout consolation tournament referred to by the players as the "friendship games". Each team is ensured a minimum of five games. The bracket play is a double-elimination tournament. Opening day's featured matchup was between the Waterloo Wizards, lead by 6-4 Nina Smith and sharpshooting Ann O'Neil, and the Dayton Lady Hoopstars, led by Player of the Year Tamika Williams. Dayton played ferocious fullcourt pressure defense forcing Waterloo into numerous turnovers. Tomeka Brown, Dayton's point guard, had three steals in the first six minutes of the game. She was everywhere, knocking away passes and generally clogging the passing lanes. Dayton collapsed on Smith every time she was able to get the ball. Tamika Williams, 6-1, in another dazzling display of versatility, guarded Smith and held her to six points. It was no contest from the start and the Hoopstars glided to a 70-48 opening win. Here is a quick look at each of the three age classifications: 16 and Under The 76-team 16 and under field is loaded with talent. The Philly Belles, led by the dynamic backcourt duo of Nikki Kaczmarski and Michelle Matayasovsky, defeated the San Diego Future Stars 58-45 and crushed the New Hampshire Shooting Stars 103-58. The Dayton Lady Hoopstars, loaded with young talent, defeated the Carolina Pride 85-69 and Laurens AAA S.C. 87-76. The Hoopstars, under the direction of Nicki Motto, a 5-5 bundle of energy, dominated both games from beginning to end. Just like their 17 and under team, the Lady Hoopstars played fierce team defense and had an abundance of speed. Both of their opponents were unable to defend their primary weapons: Motto, DiDi Reynolds and Elisa Inman. 17 and Under The 62-team field in the 17's presented the most interesting matchups and best talent. Early favorites in the field included the South Kenner Angels led by point guard Shondra Johnson, the Alabama Lakers anchored by 6-4 Gwen Jackson and 6-1 Tasheika Morris, a well-balanced Southwest Texas Express team, the Dayton Lady Hoopstars, the California Academy led by Lindsey Davidson and Cathy Jones, and the Liberty Belles guided by Christ the King star Sue Bird. Alabama's Gwen Jackson dominated in the early games, showing a quick step to the basket on the offensive side and an uncanny ability to block shots on the defensive end of the floor. In their 114-94 over win over the San Antonio Hoopsters, Morris and Jackson combined for 53 points. As one coach told me "They didn't start to play until Pat walked in" -- Pat being Pat Summitt, coach of the Tennessee Volunteers. A slight buzz occurs every time Summitt, Geno Auriemma (UCONN) or another top coach enters a gym. The Waterloo Wizards bounced back from their opening day losses to crush the Vermont Spirit 102-62. Nina Smith, while totally out of sync in the first half, regained her form to score 24 for Waterloo. Ann O'Neil showed off her awesome array of skills, passing, rebounding and scoring 28 points in the lopsided win. O'Neil possesses phenomenal court vision to go along with her other talents. Other top performers included Sue Bird of the Liberty Belles, who scored 27 points in a win over the Houston Hotshots. The Colorado Hoopsters used their kiddy parade to eke out an 86-82 victory over the Georgia Swoosh. Rising sophomore Katy Flecky, a 6-1 post ,contributed 15 points while 6-1 freshman-to-be Ann Strother provided strong support at the wing. The Colorado team was without top scorer Jamie Carey. Carey, who verbally committed to Stanford last week, was unable to compete due to a prior commitment to the World Youth Games team. 18 and Under The 18 and under field consisted of 44 teams led by the South Monroe Magic, Tennessee Stars, Team Texas and the Oklahoma Flyers. The Magic were led by Cheryl Ford and Ta'Keisha Lewis. Ford, who was recently selected to the World Youth Games team, was the talk of the tournament. A newspaper story broke just before the tournament began, announcing that Ford was the daughter of the Utah Jazz's Karl Malone. A reunion with Malone was held just prior to the tournament. Lewis has caught the eye of even the tournament volunteers. An excited man told me that she "played better than most NBA posts". The Stars are led by Kara Jackson, a 5-7 guard from Bell County. Team Texas boasted a strong and balanced lineup that plays an aggressive uptempo game. The Flyers are led by Colorado recruit Angie Gorton and Terrisha Osborn. 7/1/98 |
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