Let's review where we are ... This thread started as a discussion about a possible trend upward for girls basketball in northern kentucky based upon recent middle school success .. Condescending comments are then thrown around that the best players don't play in these middle school AAU events ... Okay, I ask who is it that is not playing, and the answer comes kentucky premier. Now, I've seen a number of Kentucky premier teams play, and they really don't compete YET in those age groups. I am, however, fully expecting that in the next 5 years Kentucky Premier will build a competitive exposure team, perhaps from the girls on the very teams I am talking about .... Many have already been approached by Kentucky premier... But none of that changes my original point... Even if the best players in the state leave their current aau teams and go to Kentucky Premier and that organization continues to have success, those girls are still staying at their current schools in northern kentucky ... My point was, and is, simply that it appears from recent middle school success, and the fact that 3 of the best teams in the state this past year, including the state champion, were from northern Kentucky, girls basketball in northern Kentucky is trending up ... Others interpreted it as an indictment of other organizations. It was not that. When others marginalized that middle school success with "the best players and teams don't play" and "Kentucky Premier will never play" in AAU, that wasn't me questioning the success of Kentucky Premier ... All I did was respond to those implications with a "what am I missing" ... And that is still where I am ... If the middle school success of northern Kentucky teams is not reflective of improved girls basketball in northern Kentucky, tell me what teams and players are missing because the don't play aau. That's all.

There are some really good young players on Northern Kentucky that for sure. A area we will soon be expanding into.

Are the past couple of years the first time teams from NKY have done well at state? Haven't there been NKY middle school age AAU teams finish top ten in D1 nationals before?

Kentucky Premier is the top exposure team in Kentucky and known nationwide to have top talent. They have young teams that play but the exposure teams are their primary focus. They work for scholarships for the kids and never reaally worry about self glory. If you can play Premier is where you want to be.

This thread cracks me up. They don't worry about glory but because the thread wasn't about them someone associated hijacks Henry's thread.

Actually if you go back and read all of the posts Henry was the first to mention Premier.

Actually, a question was posed asking "where are all the teams from lex/Lou and east/west ky." The post even said there was only 4 teams in the state aau for their age...and that they were all from NKY. For whatever reason, teams and players from other regions of the state seem to have quit playing in this event. That was my point. Someone else decided to throw in that premier was "not competitive" at this age level.

The biggest reason I have heard from my friends in the travel circuit is that AAU is strictly a money making organization. For the price they pay for membership fees and tournament entry fees they don't get as much exposure for their players as they can elsewhere. The elite teams like Premier gain nothing by putting their best groups in the state AAU tournament because no one is there to evaluate talent for college recruiting. The lower level teams that aren't looking to get big time exposure can play cheaper elsewhere.

just an fyi ky royals girls 5th grade just finished 7th at nationals and missed the final 4 by a one point loss to a very good texas team....key victories over four ranked teams.

 

as for the 6th grade team finished 5th at nationals with a key win over oklamoma bombers who were a back to back winners and have never loss to a team in their age group. plus have key wins over #2 fla future #3 wv thunder #4 Dayton lady hoopstars just to name a few . also beat three top fifteen teams by 30 plus.

just an fyi ky royals girls 5th grade just finished 7th at nationals and missed the final 4 by a one point loss to a very good texas team....key victories over four ranked teams.

 

as for the 6th grade team finished 5th at nationals with a key win over oklamoma bombers who were a back to back winners and have never loss to a team in their age group. plus have key wins over #2 fla future #3 wv thunder #4 Dayton lady hoopstars just to name a few . also beat three top fifteen teams by 30 plus.

 

Nice! Are these AAU nationals? And I assume they are playing D1? Where are the girls on these teams from?

D1 is correct ..and on the 5th grade side 8 out of 10 are local 1 from Ohio and 1 from Frankfort ...6th grade have 5 local girls and the other 5 are within an hour or two ... And ironically KY Premiere did NOT represent in either but I must say I saw a few ladies that played with premiere in the past so the question is why would these kids drive 2-3 hrs to practice and play with a less select program ?? When premiere is let's say the top program :-(

For the record aau state is a must for teams who plan on participating at aau nationals because eligibility states that you must play in your district tournament in order to qualify for nationals . So my guess is in these age groups they realize that nationals is not something they are ready for so why waste your time and money by participating in a state tournament . Cost is a factor when you can go play cheaper vs lesser compitition with the chance of winning !!!! Because I believe at this age confidence is a big factor in a lot of these girls returning and not losing them to other sports .... Jmo

Spelling not that important as there were no uniforms there to represent which is a telling sign that kids are finding better programs on an up swing ... How ever it's spelled there are others dogs in the yard now !!!!

How well did your 7th grade group or groups finish in cincinnati ?

Who beat the 6th grade Royals?