Since the thread on the Northern Kentucky Fast Break brought back so many pleasant memories, I thought I would give you an update on the old Eastern Kentucky Thunder team, who was the only team I know of that played in 3 different state championships, finishing high in most of them, winning the STate in West Va as 9th graders and finishing in the sweet 16 at the Nationals at Kingsport that year, They were always undersized but still found a way to win most of their games, there other big nemesis was the Central Kentucky Warriors, would be nice to get a final accounting for those boys.

Final Roster for Eastern Kentucky Thunder

 

Cam Thouraghman (wvu)

Dennis Gagai (wvu)

Blake Mccowan (transylvania)

PJ Rase (ohio dominican)

Brigham Wagginger (Western Carolina-state champions div 4 ohio this year)

Nick Aldrich (see above)

Nick Carrington (tba)

Jonathan Van Hoose (class of 2007/tba)

Alex Barker (class of 2007/tba)

Austin Blair (class of 2007/tba)

 

 

This was a great bunch of kids to be associated with 5 of them were selected for the Ky/Ohio all star game. Look for a lot of success from these kids at the college level:thumb: Played against some really big names over the year, like OJ Mayo, Bill Walker, Daquane Cook, Greg Oden, Mike Conley

and too many more to mention. Were always competitive and never backed down from anyone. Had one naia school approach them about taking the whole team as their recruiting class, but most of them ended up at higher level, they were my "favorite" kind of kids---OVERACHIEVERS!

Anyone else have any aau memories to share from this class?

As a point of reference, the last couple of thunder alumni that did well in College are Mark Surgalski, Georgetown (and uk fan favorite:D ) and Arliss Beach

(uk football/Green Bay Packers)

 

ahhh, the memories

Never really thought a thread would start over an AAU team. AAU basketball championships mean what? You bring a group of all-stars together for what? One thing COLLEGE EXPOSURE.

Shooterx3 please list team stats, individual stats, and team record.

It means so much.

Could you please list the great coach of this team too?

I am more an advocate of playing with kids from the SCHOOL you attend but that is hard is you jump from school to school like the majority of the kids on that list.

Name could be the basketball nomads. It really takes away from the mentality many county schools have of playing for your school. Not chasing championships or personal glory.

your right, just a great bunch of kids trying to play against the best competition that they can find and tougher competition than they can find with their local school schedule. I would say if you asked these kids, they would tell you they had a great expererience, made some good friends, and

aau was a major factor in getting them a paid college education. Total different experience than playing for your school in front of sometimes thousands of fans, and everyone cheering for you, aau is more about you and your teammates and no one else really cares , totally different experiences but each valuable and having a place.