Why is summer basketball in KY dead? AAU nationals begin next week. The 7th grade divsion kicks things off in Memphis. I only see two teams, Tarheels and KY Elite playing in D1 or D2 from KY. Is KY becoming or has it already became a football state? Are we playing less basketball or just less AAU? I know I am fan AAU and the competition it brings to the table. I know a lot of people get caught up on the age excemption thing. But if you play varsity at a young age. You are going to play against older people anyway. So that should not be a reason not to play. Why are we not sending more teams for KY to the big national tournaments?

I tend to believe that AAU in NKY is down at the 15U and 16U levels because of the number of teams- not the talent level. In certain areas (Louisville?), the better players play for the Ville and compete nationally. In NKY, the better players are split among several different teams that cannot compete with the 'big boys'. The majority of the NKY AAU teams couldn't compete at state, let alone nationally. I'm not even sure that a NKY all star team at 15U could compete with the Ville, although the Tarheels could during the 'early' years of AAU.

 

I'm hearing more kids concentrating on basketball and leaving football.

In 14U I know that Madison Co. and River City will be attending nationals and I assume that KYElite and TheVille will be there also. I'm not sure of any others in that age group planning on attending. Orlando is a blast but the expense and travel is an obstacle no doubt. Makes Memphis last year look like a piece of cake.:lol:

In the younger ages (9U-12U), I think the economy has really been a factor. Unless Nationals is in your backyard, only the very best teams are participating. For the older groups, most everyone has been playing with their varsity teams this month so things are quiet.

 

You will see both KY Elite teams making noise at Nationals in the very near future. The 14U team will also be participating in the Adidas It Takes 5 Classic at UC in July.

Why is summer basketball in KY dead? AAU nationals begin next week. The 7th grade divsion kicks things off in Memphis. I only see two teams, Tarheels and KY Elite playing in D1 or D2 from KY. Is KY becoming or has it already became a football state? Are we playing less basketball or just less AAU? I know I am fan AAU and the competition it brings to the table. I know a lot of people get caught up on the age excemption thing. But if you play varsity at a young age. You are going to play against older people anyway. So that should not be a reason not to play. Why are we not sending more teams for KY to the big national tournaments?

 

In the Western end the HS teams have been playing since June 1st at various camps.

In the Western end the HS teams have been playing since June 1st at various camps.

 

Same here in Northern Ky and High school comes 1st before AAU. Maybe that answers your question.

Edited June 23, 200917 yr by gcbballdad
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Why is summer basketball in KY dead? AAU nationals begin next week. The 7th grade divsion kicks things off in Memphis. I only see two teams, Tarheels and KY Elite playing in D1 or D2 from KY. Is KY becoming or has it already became a football state? Are we playing less basketball or just less AAU? I know I am fan AAU and the competition it brings to the table. I know a lot of people get caught up on the age excemption thing. But if you play varsity at a young age. You are going to play against older people anyway. So that should not be a reason not to play. Why are we not sending more teams for KY to the big national tournaments?

In Kentucky, high school coaches still exercise plenty of control over summer basketball. AAU programs don't have quite the same pull.

 

Frankly, I prefer it that way ...

Same here in Northern Ky and High school comes 1st before AAU. Maybe that answers your question.

 

Yes HS comes first but a lot go back to playing AAU in July.

In Kentucky, high school coaches still exercise plenty of control over summer basketball. AAU programs don't have quite the same pull.

 

Frankly, I prefer it that way ...

 

 

Something we agree on.

 

AAU is a joke, play with your high school teams.

Yes HS comes first but a lot go back to playing AAU in July.

 

O.K lets take out the HS level and only talk about 6th, 7th and 8th grade. What are these kids doing? Other than the Elite and Tarheels no other 7th grade team is going to nationals. I know we can say the enconomy all we want to. But I believe it was the same the last few years when the enconomy wasn't in the tank. You just dont see many teams for KY compete at the higher level at the early age. If they are waiting to compete at the AAU level when they are older. Is it hurting them? Just look at the KY/Indy all star game the last 10 years or so. Indy kills us year after year. Look how many teams (young teams) they send to nationals. They are sending seven teams to the 7th grade nationals, KY two. Could getting this kind of exposure at the younger age be helping them?

Something we agree on.

 

AAU is a joke, play with your high school teams.

 

While I agree that it is important to play with your high school team I feel like this comment is very skewed. If you look at the top players in every region, every state, and even nationaly, the majority of the best play AAU. I am not saying that you cannot be successfull at basketball if you do not play AAU, but playing AAU in the summer will definately improve a players game and increase their potential to be a college level athlete. No where in any of the school programs will you ever find the talent level of some of the AAU teams that you will see in the summer. Sure, some of the age determining rules are a little shady and tend to cause doubt of it's credibility at the younger ages, but once you reach high school age it is all for one at that point. There are summer tournaments that may have as many as 300 college coaches watching particular games. You can never match that playing with your school team.

While I agree that it is important to play with your high school team I feel like this comment is very skewed. If you look at the top players in every region, every state, and even nationaly, the majority of the best play AAU. I am not saying that you cannot be successfull at basketball if you do not play AAU, but playing AAU in the summer will definately improve a players game and increase their potential to be a college level athlete. No where in any of the school programs will you ever find the talent level of some of the AAU teams that you will see in the summer. Sure, some of the age determining rules are a little shady and tend to cause doubt of it's credibility at the younger ages, but once you reach high school age it is all for one at that point. There are summer tournaments that may have as many as 300 college coaches watching particular games. You can never match that playing with your school team.

 

Oh I agree with you. Anyone who thinks AAU is a joke really doesn't know a lot about AAU. The experience you can get from playing at a high level is unbelieveable. I believe the people that say "It's a joke" probably had a bad experience with a coach or an organization. AAU offers kids the an oppourtunity that playing for your school team in the summer can never give you. You will not see many school teams with 4 and 5 D1 players on them. You will playing AAU.

Kids are so involved. At a young age it is difficult to commit your summer to one sport if you play baseball and football as well. If you know you want to do nothing but play basketball...AAU is perfect.

Good luck to the Tarheels and KY Elite at the U13 Nationals. I look for the Elite to be in the hunt for the championship.

 

I do have one question. How did the Tarheels get a national bid? They didn't compete at state and from my understanding of AAU, you have to compete in your "district" (Kentucky is one district) championship. Anyone???

Good luck to the Tarheels and KY Elite at the U13 Nationals. I look for the Elite to be in the hunt for the championship.

 

I do have one question. How did the Tarheels get a national bid? They didn't compete at state and from my understanding of AAU, you have to compete in your "district" (Kentucky is one district) championship. Anyone???

 

 

James called AAU and explained the break up between them and the team they joined with. I forget their name. They participated in the state with them, then broke up. AAU gave them an at large bid.