.......................here's an update on the Cincinnati Heat team which has four NKY girls playing for them. Those players are Heather Sandlin and Joselyn Davis of Boone County, Courtney Sandfoss of NCC, and Sydney Moss (TBA). Sandfoss, who has been mentioned prominently in another thread, is just beginning to round back into shape after a series of tough injuries.

 

The Heat, playing in the 17U Signature Division of the Michael T. White "Showtime National Championships" in Atlanta, made the Final Four before dropping a close decision to eventual champion Texas Fire Black, I believe from the DFW area, and then absorbing a 12 point defeat (in a game much closer than the final score) to a huge (tall and big!) group from Kansas City.

 

The Heat, playing in the 17U grouping even though they are actually a 16U team, acquitted themselves well in winning three straight to make the Final Four. Their quarterfinal win was a thriller against a Memphis Elite group that included the players that won the 15U title in last year's AAU National Championship tournament, and in May was ranked the second best 17U AAU team in the South. After leading most of the contest, the Heat saw Memphis tie the game with about 5 minutes remaining and the dogfight was on. Leading by one, Memphis tried to stall the game out but threw the ball away with 7 seconds left against intense Heat defensive pressure. After a time out the play was set up for the forward opposite Moss to get the final shot. She put the shot up and it rimmed out, but Moss rebounded over bigger players and put the shot back in (while twisted at an awkward angle to get the shot up) at the buzzer for a 54-53 win. That Memphis team didn't lose another game and finished 5th in the tourney.

 

The final two teams the Heat played were loaded with talent. The KC team had the number three ranked senior in the upcoming high school class (2010) and another Top 100 player (per ESPN). I'm not sure how they lost in the semis but strange things can happen in the game of basketball, especially true for girls basketball! The Texas team that won the championship featured lots of size to go with quickness at guard. Both these teams had several girls each in the 6-2, 6-3 range. That's a tough battle for any team like the Heat with one girl at 6-2 and the next biggest at about 6-0. But they compensate with very tough defense and good team play.

 

The Heat will next play in the Summer Derby Classic, another MTWhite event, in Louisville later this month. IMO the girls playing for this particular AAU team will benefit greatly from the coaching they are getting and the competition they're seeing this summer.

I heard from a very good source that your assessment of the tourney, and the Heat, is dead-on. Also heard the KY girl's played very well and one in particular was awesome...Congrat's!

 

In the past there were 400+ college coaches at this tourney...any idea how many were there this year?

I heard from a very good source that your assessment of the tourney, and the Heat, is dead-on. Also heard the KY girl's played very well and one in particular was awesome...Congrat's!

 

In the past there were 400+ college coaches at this tourney...any idea how many were there this year?

 

I wasn't actually there so I don't know how many were there but I'm betting it was like all the other MTW events I've been to (as have you). Probably a typical amount.

 

I got very good, routine updates from Aunty Ang who played a bit of B-Ball in her day and knows what's going on. I'm persona non gratis now so I stayed away. Maybe someday I'll catch another game.

The Heat, playing in the 17U grouping even though they are actually a 16U team, acquitted themselves well in winning three straight to make the Final Four. Their quarterfinal win was a thriller against a Memphis Elite group that included the players that won the 15U title in last year's AAU National Championship tournament, and in May was ranked the second best 17U AAU team in the South.

 

 

Found out this info was only partially correct. The Memphis Elite team did win last year's 15U title but they were also just coming off winning the 2009 16U National AAU Championship. That makes this Heat win even more impressive. Also found out Moss totaled 19 in that 54-53 win.