Bryan, TX-

                The first ever AlamoCityHoops (ACH) and AlamoCityHoops Girls Basketball (ACHGBB) Pre-Live Tune Up was held at the eight court Legends Event Center last weekend, in the shadows of Texas A&M University.

Forty total teams ascended into the Brazos Valley for a competitive three game showcase acting as the ideal “Tune-Up” heading towards the NCAA July Live periods. Five boys programs went undefeated, while four girls teams also went unscathed.

Here’s our breakdown on those teams that stayed perfect on the weekend.

(BOYS)

Team Buckets 17U, 3-0
The 1-2 Harker Heights guard combo of Julian Ruiz and Elijah Gibson were the main reason Team Buckets didn’t register a loss. Ruiz averaged 15ppg for the weekend and was the teams leading scorer in each win. He and Gibson complimented each other and two of their three wins were nail-biters to the end, as they found a way to hold off both The Cowboys and Bad Boys.

ATX Lockdown 17U, 3-0
Their depth was on full display, as Lockdown registered two 30 plus point blowout wins, and battled in a single digit victory over OFG Elite. A different player led the charge in each of their W’s. Finley Sims (Georgetown HS) had 18 points in topping TMA, Luke Carpenter (Westwood HS), put in 20 over OFG, and Tate Tapken (Lake Travis HS) went off for 26 points in their route of Team Takeoff. Noah Childers (Belton HS) would also hit for double digits in 2 of their 3 victories, and Lockdown just had too much across the board to suffer any setback. Coach Derek Dion has his 17U group in sync heading to the first July Live period.

Drive Nation CTX 16U, 3-0
Another Central Texas based program made the ninety minute trip to Bryan, and represented by going unblemished. The 16U team of Drive Nation CTX didn’t have a win any closer than 19 points. Although a few of their contests started competitively, the calling card became their ability to pull away in the 2nd half. A four headed guard attack of Zhion Jones (Chapparal HS), Jamari Jean (Chapparal HS), Tarueon Graham-Stone (Ellison HS), and Rico Harris (Ellison HS), were the offensive output with the majority of their scoring from attacking down hill, getting into the lane and finishing, and knowing when to use their pull up games.

NBTX 15U, 3-0
One of the surprises last weekend was the play of the NBTX team. For the first time our staff put eyes on them and they left an impression. This group of players consists of all New Braunfels kids, either from New Braunfels HS or NB Canyon HS. They went through their competition, they didn’t have a victory closer than 15 points. 6’3” guard Jaxon Price (NB Canyon HS/2028) jumped onto our radars with his efficiency in scoring and had a game high 25 points when they dispatched Waco Proskills. He averaged 18ppg on the weekend.

BYB Elite 15U, 4-0
There were a handful of teams who logged four games and BYB Elite was one of them. They registered two close wins and two blowouts. With every player on the team being from Brenham HS, the Cubs made plenty of noise on the court and left their opponents quiet afterwards. They continued the theme of strong guard play for the event, and were led by Princeton Hall, Markel Lewis, and Rylan Lewis. Hall would go for 25 points in their win over Proskills Waco, and Markel Lewis would go a bucket higher, dropping 27 points as they put away the Cowboys.

(GIRLS)

Austin Elite 16U E40, 3-0
The competition was no match for AE this past weekend. As they dispatched all opponents by no less than a 28 point margin of victory. Coach Gregg’s team is firing on all cylinders heading later into July and their roster is easily 10 deep. 5’8” Kyndall Johnson (LASA) led AE twice in the scoring column, while teammates Iamn Xu (Westwood HS) and Aniya Toney (Connally HS) also helped balance the scoring load going for double figures in off-setting games. Keep your eyes on this club as the “Live” periods start next week.

CW Hoops 16U, 3-0
Similar to AE, CW Hoops showed up and showed out. A club that hails with it’s talent from Southeast Texas, they left no doubt that they could hoop. Destiny Williams (Westbrook HS) was a force in the interior, while Hadlie Jackson (Vidor HS) and Mikayla Locke (Orangefield HS) did their damage from the perimeter. It did not take long to see the talent, chemistry and familiarity with one another as CW Hoops logged wins of 23, 37, and 33 points respectively.

SA DC Queens 15U, 3-0
It was a common theme for those teams that went undefeated. Talent, depth, and chemistry. The SA DC Queens fit the mold perfectly. Elle Sackman would go for a game high 18 points in their win over Bryan HS’s freshmen team, and also have a team high 10 points in beating Waco United. Michelle Nwankwo (Clark HS) would show off her range sinking 7 treys on the weekend, and Amalia Kay (San Antonio Veterans Memorial HS) also would show her accuracy from the perimeter. Together the trio helped pace the Lady Queens to an impressive undefeated weekend.

Austin Elite 15U, 3-0
Two AE programs wen unscathed at the Pre-Live Tune Up. The youngest, being the 15U team, also brought all the smoke. They young ladies showed both sides, winning in easy fashion and pulling out a close one. Two of their wins were by 20 plus points, and then had no issue in toughening up and grinding out a nine point victory over Lady Thunder UA Rise. Lucia Durham (Round Rock HS) led the way with 13 points, and in their other games, Darryn Sorrells (McCallum HS), Marley Herring (Homeschool), and Yasmin Luz (Round Rock HS) all helped with the balanced scoring attack.