Heating Up

Saturday action sets stage for super Sunday across the board

Saturday saw it's share of upsets, disappointments and excitement all across the board in Fort Wayne, Baltimore and Hampton. Here's the rundown of what went down across the country:

Bill Hensley Memorial Spiece Run-N-Slam - Ft. Wayne, Ind. 

• Five-Star 16U No. 2 Eric Gordon All-Stars got sent packing early after a round of 32 loss to Indiana Elite South, 70-67. The Dan Dakich-coached team was led by big man Mark Donnal's 17 points, while Dakich's son, Andrew, added 16. This was a revenge job, as EG 10 beat the Indy Elite team in the championship game of the Indyball.com Shootout early last month. Indiana Elite could not, however, keep the momentum going, as they fell in the next round to No. 9 MeanStreets, 80-64. MeanStreets wing Kendrick Nunn led the way with 18 in that one. 
• The big upset on the 17U side saw the host Spiece Indy Heat, No. 17 in the Five-Star Top 25, fall in the Sweet 16 to Indiana Elite 1, the less heralded of the Elite bunch. They advance to play No. 24 All-Iowa Attack in the quarters.
• The main 17U Indiana Elite team, which features five IU commits, won't face arch in-state rival Spiece anytime soon, but a matchup with No. 10 All-Ohio Red is a heck of a consolation prize. These two heavyweights duke it out in Sunday's quarters.
• The other 17U quarterfinal matchups are: All Ohio Purple vs. Michigan Mustangs and No. 21 Terry Porter Elite vs. Grand Rapids Storm.    
• Sunday's 16U matchups feature a bunch of ranked teams: No. 5 Mac Irvin Fire vs. Team CBIZ,Spiece Indy Heat vs. Iowa Barnstormers, All-Ohio Red vs. No. 20 All Ohio Varsity and No. 16 Wisconsin Playground Warriors vs. No. 9 MeanStreets.

Southern Jam Fest - Hampton, Va.

• The most exciting game of the day saw a pair of undersized guards go at it. Philly PG Montana Mayfield lead NJABC to a victory over a very tough Under Armour B'More Elite Team, dropping 31 points on pint-sized Youtube sensation Aquille Carr in the process. Carr, playing up with the 17Us this weekend, scored 21, but it wasn't enough as NJABC won, 80-71, despite trailing by 12 at halftime. 
• Earlier in the tourney, Carr scored 20 in a win over Fundamental Hoops, while backcourt mate DaQuan Cook poured in 29. 
• According to program Director of Operations, Dwayne Wise, Cook holds offers from a number of Big East schools. 
• Today's 17U quarterfinal matchups are No. 11 Boo Williams vs. Takeover Hoop Magic, Team United vs. ECF Lemcke, Self Carolina Elite vs. Team Russia and Fairfax Stars vs. No. 19 Team Loaded.
• The 16U bracket features an intriguing top-20 semifinal matchup, No. 4 Team Final vs. No. 15 Boo Williams, with the winner taking on the winner of Maryland's Finest vs. Connecticut Select in the gold championship. Five-Star rated Kuran Iverson has played up with the 17Us. 

Nike Baltimore Elite Invitational 

• The big news out of Baltimore was that Five-Star 17U No. 1 Team Takeover backed out of the event, ending any chance of a matchup with No. 2 Houston Defenders.
• Speaking of the Defenders, they've made the trip out East and steamrolled through their competition, demolishing pool play opponents Players Teaching Players and Riverside Hawks. Twin brothers and Five-Star rated backcourt mates Aaron and Andrew Harrison have been stellar, as has high-flying PF Derrick Griffin.
• A No. 1/2 matchup won't happen this weekend, but a number of top teams remain in B-more. No. 8 New England Playaz and No. 13 Playaz Basketball Club have impressed, as Five-Star rated players Kaleb Tarczewski and Kyle Anderson have dominated for their respective teams.