Adidas Invitational Preview

Loaded 16U and 17U fields to battle in Indy

by Doug Ferguson July 5, 2011 10:58pm ET

ferrell_yogi_indianaelite_adidasmayclassic_dribble_hero.jpg

Jessica Frankl

Indiana Elite's Yogi Ferrell will try to lead his team through the loaded field at the Adidas Invitational.

Indianapolis —

July is the most important month of the year for a young basketball player hoping to play college basketball one day. It's the month where the eyes of everyone from Kentucky to Prairie View A&M are focused on finding that next diamond in the rough.

The first big AAU event on the docket will be held right in the cradle of basketball - the state of Indiana, with the Adidas Invitational taking place in Indianapolis July 6-9.

Nine of the Five Star Top 25 17U teams will be in action this week in Indy, and four of them will be face off together in the same "Super Pool".

Pool 1 consists of No. 6 Dream Vision, No. 11 Connecticut Basketball Club, No. 15 Indiana Elite and No.19 Atlanta Celtics. Other ranked teams include the No. 5 Houston Defenders, No. 17 New England Playaz, No. 22 New Heights, No. 23 New Orleans Elite and No. 25 Wisconsin Playground Warriors.

The early afternoon matchups alone are worth tuning in to as highly-touted Five-Star rated prospect Shabazz Muhammad will have a tough test going head to head with Indiana-commits Jeremy Hollowell and Yogi Ferrell, while Shaquille Goodwin will lead his Atlanta Celtics against fellow big man Andre Drummond. And this is just the tip of the iceberg in what is an absolutely loaded 17U division.

In addition to the New England Playaz, "Super Pool" 2 also features a trio of talented teams in the Compton Magic, Colorado Hawks and Michigan Mustangs. Look for some must-see individual matchups from this group, with Compton's Gabe York and Colorado's Chris Thomas, a pair of dynamic, high-scoring guards going head-to-head. The Mustangs feature Michigan State-bound Denzel Valentine.

The first 16U "Super Pool" also includes four high-powered Five-Star Top 25 teams in the No. 5 Eric Gordon All-Stars, No. 15 New Heights, No. 16 Dream Vision, and No. 20 Houston Defenders. Fourth-ranked Garner Road and No. 22 Wisconsin Playground Warriors will also compete against stiff competition in other pools. It is sure to be a great kickoff to the greatest month of the year for some when it comes to high school basketball.