Chase for the Chip: Indiana Elite 17U
Indy Elite looks forward to Las Vegas to prove they are a top team
Five-Star Basketball will crown its inaugural Summer National Champion for 17U and 16U this August, and while following the Five-Star Top 25 is a great way to track the contenders, each week we'll take a closer look at one of the top teams in the Chase for the Chip series. This week for the 17Us, it's Indiana Elite, who have moved into our top 10 after playing well at the Adidas Invitational.
Team Name: Indiana Elite
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Current 17U Rank: 7
Key Wins: This talented Indiana Elite team has proven its mettle over the course of the grueling summer circuit, notching several important wins against teams such as the Illinois Wolves, Houston Hoopstars, and Compton Magic. Furthermore, the Elite have reached the semifinals at three tournaments (Double Pump Spring Tournament, Spiece Run N’ Slam, and Adidas Invitational), as well as the Finals of two other marquee events (Best Buy Chicago Classic and the Best Buy Summer Classic). Throughout their tournament successes, the Elite have also beaten Texas Pro, Houston Defenders, and New England Playaz.
Key Losses: Despite their overwhelming success, the Elite has yet to fully close out any tournaments, coming up just short all summer. After beating Houston Hoopstars and Texas Pro at the Best Buy Chicago Classic, the Elite fell victim to the eventual Champion Terry Porter Elite. At the Adidas Invitational, the Elite had quality wins against the Compton Magic and Houston Defenders; however, they ran out of gas against a quality New Heights team. The Elite have also suffered a couple of surprise losses this summer to lesser-known programs such as Baylor LNO and Pryme Tyme.
Standing in the way: Up next on the schedule for the Elite is the Adidas Super 64 Tournament (July 22nd - 26th). The Elite will face top competition out of the gate in pool play, where they are scheduled to face Dream Vision, Atlanta Celtics, and the Double Pump Elite. They will need to make a strong push at Super 64 in order to climb our Five-Star Basketball Top 25 Rankings.
What the players are saying: "Our team's success has been pretty good, but not satisfyting just yet. I expect us to win it all in Vegas. I think we have a good chance." -Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell
"I'm expecting to win it all in Vegas because we have been geting better and better every game, but we have some things that we need to work on. We need to play more as a team. The good thing is that everybody on our team can play, so we'll always ready for anything. -Hanner Perea
Team History: The Indiana Elite program has produced a plethora of college and professional standouts over the course of its existence on the summer circuit, including: Eric Gordon, Tyler Zeller, Deandre Liggins, and Zach Novak. Looking forward, the current Indy Elite 17U squad boasts the future of Indiana University basketball in Kevin Ferrell, Hanner Perea, and Jeremy Hollowell.
