AAU Nationals Update

BABC and Caron Butler Team Takeover to vie for 16U title; 17U bracket down to 32 teams.

On the first day of the AAU Nationals playoffs, we saw some upsets, spectacular plays and a host of the nation's best players. The 16U Championship is now solidified while the 17U bracket has been whittled down to the final 32.

16U Championship:

BABC and Caron Butler Team Takeover both advanced to the 16U National Championship finals. BABC defeated Ohio Varsity White 51-29 and Takeover advanced with a 65-64 win over a very talented New York Gauchos team. 

Top Player Matchups:

• Nerlens Noel (BABC) vs. Beejay Anya (Team Takeover). This battle of the bigs has a lot of scouts already salivating. Five-Star rated Noel is the most dominant defensive center in the country while Anya's a physical presence who will control the paint with his wide frame and length.
• Stan Robinson (Team Takeover) and Josh Hart (Team Takeover/Sidwell Friends) vs. Wayne Selden (BABC) and Jaylen Brantley (BABC) pits the nation's best backcourts against each other. Selden and Brantley are coming off a tough loss in the 17U Showcase Finals and look to win their 3rd National Championship in two years as Robinson and Hart look to continue what's been a strong showing in Orlando.

Top Performers:

• Rodney Purvis (CP3 All Stars): A dynamic scorer and playmaker, Purvis has led CP3 into the round of 32 with his all-around play.  He notched over 20 points in a pair of games on Wednesday and Thursday against BWSL and the Atlanta Xpress, respectively. 
• Aaron & Andrew Harrison (Houston Defenders) are a dynamic duo.  After dismantling the BABC team to capture the Showcase title, Brothers' Harrison put on a show in early Nationals games. The Defenders were beat by Texas Pro in the first round of the playoffs and squad.
• Jhaustin Thomas (GT Stars ASA): Thomas was a man-child on ASA’s huge win over CBC on Friday. He faced off with Five-Star rated big man Andre Drummond and more than held his own. Thomas slammed home a thunderous dunk on ASA's second possession of the game and posterized the CBC front line three more times before all was said and done. He finished with a double-double and what will surely become a following of high-major coaches looking for a capable power forward.
• Rasheed Sulaimon (Houston Hoops): The Five-Star rated Duke-commit is as smooth as they come. Sulaimon led Hoops to a hard fought win over South Florida Elite in overtime and Charlotte Select in the tourney's first two rounds, and now prepares for a meeting with All-Ohio Red.