Junior Hoops Arizona

The Derrek Wheaton MVP Award

The Arizona Junior High Basketball Boys Tournament dedicated to the memory of Derrek Wheaton and to his family is scheduled for January 8, 9 and continues January 16, 17 and 18.

The tournament highlights attitude, discipline and sportsmanship as essential qualities of an athlete.  These qualities represent the tournament's MVP award given and named in honor of the first MVP in the Arizona Junior High Basketball Tournament, Derrek Wheaton of T.G. Barr Junior High School.  Derrek displayed all of the qualities of an athlete.  He played basketball, football and baseball at McClintock High School in Tempe.  He was a football team member of the Phoenix College Bears.  While there, he received a football scholarship to attend the University of Oregon in the fall of 1998.   

Derrek Wheaton was fatally shot near his home in November of 1997 on his way home from the Phoenix College banquet.  His family, Doris, Robert, Robbie and Kenny every year present the award to the tournament MVP. 

For more information on the tournament and the registered entries, click here.

Advantage Basketball Camps Rated #1 By Sports Illustrated

Advantage Basketball Camps are rated at #1 by Sports Illustrated.   Founded by Michael Hummel, the training camps are conducted throughout the United States and are considered to be the top ball handling camps in the world. 

The camps offer training by the top coaching staffs in the world and the opportunity to learn from the pros.  Students build on their ball-handling skills by learning lighting-quick, one-handed moves off the dribble.  Their methods and reputation sets Advantage Basketball Camps at the top of the list.

To visit their website click here.

The Desert Duel 2010 Summer Prep Memorial: Highlighting Tomorrow's Stars Today

 
The Desert Duel Summer Prep Memorial is an elite boys basketball invitational that brings together the most talented high school basketball players in the country for a high-octane tournament to crown the national boy’s basketball summer champion. Participating teams are handpicked by the respected tournament organizing committee and are guaranteed four games against the nation’s top talent.

Hosted in beautiful Gilbert, Arizona in July, the Desert Duel attracts the country’s top college coaches, recruiters and talent scouts to watch the elite prep players in the world showcase their talent. The entry fee for all teams is waived thanks to generous donations from their sponsors.

The tournament features:

• Representatives from 171 colleges, including every PAC 10 school, every Big 12, 10 of 11 Big Ten, 14 of the 16 SEC, 11 of 12 ACC, and 13 of 16 Big East.
• 251+ college coaches.
• 33 of the top 100 players in the country.
• National and local media.

The tournament was created in the memory of Tom Crawford, who passed away in July 2006, as an invitation-only tournament, in order to highlight the basketball superstars of tomorrow while raising money for children is desperate need today.

Through the Tom Crawford's Leadership Children's Foundation (TCLCF), a non-profit organization, money is given throughout the year to children's causes that help preserve childhood and improve the quaity of life for young people across the nation. From child abuse prevention and treatment to the fight against childhood diseases, TCLCF has directed over two million dollars to global organizations dedicated to helping children.

For more information on this tournament, click here.

The Jump Athletic/Just4Hoopin MLK Basketball Tournament

 

The Martin Luther King youth basketball tournament will be held on January 16-18th and features the top teams in Arizona and surrounding states. The three-day tournament, which is sanctioned by USSSA basketball, has six boys grade divisions; 3rd/4th/5th/6th/7th/8th and two girls divisions 7th/8th.

Dates: Jan 16-18, 2010
Location: Salvation Army Youth Center, 1351 E. Broadway Rd, Phoenix, AZ
Cost: $295/team

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• Three-day tournament
• Sanctioned by USSSA basketball
• Six boys’ grade divisions and three girls’ divisions
• Each team guaranteed three games
• Tournament format is pool play, followed by a single-elimination championship bracket

Two divisions:

Division I = Elite teams
Division II = Competitive teams

Deadline to register: January 9

Boys Divisions: 3rd throuigh 8th Grades

Girls Divisions: 7th & 8th Grades

For more information click here.  Jump Athletic/Just4Hoopin is an official member of Junior Hoops of America.

The Grand Canyon Youth Basketball Winter State Games

Youth Basketball Tournament

The 2010 Grand Canyon Winter State Games include a youth basketball tournament scheduled for March 25 - 28 and open to club teams.  To register pick up an entry book at any U.S. Bank branch, Sleep America store, Keller Williams Realty office, or Mountain Side Fitness location statewide beginning Janary 2010. 

About the Grand Canyon State Games

The Grand Canyon State Games is a multi-sport Olympic Festival for Arizona amateur athletes of all ages and abilities.  The Games is organized by the Arizona Sports Council and its affiliated with 47 other state games throughout the United States.  It is sanctioned by the U.S. Olympic Committee through the National Congress of State Games.  The Games seek to provide Arizonans with an avenue for personal development through sports.

For more information, call the State Games Office at (480) 517-9700 or visit their website by clicking here.

The Tucson Magic Basketball Club Offers A Full Service Approach to Club Basketball

The Tucson Magic is a club basketball organization that provides instruction to boys, ages 9 - 16 and girls, ages 13 - 16.  They offer a full service approach to club basketball that is highly competitive yet appropriately inclusive.  Structured practice, league play, travel opportunity and individual lessons are available to ther participants. 

With over 50 years of combined coaching experienc at both the club and interscholastic levels, they approach the game with a focus on individual improvement and a foundaiton of team play.  As educators and career coaches, they specialized in training specifically with student-athletes.

Darrell Patton is the founder and director of the Tucson Magic Basketball Club.  Jason Apocada, Max Rubin and Dalena Gregory form the coaching staff.   For more information on the Tucson Magic, visit their website by clicking here.

Arizona All-Stars and K-9 Basketball Create Joint-Venture: The K9/All-Stars

The Arizona All-Stars Youth Basketball Club System and the K-9 Basketball Academy have teamed up to form an elite squad of youth basketball players that will concentrate primarily on playing in the local area's top tournaments.  The merger will focus on combining the best players from both systems to challenge Arizona's existing top youth baskeball club teams.   

As the level of participation rises in Arizona's competitive youth basketball community, more youth club teams are being created to address the popularity of basketball club competition that is taking place throughout the entire state of Arizona.   With this growth, a clear distinction is taking place between the average teams and the more advanced level of play club teams.

With the multiple tournaments taking place throughout the state, more often than not, the winners of these tournaments usually turn out to be the same few teams who dominate the field.  In order to create more top tier local competiton, the K9/All-Stars initiative will give many of the best players in the state the opportunity to play more often together and against the state's traditional dominant teams.

At the end of the day, traveling outside of Arizona in order to play against the best competiton will not necessarily be a must since the top level of competition will be right here in the neighborhood.  The hope is that the K9/All-Star merger will motivate other organizations to also create elite teams so that Arizona conitnues to grow in reputation as a youth basketball center for both multiple talented players and teams.

The Southern Arizona Indoor Sports Center: Dedicated To Tucson's Youth

The Southern Arizona Indoor Sports Center is a new, centrally located, multi-court indoor facility that will be dedicated to youth sports, giving Tucson area youngsters a chance to learn, play and compete in quality sports programs, primarily basketball and volleyball.

The facility will be a model public-private partnership with Pima County.  Southern Arizona Community Sports Inc., a Tucson-based non-profit organization, will raise up to $1 million from the private sector to supplement the balance of construction funds to be provided by the County.

The project is attracting support from educators, youth agencies, sports groups and business leaders, all of whom recognize its value and benefits.  When completed, the Southern Arizona Indoor Sports Center will have a profound, positive effect on the youth sports landscape in Pima County.

For more information call: 520-888-1288 or email at info@soazcommunitysports.org.   You can visit their website by cliking here.

The 2010 North County San Diego Martin Luther King Classic

 

The 2010 Martin Luther King Classic: North County San Diego is taking place on January 23 - 24, 2010.  

 

Divisions:  Boys : 3rd,4th,5th,6th,7th,8th | Girls : 3rd,4th,5th,6th,7th,8th

Location: North County San Diego Area Gyms

Entry Fee: $300 multiple Teams Discounts (4 game guarantee)

Deadline: Registration deadline is Jan.16, 2010
First-come / first-served (registration & check)

Awards: Individual awards for 1st and 2nd in each gets Trophy’s

Questions: Please contact us at 760 443 7126 (Samuel Roy) or Samuel_layups_sneed@yahoo.com

The 7th Annual MLK Basketball Classic at ASU Televised by Cox 7 Cable TV

The MLK Basketball Classic announced that Cox 7 Cable TV will be broadcasting the tournament games from Tempe at Wells Fargo Arena.

On January 18, 2010 at 5:00 PM, the televised event will spotlight the Phoenix Sunnyslope High School featuring University of Kansas signee Royce Woolridge vs. Tempe McClintock High School.

At 7:00 PM, one of the best rivalries in Arizona high school sports - Mesa High vs. Mesa Mountain View will also be televised.  For a complete schedule of games, go to their website by clicking here.

The tournament is the 7th Annual MLK Basketball Classic to be held at the campus of Arizona State University at Wells Fargo Arena.

A total of five basketball games will be played at this tournament for an expected fantastic day of high school basketball.