It was Championship Friday for the 3rd graders participating in the 2013 AAU National Championship at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, Florida. The Classic, DII, and DI brackets all faced off to see who would take home the Gold.

Team Philadelphia vs. New Orleans Renegades
ESPN Wide World of Sports
8/2/2013

Team Philadelphia and the New Orleans Renegades faced off on Court 1 of the HP Fieldhouse for Classic bracket’s Championship game! It was back and forth in the first, with Michael Anderson III leading Team Philadelphia with 10 points, with Saleen Payne and Shareff Jones each contributed two points. New Orleans Renegades were led by Aidan Bevrotte and Alex Hammon, who each had four point in the first. Jahron Manning and Gavin Zeigler combined for five points in the quarter. Team Philadelphia has the slight lead, 14-13, going into the second.

The second quarter was just as close, with Team Philadelphia edging out the Renegades by two, 8-6. Anderson led Team Philadelphia again with four points in the second, with Jones and Payne adding three more combined points. Tyrese Johnson grabbed four points for the Renegades in the second and Hammond added two more. At the half, Team Philadelphia has the 22-19 lead.

After the break, Team Philadelphia exploded with 13 points in the 4rd quarter. Anderson had another incredible run, grabbing eight more points for his team, with Damon Gamble and Nasir Griffin snatching a combined three points. For the Renegades, Zeigler and Manning each snatched a basket, while Johnson contributed three points to his team’s score. Canin Jefferson sank a free throw in the quarter, getting his name in the books with a point. After three, Team Philadelphia remains on top 35-27.

The Renegades outscored Team Philadelphia in the quarter for the first time in the game, but unfortunately it was too late. Team Philadelphia defeated the Renegades for the 41-34 win, led by Anderson, who was the team’s leading scorer with 23 points! Anderson, Gamble, and Jones each grabbed a couple of baskets in the fourth for a total of six points. The Renegades’ Manning, Johnson, and Jefferson each grabbed a basket, and Hammond sank a free throw. Team Philadelphia’s win makes them the new Classic Division Champions!

Speed-Blue Chip vs. Take Over

ESPN Wide World of Sports
8/2/2013

In the second championship game of the day, Take Over battled it out on Court 1 at the HP Fieldhouse for the Division II Championship title. It was a slow first quarter with both teams scoring a combined total of six. Blue Chip came out on top, with Kaden Cobb scoring all four points for Blue Chip and Mikhai Arnold scoring the lone basket for Take Over.

In the second quarter, Blue Chip started finding its rhythm with seven total points, three of them coming from Trey Pettigrew, with Daniel Penosky and Maxwell Reese contributing two points each. Takeover only managed to score one point in the quarter, which belonged to Amare Wimbush on a free throw. At the half, Blue Chip is leading 11-3.

The third quarter wasn’t much better for Takeover, with Christian Rivers and Mikhai Arnold with the only two baskets in the quarter. Blue Chip, on the other end of the court, couldn’t be stopped. Reginald Fleurima led the way with four points, followed by teammates Cobb with three and Reece Young and Tyson Amoo-Mensah with two each. After three, Blue Chip had firm control of the lead at 22-7.

The fourth didn’t get any better than the rest of the game for Takeover. Blue Chip could not be stopped and scored ten more, Pettigrew adding five, Amoo-Mensah and Kolby Gilles with two each and Fleurima with a free throw. Takeover managed four points in the quarter with Abrion Sewell and Tyheil Peterson scoring a basket each. Blue Chip cruised to the 32-11 win over Takeover and left with the gold!

George Hill Rising Stars vs. Banneker Kings
ESPN Wide World of Sports
8/2/2013

George Hill scored early and often in the AAU 3rd Grade DI National Championship against the Banneker Kings. Nicholas Klaiber started it off for George Hill with four points, with John Louden, Javon Tracy, and Caden Whitehead each making a basket each. The Kings’ Micha Lowry Jr. amd Andrew Rhuebottom scored the only two baskets in the first for their team.

In the second, nearly everyone contributed points for George Hill. Klaiber added two more to his total, Charles Jolliffe, Jr. grabbed two, along with Sam King and Nulye Scott. All five of the Kings’ second quarter points came on free throws from Samuel Scott III and Jalen Marshall. At the half, George Hill leads 19-9. 

After the half, the Kings started to find their groove. Jordan Ervin led the way with four points, followed closely by teammate Lowry Jr, who had three. Rhuebottom added another two of his own in the quarter. George Hill managed to get six points on the board,  four of them coming from Louden and Grant Ott-Large contributing the other two. After three, George Hill leads 25-18.

In the final quarter, the Kings came out on top again, outscoring George Hill 10-8. Six of the Kings’  points came from free throws by Rhuebottom, Marshall, and Lowry, Jr. Scott added another three, giving him a total of six points on the game. George Hill was led by Nulye Scott with four points, with Klaiber and Tracy adding two each. Unfortunately for the Kings, their second half was not enough to take the lead over George Hill who grabbed the 33-28 win to become the 2013 3rd Grade DI National Champions!

Congratulations to ALL the teams who participated in the 2013 AAU Basketball Nationals and we hope to see you again next year!