CAVS 8U: Champions of the SP Knights Bad Boyz at the Beach Tourney

 By Scott Wigton 

There are numerous clichés about stating the importance of defense on the Basketball Court,  (From “Defense wins Championships” to," the D will set you Free”).  Just plain and simple, our 8U group played pressure man-to-man, “CAVS D”.   In fact, the CAVS scored a team total of 134 points and just gave up 33 points. (A margin of 101 points)  Fantastic job by these players!!

Game 1 - was against EDGE from Diamond Bar.  We were ready from tip-off.  Isaiah Matallana and Cheyenne Aldridge played extremely well on both defense and offense.  They made key baskets to help lead us to victory,  CAVS 39 - Edge 2.

Game 2 - was against a tall team named Beach All Stars.  We decided to run a full court press all game.  This tactic will be something this team will use next year, playing in the 9U division.  Our CAVS played extremely well;  Bryce Wigton had a marquee game and played well with the full court press; making his first 4 shots.  Brody Chouinard was also significant in the second half; with good shots around the key.  Another standout player was Dylan Metoyer, making 3 baskets in a row.  CAVS 38 - Beach All Stars 11.

Game 3 - was semi final match-up against a team from Inglewood , AS One.  Again, another very good defense performance from the CAVS.  Newcomer, Luke Murphy had key baskets in the first and second half.  AJ Roberson had his normal 12 rebounds in the game.  We played full court press and this strategy worked.  On to the finals!! CAVS 29 - AS One 12.

The Championship game was versus the AMS 15th Street Ballers.  This team had some tall players, but that did not bother the CAVS.  2 players that CAVS coach Darryl McDonald would have been proud to say they are CAVS were, Jason Gerald and David Ortiz.  They locked down the Baller players for the whole court.  In fact, we held this team to only one point in the first half.  Toney “Buckets” Mays had his usual second- half scoring surge.  

CAVS 8U earned another championship!!  CAVS 28 -  AMS 15th Street Ballers 8.

Congratulations CAVS 8U!!! Way to play “CAVS D!"

 ***View the above Tourney photos on our Facebook site HERE.

******Full game details for all divisions are always available on our main website: http://www.cavsyouthbasketball.org. 
 

CAVS 12U Finish As 2nd Place Champions In Oakland Soldiers Battle Of The Bay Tourney

The final, championship score for CAVS 12U last Sunday, against the rumored number one team in the country, Houston Elite, was 39-37.  Rumor has it that Houston Elite defeated every other team they played this weekend (and usually play everywhere else) by 30 and at the very least, by 6 or 7 points.  I don’t know about you, but that says something to me about their tussle with the CAVS.  It says….a couple less turnovers and CAVS 12U could have brought home the 10^th consecutive FIRST PLACE championship in a row – defeating the “number one team in the country”.

This, my friends, is a true statement.

However stated, the fact is….CAVS 12U finishing second still brings a championship title (though it didn’t garner a trophy because it was all or nothing with respect to material goods).  It was the championship game, wasn’t it? Okay.  It wasn’t first place, but whatever.  No matter what anyone says or does, THIS, technically, is CAVS 12U’s 10^th consecutive championship TITLE since April 2^nd. Let me go ahead and say it. CAVS 12U finished as second place champions this weekend, in the Oakland Soldiers Battle of The Bay Tourney, June 25^th-26^th, in Oakland, CA. There’s your formal fluff. 

Now, here’s the real deal.

First off, let me say that there were NO easy games this weekend at all. CAVS 12U had to play. However, this weekend was victorious in more ways than one.  Let me explain how.

On Saturday morning, 10:10am, CAVS 12U faced off with the Benicia Blue Devils and gained the victory, 53-22.

That evening, at 6:20pm, CAVS stood in front of the All Star Sports Predators. 

That team name sound familiar? It should. Let me refresh your memory. CAVS 12U first defeated the Predators last year as 11U, in the semi-finals of the Reno AAU Jam On It Tourney that CAVS won in 2010.   None of them were as tall then as they currently are now.  We remembered that they were aggressive and quite scrappy, as well. NOT a super-easy game!  

However, CAVS 12U pulled out the stops and defeated the Predators again this year, 47-38, placing CAVS 12U in the semi-final game the following day. On Sunday, came the moment everyone had been waiting for: 

CAVS 12U vs. The Oakland Soldiers.  

You remember the “hype” that the Soldiers were “ready for us this year” and had basically recruited an all-new tall team (including #23 of Flight Elite) to “get us”, don’t you?   It seemed like EVERYONE in the gym migrated over to witness the grand event like flies to trash when this semi-final game started at 10:10am.

They’d all previously heard the hype, too.

The game, from start to finish, was a toe-to-toe battle, with both coaches yelling at the clock table (though the table girl wasn’t havin’ it) and at the refs. The refs were quite patient with the multiple accusations of their “bad calls”, though, because surprisingly, no technical fouls were called until the second half, and was called on the Oakland Soldiers.  Every moment of the second half was INTENSE.

Though the Oakland Soldiers put up a good fight, CAVS 12U put up a better one and CAVS 12U defeated the “all-new” recruited Oakland Soldiers, 60-48.

This win placed CAVS 12U in the championship game with Houston Elite.  

Okay. Houston Elite is good. They have team members that tower about 6’3 above ground. Some look like linebackers. Most are athletic. Some wear pink socks. 

Texas in the house. Their coaches arrogantly stand on the side of the court and try to determine which team members their boys should do what with. We'll call it being proactive. CAVS 12U began the game with a great steal after Houston won the tip-off, but failed to complete the lay-up.  Before you knew it, the game was up 6 to 0 for Houston.  The CAVS’ sync was slightly off with bad passes, lapses and brain farts.  However, CAVS 12U, being the often underestimated underdogs that they are, quickly smashed back once they shook off the fuzz. This is how the game progressed: push-pull-push-pull. 

Houston would hit a three-pointer. CAVS 12U would drive an “and one” lay-up…and vice versa. OMG….talk about nail-biting! 

Honestly? How Houston Elite gained any jump in the game was through fouls and free-throws. These guys wouldn’t miss a free-throw to save somebody’s life. During the last minute of the game, CAVS 12U popped a three-pointer, making it a one-point game, with Houston up.  It was Houston’s ball, but CAVS 12U wouldn’t let them drive it anywhere.  The battle was on. 

CAVS 12U quickly managed to tip the ball out of Houston’s hand…but the ref called it a foul. By then, it was one-and-one, with only two seconds left on the clock. See how this went? OMG. Houston went to the free-throw line and (of course) made both free throws, bringing the score to 39-37. With two seconds left on the clock, you already KNOW the bitter end.

So, you see…what if it were not one-and-one with the fouls? What if the refs didn’t call the last-minute steal a foul and CAVS 12U was able to continue with that last moment’s play? Heck, what if there were no turnover mistakes on the CAVS’ behalf at all?

Things that make you go “hmmmmm”.

This was not an obvious win for Houston Elite, despite the team appearances.  It was two points of free throws.  Things could have gone either way and ultimately just happened to sway in Houston’s direction. It is okay, though. Overall, CAVS 12U had a GREAT showing this past weekend, defeating the Oakland Soldiers in one of the most anticipated games in a while and yes…..finished as second place champions. Did you hear the last word? It read, “champions”.  Go CAVS 12U!!!

Next stop….Team Powerhouse Summer Sizzle Tourney in Arizona.  Will CAVS 12U bring home the 11^th championship title in a row since April 2^nd? Keep it LOCKED to find out!!!!

***View all Tourney photos HERE.

******Full game details for all divisions are always available on our main website: http://www.cavsyouthbasketball.org.  Check back often for updates, as they are posted at varied times by multiple staff members.

CAVS 12U Win Championship in All City West Pacific Coast Summer Invitational Tourney

OMG. When I say CAVS 12U are on a roll, I am SERIOUS. This CAVS Division has been on a winning streak like WOAH.  Let me put it into perspective for ya’.  This latest win marks NINE championships in a row, JUST since April 2nd.  For now, though, we are only going to go from April, 30th, 2011, because I want to actually get to what happened this past weekend. 

So…back on April 30^th-May 1^st, CAVS 12u won the AVAC Hoyas Kyree Brown Memorial Day Tourney, then took Mother’s Day weekend off. Yep. The mothers weren’t having it. Coaches and dads alike would have all been nicely slathered with honey and hung next to hornets’ nests if there was a tourney that weekend. Okay. From there, CAVS12U won the Sixers 19^th Annual Basketball Bonanza Tourney in Palm Springs, May 13th-15^th, the Reno Jam On It Memorial Day National Tourney May 29^th-30^th, the CAVS Summer Classic Tourney June 4^th-5^th, and the Edge Basketball Summer Jam National Invitational June 10^th-12^th.

YOU do the math.

For an at-a-glance look at all championships won for this season and last season, visit our Championship Records Page on our new CAVS Youth Basketball Event Site HERE.  Moving along…..this weekend, CAVS 12U bulldozed through the All City West Pacific Coast Summer Invitational Tourney, June 18^th-19^th, 2011 and (again, for the cheap seats) brought home the 9^th consecutive championship since April 2nd, 2011!!

The games took place at Loyola Marymount University, which is like….a beautiful school in a serene location. Can we please play there again? There were no games there on Friday.  On Saturday, CAVS 12U met up with the West Valley Warriors at 10:00am and scored the victory, 60-26.

At noon, the battle continued with the Gymrats. CAVS 12U picked up that victory, as well, 53-27. Although the score was what it was, I must say that the Gymrats get after the ball. I rather like their hustle and intensity. They want to win…..they really do. 

However, after CAVS 12U issued their “clamp-down” game strategies (pretty much after the game first started) things turned ugly for the Gymrat boys really quickly. It was an interesting game, though, to say the least.  In a rare twist, several of our 12U boys headed over to the HAX Summer Jam right after this game to assist CAVS 13U and won against the 13U Phenoms, 53-22. 

Ironically, the HAX Center would later be shut down for "issues", voiding the Summer Jam Tourney completely for both CAVS 13U and 9U. Go figure.

On Sunday, Father’s Day, CAVS 12U played Hooptown at 10:00am and won, 38-3. Okay, honestly, folks? This victory is not for bragging rights, because it was an obvious mismatch from the start. We don’t take pride in this kind of victory.  However, we require our boys to play hard no matter what; to work on their game always. That is what we are most concerned with, at all times. 

 Nevertheless, this win gained CAVS 12U access into the semi-final game.

 

So, apparently some kid had an obvious brain fart and purposely tripped the fire alarm system – forcing the entire building to evacuate and all games to be delayed.  I mean, Loyola is a cool school and all that, but jeez…..it’s not like anyone really wanted to be there all day. Most of the dads I spoke to wanted to go home, spread out on the couch,  be served dinner and just lounge. For real.

Once the fire scare was over, CAVS 12U took it to the court for the semi-final game with Arizona Powerhouse.   

It wasn’t a great start (must’ve been all the hot dogs eaten during the fire scare with nothing else to do) but it was a successful finish; 59-37. CAVS 12U moved into the championship game with…..

......YEP…you guessed it….All City West, front and center. 

This game would prove to be somewhat intense, as All City West started the game gunning for the heads of CAVS 12U.  It didn’t help that CAVS 12U made several mistakes in the process, bringing Coach Darryl (who is to the CAVS what Phil Jackson was to the Lakers) off the bench with a rather intimidating grimace.  Ooh wee. I would not have wanted to be on the receiving end of what was said in that time-out huddle. No, sir! 

However, once CAVS 12U shook off the “duh” moments, it was ON.  All City West put up a fight that CAVS 12U indeed finished, 58-40. GO CAVS 12U!!! Way to work this season!!!

Next stop….…is the long-awaited battle at the Oakland Soldiers “Battle of The Bay” Tourney in gyms around the “Yay” area (as Oakland’s own E-40 so eloquently puts it). You’ve heard the rumors about the newly-recruited “tall” Soldiers team.  Then again, you know the history of the CAVS.  Okay…so then you also know that something’s gotta give.

 

It is only a matter of time that we will find out what. GAME ON, BABY!!!! Keep it LOCKED as this weekend approaches!!!

***Check out the Tourney Photos on our Facebook site HERE.

******Full game details for all divisions are always available on our main website: http://www.cavsyouthbasketball.org.  Check back often for updates, as they are posted at varied times by multiple staff members.

CAVS 11u and 10U Both Finish As Second Place Champions in All City West Pacific Coast Invitational Tourney

I don’t have the full reports of the entire weekend, but I’ll give you what I can. Bottom line? CAVS 11U and CAVS 10U both brought home the second place championship medals in the All City West Pacific Coast Invitational Tourney, June 18^th-19^th, 2011.

On Saturday, CAVS 11U defeated the West Valley Warriors 39-34 and Impact Elite (in a very close game to the finish) 37-35, placing them in the semi-final rounds with TTB on Sunday.   

 11U vs. Impact Elite

Yo….I don’t know if anybody told you, but even though TTB (in those attention-grabbing red uniforms, no less) has mostly "less-than-tall" team members, they play “in your face” ball! It was an exciting game to watch! CAVS 11U had an intense time keeping TTB from scoring and/or stealing the ball. I think Coach Mike Irving most definitely strained his vocal chords expressing himself about it…..which brings me to my next point.   

Is it just me, or do all of the coaches seem angelic and full of smiles when you speak with them in the hallway, but then turn into the EXORCIST on the courts?  Would this be considered a bipolar disorder, or just a form of Tourette’s syndrome?  Anyway, CAVS 11U worked it out and triumphed, 45-38.  Maybe I should add that 11U fought their way through the weekend with only 5-6 players at any given time. Can you say “TIRED”, boys and girls?

Tired or not, CAVS 11U entered the championship game versus Impact Elite, once again.  Okay. Um…this is SO not the team to be playing if you are already worn out.  If you recall, the first time 11U beat them, the score was only 37-35. I personally know the Impact Elite team practices hard, so if you are not on your game, they will get you. Our 11U boys fought with all the strength they had left (one of them was also playing up with CAVS 12U, on his 5^th game of the day) but fizzled out in the end to Impact Elite’s victory of 54-43.  It’s okay, though. Under the circumstances, it was what it was. Besides….the last time I checked, 2^nd place was still considered a championship!!  GO CAVS 11U!!! GAME ON!!!!

On to CAVS 10U…..

Please be advised that I usually only see these smaller tykes in our practice sessions. They practice hard, but take things up a notch in actual games.  I will be the first to let you know……the CAVS 10U team is NO JOKE. Okay…I will just go right ahead and say it: THEY BE BALLIN’!!!! There was just no other way to express that. They do.

This weekend was no different. 

On Saturday, CAVS 10U scored the victory over CTS 46-10 and defeated TTB (the red team I previously described to you in 11U format) 39-20, placing them in the semi-final game on Sunday, versus the 10U Gymrats. Phew. That was a long sentence. At 9am, Sunday morning, 10U defeated the Gymrats 45-35 in a thrilling, nail-biting finish. It was like watching NBA players....only 1/16 the size.

CAVS 10U moved on to the championship against TTB that afternoon. I have already told you about TTB.

Their 10U team is just as intense as their 11U team.

I don’t know how 10U Coach Sean Regans (pictured above) does it, but he brings out 10U’s best and they are just as intense, if not more-so, than TTB. This was simply a sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat, stop-talking-to-me-so-I-can-watch-the-darned-game battle to the very end; literally. The game could have gone either way at any time, as both teams played hard. However, TTB would garner the championship this time, with only one point of difference, 33-32.  

Honestly? This was a second place championship that no one could be mad at. We’ll take it! Our boys played hard (despite mistakes) and played well.  It was just the luck of the draw.  For those watching the game, we know the real deal.  GO CAVS 10U!!!

***Check out the Tourney Photos for both divisions on our Facebook site HERE.

******Full game details for all divisions are always available on our main website: http://www.cavsyouthbasketball.org.  Check back often for updates, as they are posted at varied times by multiple staff members.

GAME ON!!!!

CAVS 12U Win 13U Championship in Edge Summer Jam National Invitational Tourney (Swoosh)

Nope. The "13U" you read in this post title wasn’t a typo like the obvious typo on the Swoosh Basketball site that listed CAVS 12U as having played one game Saturday, at 11:00am, with Vegas Elite Blue (who was not even in our pool or division) and lost 13-0. Huh?

As if.  Most of us didn’t even get up that early. Besides....you show me a CAVS team  (you can even pick the division) that scores 0 points in any game and I'll show you that I can fly, using my regular arms. 

Enough said.

CAVS 12U pulled out all the stops this past weekend, June 10^th – 12^th, 2011 starting at 3:15pm on Saturday and indeed won the 13U Championship in the Edge Summer Jam National Invitational Tourney (Swoosh) on Sunday. Gosh, that name is long. I feel like abbreviating it a bit – the same way we all did with the Curious Case of Benjamin Button. We had ultimately narrowed that down to Benji B.…but who’s counting? From this point on, we will refer to the event as THE EDGE TOURNEY. Cool? Now...let’s begin.

CAVS 12U came to play this weekend. Though they were originally supposed to be playing in the A.C.E.S. Coca Cola National Invitational Tourney (here’s another long name) - against the likes of 12U rumor-popular, tourney “regulars” such as D1 All Stars, Certified Shooters, Inland Force, Oakland Soldiers, Cali Style and so forth – CAVS 12U ended up tousling with older competition, instead, at THE EDGE TOURNEY. This, folks, was truly one of those unexpected, “what just happened?” moments. Yep. Okay. Moving along…..

First off, at 3:15pm, CAVS 12U squared off with the 13U Southeast Warriors at Narbonne High School.  It’s just simply amazing how different a year or two makes in player appearance on the court. Gone are the baby faces and hairless armpits, replaced by muscles, scattered tattoos, deep voices and facial hair. 

This was truly BIGGER BOY BASKETBALL, but CAVS 12U didn’t let it bother them. They went to work and defeated the 13U Southeast Warriors, 42-37. Next up, CAVS 12U went up against the 13U PABC Basketball team at the all-new HAX Center.

Seriously...the new HAX location definitely has better parking options.  Should you not want to shell out parking fees in addition to gas costs, tournament wristband fees, team player fees (for the tourney in the first place) and snack bar tuition ($3.00 for a miniscule hot dog slated to feed a gym FULL of endlessly-hungry growing athletes - really?) you can almost-for-certain find street parking. 

As for the new appearance of the HAX…we can’t give you a decision which is better until the interior has been entirely completed. It is located in an industrial area.  Cool.  For now, it’s a relevant warehouse full of shiny new courts, with abstract gym equipment literally hanging in the balance. Cooler. In the future, all will be athletic heaven. We just know it. Anyway…what does PABC stand for? Please tell me so we’ll both know. All I know is…one of the kids was like....HUGE.I am sure you can see him towering in the middle of the floor.

Anyway…CAVS 12U defeated PABC (huge kid and all) 50-40.

On Sunday, it was back to the HAX at 10:15am, where CAVS 12U scored a sizeable victory over 13U Edge Basketball, 54-13.

It was on, then, to the Semi-Final Rounds.

CAVS 12U battled the 13U Laverne Stars in the Semi-Final Round game at 2:15pm and scored the victory, 42-22. This win placed them in the championship game at 4:15pm.

CAVS 12U was rumored to be playing the 13U Chargers, but ended up playing the 13U Cobras for the championship game. 

Interestingly enough, there were no “Cobras” listed on the pool/bracket list…..more typos, perhaps? Well, no matter what, CAVS 12U established early on in the championship game that it was not going to be easy for the Cobras to get anything done on the court.

CAVS 12U stuck to that theory and beat the 13U Cobras, scoring the Championship, 36-21. GO CAVS 12U!!! 

(From L to R): Pearson Parker, Mike Irving III, Chasen Pender, Coach Michael Irving, Elijah Walker, Josh (Jeez...what is his last name???), Tyree Thompson, D.J. McDonald, Taj Regans (all in the back of the team trophy), Cameron "Big Cam" Townsend, Isaiah Roby, Coach Kris Walker, Brian "B-Devv" Devereaux and Coach Darryl McDonald. 


Way to play UP this weekend!!!  Also....big UPS to the Edge Basketball tourney hosts who were pleasant at the HAX entrance!

Next stop…the mighty CAVS Divisions hit up All City West’s “Best In The West” Spring Shootout this coming Saturday, June 18^th, 2011. As always, we will keep you posted with the details. GAME ON!!!!

***Check out the tourney photos on our Facebook site HERE.

******Full game details for all divisions are always available on our main website: http://www.cavsyouthbasketball.org.  Check back often for updates, as they are posted at varied times by multiple staff members.