The seventh annual Playaz Blowup A.A.U. basketball tournament takes the stage this weekend in Paterson,N.J. The tournament consists of some of the best 12 year olds, 13 year olds, and 14 year olds around ,as well as some of the most prestigious a.a.u. programs in the tri-state area , such as the New York Gauchos, Metro Hawks, New Heights, Linden Ballers, D.C. Assault of Washington D.C. and of course the Jimmy Salmon run Playaz club. The games will be played in gyms throughout the city all weekend. The venues are Kennedy Highschool, Roberto Clemente Public School and M.L.K Public School. Games begin Friday night at these three locations beginning at 7:00pm. Pool play continues saturday from 9:00am until 4:00pm. The playoffs will be played for all age groups at Kennedy H.S. starting at 6:00pm. Sunday will finish up with the championship in all age groups starting at 11:00 am. Hoops Journal will give updates on the tournament throughout the weekend. Without a doubt, their will be future household names and a lot of bright up and coming ballers in what is considered one of the best tournaments around.

The AAU season is never truly in effect until the Playaz Club of Paterson run by Jimmy Salmon has their annual spring fling tournament. The 10th annual event went on this weekend at various facilities in northern New Jersey. The age groups consisted of 12u,14u and 16u teams. The Playaz had their 13 year old squad play up in the 14u group and their 15 year old team play in the 16u group. Each of those teams held their own this weekend,particularly the 15 year old team who made the final four of the 16u bracket and lost to the eventual champs, D.C. Assault. The 13’s finished 2 and 1 in their games, also losing to the eventual champs( the D.C. Assault 14’s). This weekend actually was phase one of the spring fling as the 13’s,15’s,and 17’s begin their quest for some chips. The Playaz will probably have their younger teams play up in these games also as they prepare for the upcoming A.A.U. season.                

                                                             Results of Finals for 12’s, 14’s,and 16’s

                      12u’s championship:   Delaware Hawks 52     N.Y. Gauchos 41

                                                      all-tournament team:  Dakari Johnson(Gauchos)  Tyquan Givens(Gauchos) Austin Tilghman(Del.Hawks) Jorge Rodriquez(Del. Hawks)  Wa’mere Murphy(Del. Hawks) M.V.P.

                        14u’s championship:   D.C.Assault 46     Rich Soil (N.Y.) 26 

                                             all-tournament team: Javon Thomas(Rich Soil)  Omar Calhoun(Rich Soil) Kris Jenkins(DC Assault) Jamal Lewis (DC Assault) Damonte McNeil (DC Assault) M.V.P.

                            16u’s championship:   D.C. Assault 68      N.Y. Gauchos 57

                                              all-tournament:  Halil Kanacevic(Gauchos)  Daron Lamb(Gauchos)  Eric Atkins(DC Assault)           Tyler Thornton(DC Assault)  Joshua Hairston(DC Assault) M.V.P.

When choosing the team of the year in Passaic County there’s a couple of teams that could make a case for themselves.  Wayne Valley Highschool won the Group 3 sectional final and fought hard before losing to Scotch Plains H.S. and they were a team with very little depth. Eastside Highschool can also give legitimate reasons why they could have been the Passaic county team of the year by winning the Group 4 sectional final and being three points away from beating Piscataway highschool.  They also were the runner-up in the Passaic County tournament.  While we give these two teams much props, Hoops Journals first annual Passaic County team of the year is Paterson Catholic Highschool. Without a doubt they were the most talented team led by seniors Jordan Theodore and Wayne Mack. But, the reason that we feel they were the team of the year is because it is  very hard  to live up to such high expectations and meet them.  Before the season started people said ” They had to win the counties”. Well , they did that, in a game against Eastside where their heart was questioned. They battled hard against the scrappy,tough minded Ghosts and pulled the game out. Then it was said ” They had to get a signature win against a power team”. They did that against Montrose Christian of Maryland who were ranked #13 in the country by the Sporting News.  Paterson Catholic not only won ,but did it convincingly winning by more than 20 points. Then it became ” Let’s see how they do in the states against a team like St. Anthony H.S.”. They gave them a tough go before losing by 13. Let’s keep this in perspective, they lost to the #1 team in the country by 13. The point is that it’s not easy to have the bullseye on your back and know that you are the biggest game on everyone’s schedule and still bring it physically,but more importantly mentally. For that, Hoops Journal gives the utmost props to Paterson Catholic Highschool. The Bergen County top team of the year was more cut and dry. Hoops Journal’s first annual team of the year for Bergen County is Don Bosco Prep. Although it seemed like Queen Of Peace was gonna have something to say about it, Prep established itself as the team of the year by winning it’s third straight Bergen County Jamboree championship.  This had not been accomplished in over forty years. This was a veteran team with great leadership in their two stars, Georgio Milligan and Kyle Smythe. Prep was by far,the best defensive team in the county and maybe all of northern New Jersey.Don Bosco was a very versatile team who could run when needed,but mainly established it’s halfcourt sets. They lost in the finals of the Parochial B championship to Immaculata. This team has alot to be proud of and Hoops Journal would like to give this team much props.