G L I D E H O Y A S: Kenner League 8/1

GLIDE!

It was another great Sunday for basketball at the James "Jabbo" Kenner Memorial Summer League on the Hilltop. The first game started off with a bang for Hoya Jason Clark and his Team Takeover teammates versus Hoop Magic. With a big crowd leftover from the previous high school playoff game between WCAC rivals DeMatha vs. Gonzaga, DeMatha pulled out a one point win to advance in the Kenner High School playoffs.

I was sitting in the stands before the game, I was very concerned with how many players Hoop Magic had (14) and Team Takeover having only (7) players. The folks sitting next to me were saying Team Takeover might have a hard time today. Hoop Magic, a team with George Washington and Maryland players, and a couple of former Maryland players look to be the better team. This was not the case as Team Takeover came out like warplane breaking the sound barrier.

Breaking the sound barrier
Hoya Jason Clark and Team Takover, LOL!

I mean I was like wow look at this team's quickness. Team Takeover also had Virginia Tech's Jeff Allen. TTO's pressure had bust Hoop Magic's pipes right from the start of the game. With ten minutes left in the first half the score was 38-13. The game ended in a blowout with TTO taking the win and a good seed for the playoffs. With his mom and grandmom in the stand Jason Clark one again showed his explosiveness and quickness to a tee. There was no denying Team Takeover in the matchup no matter how many players or who Hoop Magic had. TTO 79 HM 51. Great job TTO way to go!

The third game of the day featured Clydes' (Julian "JuJu" Vaughn and Vee Sanford) and the Tombs (Nate Lubick, Austin Freeman, Markel Starks, Hollis Thompson, Aaron Bowen two other college players. Hoya Moses Abraham did not play due to minor injury.

The Tombs starting five were all Hoyas' with only one senior. This game was exciting and fun for me, but I knew these two teams were going to go at each other with both teams having Hoya players. I ended up clapping for both teams. Both teams were trading baskets.. The game remained close all the way to the end. Julian Vaughn had a stellar performance. .

I think this was great learning experience for Nate to be guarding Julian finding out how much stronger he needs to get going into the season and Big East play. One thing I can say about Nate he as tough and gritty as any college player I've and just think he's only going into his first year. He had a couple of throw downs himself and didn't back down from the challenge. This is why I like the Kenner Summer League, it gives the Hoya players a change to figure out what they need to work on whether it's skill or strength or both.

Teammate Vee Sanford was feeding Julian the ball in the post at will. JuJu had it his way with ferocious dunks, nice jump hooks, great rebounding, good defense. Hoya players from both teams played well and played hard.

Although Hoya Jerrelle Benimon's team lost I gotta give that young man mad props for working so hard in every game this summer. He will truly add great strength and rebounding for the Hoyas, and I'm sure he also be scoring in the paint with the strong put backs. I like that spin move to the hoop JB!