Event Wrap-Up : Ky All-In Hoopfest
The second NCAA recruiting period saw the return of the Ky All-In HoopFest to the Freedom Hall Expo Center in Louisville last weekend. Kentucky teams had a very good weekend, winning the Platinum Championship in 3 of the 4 age divisions.
14u: The rising freshman class had a good showing in The Ville. Team Manimal won the championship after wins over Shining Stars, CIA Bounce and a 4 point win over Pocket City in the title game. 2021 Sheldon Clark big man Trey James was dominant on the defensive end all weekend. Legitimately standing 6-11, James is just a matchup nightmare for your typical team of 14 year olds. Team Manimal also received strong guard play from UHA PG KJ Crump and Hopkinsville High’s Alijah Watts.
15u: When the brackets were first released for the event, the KY Defenders were upset to see themselves in the Gold Division and not the platinum. By Sunday afternoon, they had moved into the Platinum division and were hoisting up a Championship trophy. They started the week with a narrow win over the Louisville Magic and kept rolling from there. The championship tilt was a double overtime thriller against the West Virginia Wildcats where they finally pulled away from the Wildcats late in the second OT period. The Defenders were a model of true team basketball. They spread the floor with shooters and move it well. No selfish play with this group and it shows in the tournament results. Collins HS Marcellus Vail stood out as a big time scorer on a team full of them.
16u: The only age group not won by a Kentucky team. Ohio Basketball Club beat the Louisville Magic by 62-54 before beating M.A.T.T.S. Mustangs 51-50 to advance to the title game. Eric Gordon All Stars defeated them for the championship by a score of 79-68. Some of the 16u standouts were Waggener G JJ Kalakon, Pendleton County’s Dontaie Allen, Trinity’s David Johnson, Clark County’s Brennan Canada and Madison Central big man Isaiah Cozart.
JJ Kalakon17u: An undermanned Louisville Magic team knocked off Ohio-Nova by a final score of 62-50. Missing several pieces before the championship game,the Magic banded together to win the title. Steven Fitzgerald of Pulaski County and Eric Boone of Bryan Station both played well for the Magic while Cordia big man Oumar Keita dominated the boards and limited Nova to one-shot possessions.
There were a lot of really talented teams and players competing at the All-In Hoopfest and Kentucky shined by winning 3 of the 4 championships. Hundreds of colleges were represented at the event and offers were earned. The All-In Hoopfest was a major success and the 2018 version looks to be another great tournament next July in the Derby City.