NIKE GREAT EIGHT TOURNAMENT RESULTS

With great hoop action in Columbus this past weekend, we had to bring you the results.

This past weekend, All-Ohio hosted another Nike event in Columbus.  Although the tournament fell short of its goal of attracting the top 8 teams in the Midwest in grades 5-8th, the event was able to draw some of the top teams and players in a 3-state area.

In the 5th grade division, the tournament drew the following teams: All-Ohio Red (Columbus), King James Shooting Stars (Akron), Rochester Little Hawks (New York), Up Tempo (Northern Ohio), and the 4th grade Jaguars. In the first semi-final game, the Shooting Stars easily defeated the Columbus Jaguars who were playing up a grade level as a fill in for the Ohio Showstoppers who chose not to attend the tournament.  In the second semi-final game, All-Ohio defeated the Rochester Little Hawks.  In the championship, the Shooting Stars downed All-Ohio Red to claim the title.  Top players in this division included: Richard Johnson, Joe Lewis III, Jeromy Ward, Trey Burke, and Jacob Forrest.

The 6th grade division was arguably the most competitive of the tournament and hosted 4 of the top ten teams in Ohio, and the top team in Kentucky.  The following teams were in the house: All-Ohio Westwood (Dayton), All-Ohio Red (Columbus), Kentucky Patriots, AAA Basketball (Akron), Hot Homes.com (Cleveland), Grant County All-Stars (Indiana) and All-Ohio White.  The old saying, "the cream always rises to the top," was confirmed by the competitiveness of the two semi-final games. In the first semi-final game, AAA Basketball defeated Hot Homes 36-27.  In the second semi-final game, All-Ohio Westwood had to come from behind to edge out the Patriots 59-58.  The game hinged on the stellar play of point guard Juwan Staten, who repeatedly attacked the basket and finished.  In the championship game, AAA Basketball outlasted All-Ohio Westwood.  Top Players in this division included: Deshan Montgomery, Jamon McClain, Juwan Staten, Derrick Jackson, Cameron Wright, Dakota Euton and Chad Jackson.

The 7th grade division proved to be the most interesting of the tournament.  The following teams participated: 6th grade Columbus Jaguars, All-Ohio Red, XBA, King James Shooting Stars, All-Ohio White and the Cincinnati Force. In the 1st semi-final game, the 6th graders staged, what was then, the biggest upset of the tournament with their 40-34 point victory over the 7th ranked Shooting Stars.  In the 2nd semi-final game, All-Ohio Red held off the Cincinnati Force to advance to the championship game.  The championship game provided one of the most unlikely upsets of the summer, as the #1 ranked 6th grade team in the state (Columbus Jaguars) held the lead the entire game to claim a 49-43 point upset victory over All-Ohio Red.  Top players included: Kevin Gray, Stevie Taylor, Alonza Street, Robbie Bridges and Colin Boone.

The 8th grade division hosted the following teams: All-Ohio Red, White and Black, N.W. All-Stars Toledo), King James Shooting Stars and W.V. Cougars.  In the 1st semi-final game, N.W. All-Stars defeated All-Ohio White.  In the second semi-final game, All-Red defeated All-Ohio Black by a score of 49-29. In the championship game the N.W. All-Stars claimed the championship over All-Ohio.  As the summer basketball season heads down the stretch, many of the teams in this tournament will be heading for national tournaments, and OPS will report on the results.