BABC Takes 10th Grade National Championship

New England Recruiting Report | Saturday, July 30th, 2011

BABC defeated Nike EYBL rival Team Takeover from Washington D.C. on Saturday to win the AAU 10th grade national championship for the second consecutive year. 

BABC’s run to the final wasn’t an easy one as they entered Friday’s quarterfinals having played five games in 24 hours but nonetheless scored wins over Gardner Road and Ohio Varsity to advance to Saturday’s championship game. 

While Nerlens Noel continued to anchor the team defensively, Andrew Chrabascz emerged as an offensive star this week, dropping 26 points on the CP3 All-Stars and another 25 in a quarterfinal win over Gardner Road.  Jaylen Brantley and Rene Castro continued to lead the way in the backcourt with Brantley going for 15 against Gardner Road and Castro getting 10 against Ohio while Wayne Selden continued to show his star power in stretches. 

Noel has been his normal versatile self, putting up 13 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 5 assists in the quarterfinals and 8, 7, and 7 in the semis. 

But this championship was the product of a complete team effort as program founder and head coach Leo Papile gave credit to his second unit of Goodluck Okonoboh, Bonzie colson, Tyrese Hoxter, Jherson Colon, and Jonathan Joseph for stepping up to earn a hard fought win over Team CBIZ earlier in the tournament.

By the time Saturday’s final rolled around both BABC and Team Takeover were running only on fumes and the final score reflects that much as BABC held on for a 30-29 win in an extremely low scoring game. 

Castro scored a team high 9 points while Noel added 6 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks. 

Incredibly, the score was just 15-10 at halftime with BABC looking noticeably tired and trailing, but the third quarter was the turning point in the game as the boys from Boston put together a 15-5 run capped by Hoxler’s buzzer beating three-pointer. 

The national championship punctuates what has been an absolutely incredible summer for Papile’s BABC.  They began the month by taking the AAU 9th grade national championship, followed that up with the title at Nike’s EYBL Peach Jam, and earned silver medals earlier this week at both the 9th and 11th grade Super Showcases before winning their second consecutive national championship in the 10th grade division. 

The sophomore team finishes their season with a perfect 30-0 record and scores BABC’s 26th national championship in the process.