Boston Warriors Take Two AAU Titles in July

New England Recruiting Report | Saturday, August 8th, 2009

In the last week of July both the Boston Warriors u17 team and their u12 team earned medals at national AAU tournaments.  The 17’s took the title in the copper bracket of the AU Super Showcase in Orlando, Florida, while just four days earlier the Warriors 12’s won the classic bracket at the Division II AAU Nationals. 

The u17 Boston Warriors North team headed to the Super Showcase riding a wave of momentum after a strong performance at the Summer Classic East in the first half of the month, which included wins over the New Jersey Playaz and defending champions Juice. 

At the Super Showcase, the Warriors dropped the first 2 games in pool play by a total of 5 points, while playing without some of their key players.  The team finally got to full strength for the final game of pool play and that’s where they began their run against the Gulf Coast Rams. 

Finishing 3rd in their pool, the team was placed in the Copper Bracket and matched up with a strong Team Florida opponent in the opening round of bracket play.  But behind the outside game of Jasper Grassa and Jeff Tagger and the inside production of Youri Darcy, the Warriors won 78 - 70.

In the round of 16, it was a rematch of quarterfinals at the Providence Jamfest versus the NJ Shoreshots Select. This time Akeem Williams was unstoppable and the Boston Warriors avenged the previous loss by 10 (66-56).

After a sluggish first half in the quarterfinals, James Stukes (Winchendon) and Dan Brooks stepped up their game and took the ball to the basket on a regular basis and the Warriors took out All Ohio Force 64-55.

The semi-finals were a track meet from the opening minute as the Warriors faced the Memphis Stallions and Chris Jones (a top 100 ranked player in the national class of 2011).  Grassa and Derek Retos formed a lethal three-point shooting tandem while Stukes continued to drive the ball to the rim to help the Warriors push the lead to double figures on more than one occasion.  But the Stallions never gave up and cut the lead to 2 in the final moments.  But Alex Kershaw stepped up and made big plays on both ends of the court down the stretch to lead the Warriors to an 89-85 win.  Jones led all scorers with 47 points and Grassa led the Warriors with 29 points.

In the finals the Warriors faced the New Jersey Roadrunner and one of the nation’s top guards Kyrie Irving.  With Coach K and the Duke staff seated at mid court of the Milk House as well as numerous other major college coaches in attendance, the Warriors took control of the game in the early stages with the long range shooting of Retos, Tagger and Grassa while Brooks, Darcy and Stukes controlled the glass.

Throughout the game, the Roadrunners made numerous comeback attempts only to be stifled by the Warriors’ depth.  Ultimately, the Warriors came away with a 68-60 win and the title in the copper bracket. 

The Warriors’ 17u North team was comprised of Tagger (Taft), Grassa (Lynn Classical), Retos (Brimmer & May), Dascy (St. Andrews), Joey Vasquez (Snowden), Andrew Gosselin (St. Bernards), Kershaw (Tilton), Brooks (Catholic Memorial), Williams, Stukes, Mike Accaoui & AJ West (Winchendon).

Stay tuned to our Junior Elite headlines later this week for the story on the Warriors’ u12 title at division II nationals.