Years of Team Play took BBA Force a Long Way
BBA Force is a rapidly growing Grassroots basketball program and their 17U club just finished a standout year in the Midwest. Coach Terry Bartlett caught up with PHD to highlight the year and honor his players after a nice four…
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Continue ReadingBBA Force is a rapidly growing Grassroots basketball program and their 17U club just finished a standout year in the Midwest. Coach Terry Bartlett caught up with PHD to highlight the year and honor his players after a nice four month run.
The BBA 17U team finished the year 27-8 (I was one game off in the rankings), champions of their division in the All-Iowa Attack Super 16, runner up in the Mr. Basketball event locally, and played consistently all season.
What Coach Bartlett was really happy with was the competition the kids faced on a regular basis and how they performed consistently against it.
“The competition on the road; especially in Ames, Chicago, Lawrence, and then at the Pentagon here in Sioux Falls, was tremendous,” said Bartlett. “We really gained a lot of respect for programs across Mid-America and look forward to seeing our kids compete in their final high school seasons and then on to college.”
This BBA Force team was special to the program because they were the first to stay together and compete through the years at the different age levels (15u, 16u, 17u, etc).
“Senior year summer ball can present a lot of challenges, and I was really proud of how the group that traveled to the season-ending tournament in Wichita came together and battled against all odds, going 3-1 “dinged up” and low in numbers,” Bartlett told PHD.
“Moments of triumph through the season were “little” things, instances when I had a chance to experience and recognize what great kids we have involved in our program. This group of 17’s is the first to really complete the process with us from freshman year (some even longer) on through. I know that every single one of these guys could go and be a tremendous asset to a college program.”
What PHD has always noticed was how well this group of BBA Force kids played together as a unit. They are a team that moved the ball, found the right shot on most possessions, each guy knew their role, and they all competed hard.
“The BBA Force 17’s grew up from boys, to young men, into men right before my eyes,” Bartlett said. “I know that they will be successful in the future because they do things the right way. They are competitors to the bone, dedicated, they persevere, and they are quality human beings. I am so proud to have had this bunch of fellas pass through BBA as a part of their journey. They will forever have my gratitude and respect.
The team has a long list of standout competitors. Jayden Burggraff (Tri-Valley) is one that everybody on the team wanted to mention when we talked to them because of his acceptance of his role and his willingness to fight within that role.
Justis Clayton (Harrisburg) and Sam Arend (Bridgewater-Emery) are two players that showed they are better than we had thought they were especially the way Clayton competed at the end of the year. Will Steineke (Tri-Valley) was the tough guy in the middle, Carson Coulter (SF Lincoln) was the pace pushing attacker, and Joey Messler (SF O’Gorman) really impressed us with his versatility.
Wil Johnson (Harrisburg) and Ethan Freidel (Tea) formed one of the toughest backcourts to face in the Midwest. Freidel was easily one of the best shooters we saw all of this past spring and summer and Johnson’s mindset of determination to make big plays left an impression. Add in the versatile Dejay Fykstra (SF Christian) who can do just about anything a coach asks of him on either end and you had a team that was very fun to watch.
All of these talents meshed well together to play team basketball and that was Coach Bartlett’s focus.
“One of the primary “needs” we identified for our guys to do well now and in the future was to learn how to communicate,” said Bartlett. “They all got to the gym and worked their skills, they all are good athletes and smart kids.
“One of the most difficult things to teach players who want to go to the next level is the importance of communication and leadership. From point, to off-guard, to wing, to post, all the guys learned how to “talk” and did a great job on the court and in the huddle. I am much more confident now than ever in the fact that if college coaches bring them on, they will have what it takes to contribute to a winning team.”
And that is what college coaches talk about often. What they have to teach players when they first come to campus. Do they have to teach them the value of defensive talk and do they have to teach them positioning in team defense. The BBA kids have an understanding going forward. And it’s something that has made Coach Bartlett proud.
“We want to congratulate our first “full” class of BBA alumni, these 17’s, who will graduate in 2017. Very blessed to have had the opportunity to work with them and we thank their parents and family members for their sacrifice and support on behalf of the fellas.”