Team Thad 17u Title Run
The golden-emblazoned Team Thad 17u hoopers will leave Las Vegas tonight with a Fab 48-Invite Championship trophy.
Head Coach Norton Hurd IV, point guard Tyler Harris and the squad crushed through the competition, winning eight straight games to wrap up an exceedingly successful July 2017.
“But the title run was a big one, to go 8-0 in the tournament was big time,” said Team Thad guard Trenton Gibson. “It took everyone coming together being unselfish and when players do that it gives the team an opportunity to do something very special!”
Earlier this week Team Thad skirted through their pool play 3-0. They defeated three decent teams by a combined 14 points.
The 86-80 win over UA3-Grind took some doing.
Thursday night Team Thad 17u knocked off L.A. Rockfish, 69-65.
Friday witnessed the third pool victory, another narrow win this time over Georgia Tornadoes.
Last day of aau season, most teams are done but Team Thad still standing and competing for a championship! #SpecialSeason#TTN#🏆chasing 🙏🏾🙌🏾
— Norton Hurd 4th (@DreamBigHurd) July 30, 2017
Bracket play actually wasn’t filled with the same challenges as pool play. Also, Team Thad 17u started to cruise and embrace the glamorous, coach-filled games.
The final four battle with Earl Watson Elite featured an epic clash of bigs. EWE 17u has two HM frontcourt players (Miles Norris-Oregon and Riley Batin). Tyler Harris scored 18 points in the 62-58 win and Robert Woodard scored 15 points. The win advanced Team Thad into the Fab 48 (Invite Division) Championship game.
NY Rens were not the same match for Team Thad and the feisty Tennessee team burst out to a lead early. They lead 35-28 by halftime and continued to pull away. NY Rens began the month poorly, but clawed their way back and surged into the finale.
Team Thad’s cohesive unit was too much.
Vital Addition
With a smoothly operating team filled with talented guards and wings, Team Thad brought on another big in Robert Woodard (MS) for the Fab 48. Team Thad’s frontline generally included Javian Fleming (MS) and Rodgerick Brown (TN), but lacked post depth.
If everyone is playing their natural position, Brown would operate as a wing. True big Javian Fleming was a huge addition earlier in the AAU season. He netted numerous HM offers playing meaningful minutes and capped it all off with a strong final July week.
“It was huge and a big event for me and the team,” said Fleming. “I played well and of course the team did because we won.”
Woodard’s size (230+) really offered the quick, trapping team a different element.
Woodard averaged 10+ rebounds per game, hauling in everything in his orbit. With Woodard on the floor it allowed Rodgerick to gamble more on shot-blocking. He could also slide a little further from the lane to close driving lanes.
Fleming was integral too. Without the Mississippians Team Thad would have been a litter of speedy, disruptive guards struggling to rebound.
https://twitter.com/Jay0__/status/891813939352399873
Cordova Crown Princes
While the end of AAU might mark the end of an era, Tyler Harris and Rodgerick Brown inflicted a lot of damage across America and the state of Tennessee the last couple years.
Harris earned Fab48 MVP with several sparkling performances in front of dozens of HM college coaches. Ole Miss, Iowa State, Cincinnati, Wichita State, Mississippi State are clawing for Harris to join their program.
Iowa State is the only D1 program to already official host Harris. He could attract more offers in the coming days, but remember Rodgerick Brown and the Shockers are hoping to continue the proven duo that is Brown/Harris.
In the coming hours many Team Thad members will get the reap the rewards of a Fab 48 victory run. Pats on the back, social media love is relatively fleeting. What matters most is the offers and official visit invitations.
College basketball remains the path to the NBA and these guys all want to get there.