Event Preview: KBC Hoops The Journey

This weekend at the Kentucky Basketball Commission in Lexington, KBC is hosting a first-time AAU event called The Journey. The event features 15 teams in the 17u division, 10 teams in the 16u division and 13 teams in 15u. There are age groups all the way down to 12u but for our purposes, we will only be looking at the high school age divisions. Here's a look at the top teams and pool play games in each age division. There are multiple out of state teams in the event but our focus (as always) is on Kentucky teams and Kentucky kids.

15u Age Group:

Best Pool Play Game - Manimal Elite vs Team Thad (11:10 am Saturday)

Team Thad is one of the premier programs in the state of Tennessee and Manimal Elite has the best 15u team in Kentucky. Led by James Jewell, Justin Becker and Turner Buttry, Manimal has a loaded squad. Thad fell in the finals of last weekend's Battle of the Bayou. 

Players to watch: Hagan Harrison (Montgomery County/Louisville Magic), Cole Shumate (Boone County/Louisville Magic), Jaxon Smith (Lincoln County/D1), Brandon Rayzer-Moore (Jeffersontown/Manimal Elite), Shyheim Drew (Dunbar/M.A.T.T.S. Mustangs)

16u Age Group:

Best Pool Play Game - Louisville Prospects vs M.A.T.T.S. Mustangs (8:55 pm Saturday)

The Prospects narrowly missed beating Manimal Elite 16u last weekend in Bardstown and are more than capable of knocking off the Mustangs. Spencer County's Sam Conley and Jake Whitlock  taking on Ben Johnson and Scotty Draud show be a great perimeter match-up. 

Players to watch: Isaiah Mason (Bowling Green/Manimal Elite), DaShawn Jackson (Frederick Douglass/Manimal Elite), DeAjuan Stepp (Charlotte Court/West Jessamine), Trevor Hardin (Henry County/Louisville Prospects), Devin Perry (Central/M.A.T.T.S. Mustangs)

17u Age Group:

Best Pool Play Game - Technically not a pool play game but Manimal Elite vs Team Thad in a showcase game (6:45 pm Saturday)

This game will be full of talent and both teams will be looking for a big win to take momentum into the first weekend of their shoe circuit next weekend. Kenny White and Marques Warrick are a tough wing duo to watch for Manimal.

Players to watch: Brayden Sebastian (Garrard County/Iam3rd Ice), Zeke Grier (Lexington Christian/Iam3rd Ice) Noah Courtney (Male/ManimalElite), Ray Surratt (Lafayette/Cky Magic) Zak Perdew (Louisville Prospects), Jabari Kyle (Middlesboro/Manimal Elite-EKY), Terrin Hamilton (Scott County/M.A.T.T.S. Mustangs), Matt Cromer (South Laurel/M.A.T.T.S. Mustangs)

Championship Bracket play and Gold Bracket play gets underway on Sunday morning with all champions being crowned by Sunday evening.