Nashville, TN – The AAU completed their first season of 3on3 youth competitions crowning three age group champions during course of their two-day National Championships at the A-Game facility with the U18 finalists qualifying for the USA Basketball U18 finals next spring in Colorado Springs, CO.
The finals in Nashville was the conclusion of the AAU’s first venture into the FIBA 3X world of youth 3×3 with their exclusive 3on3AAU girl’s national competition platform. The platform authorized by the Girls AAU National Basketball committee was set up for Districts to hold their own qualifiers and championships with the winner attending the 3on3 AAU Nationals.
Winning the U18 Senior Division was Team Apex featuring players from Georgia, Alabama and Florida with 2019 USA Basketball gold medal winner Raven Johnson playing this year for Team Apex. Last spring, Johnson was a part of the BlueStar30-FBC team to win the USA Basketball 3X3 championship in Colorado Springs, CO. Johnson was a part of a new group with Team Apex since the other members of her gold medal team aged out of the competition for 2020.
Team Apex comprised of Johnson, Sara Puckett, Sania Feagin, Ta’Nyia Latson and Janiah Barker beat upset finalists Team Sol Maclin in the finals 17-10. Team Sol Maclin with Makayla Artis, Sydneey Boykin, Le-Vana Pridgen and Nariah Nicholson got to the finals upsetting Hoopsville SC76ers 10th grade 15-9 in the semifinals. Hoopsville was lead by two BlueStar30s in Milaysai Fulwiley, Ashlyn Watkins with Keona Curtis, Tyra Myers and Anala Nelson.
The U16 Middle School Division was captured by the younger set of Hoopsville SC76ers 8th grade group with Skyla Tuthill, Raina Curry, Alana Hankerson, Alyssa Hankerson and Terrianna Gray who beat Alabama Southern Stars Ellis 15-9 in the final who had Jada Bates, Katelyn Brown, Alexus Hammock, Andrea Flores and Charleee Ellis.
The younger U12 division comprised of Elementary level players was won between two program team with Team Soar Yellow beating Team Soar in close finals, 6-5. Team Soar Yellow had Jenna Howell, Sydney Threewitt, Jillian Waterman and Khloe Milam while Team Soar has Reagan Mulligan, Teagan Deering, Ansley Dunn and Isabel Fountain on their rosters.
One of the rising stars of the 3on3 AAU event was U14 Middle School standout Lauren Hassell who made her impact during the 3on3 event.
The AAU is the first national basketball organization outside of USA Basketball in the United States to complete a season of competition with a National Championship final that is both FIBA3X3 and USAB3X3 sanctioned. All players who competed in the 3on3AAU Finals all completed their FiBA 3X3 profile and collected points for playing.
The schedule is set for the 2nd annual 3on3AAU Championships to be held again at the A-Game facility in Nashville, TN on the weekend of September 26-27, 2020. State Invitationals and National Qualifiers will be held the weekends of August 22-23, 29-30 and September 5-6.
