URBANA, Ill. – Members of the Illinois Lady Predators 12-and-under girls’ basketball team have another year before they can make their high school varsity debuts.

The players on coach Gregg Lowis’ team are all incoming eighth-graders.

Their youthfulness isn’t stopping them from having success.

The Predators won their seventh AAU tournament of the summer on Sunday, taking their age bracket in the 14^th-annual USJN Mid-America Challenge at Urbana High School. They handled the Indiana-based Sky Diggs team 67-51 in the championship game to complete a 5-0 sweep of games during the two-day event.

“Four of them I’ve had since kindergarten and they’ve all been together since fourth grade,” Lowis said.

They may remain teammates indefinitely. Lowis indicated that at least seven of his 10-member squad plan to enroll in high school at Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin.

His team was dominant in the tourney’s final day, posting a 56-18 semifinal win over the Heart of Illinois Red 11-and-under team. In the first four tournament games, the Predators nailed 33 three-pointers.

“All my girls can shoot and I give them the green light,” Lowis said.

Sofia Lowis, the coach’s daughter, and Haylee Sagle both drained a pair of three-pointers in the semis and totaled 12 points, as did teammate Jillian Hulcher.

Often, the Predators play in an older age division.  For their first USJN tournament of the season, Gregg Lowis said, “we decided to play our age and see where we’re at.”

Without a doubt, he liked the view from the top.

EXPERIENCED YOUNGSTERS

Troy Dowell isn’t concerned about his Heart of Illinois 16-and-under girls’ basketball team playing opponents similar in age.

His eight-player roster features six athletes who will be high school sophomores in August.

With a rousing 50-49 win over the Illinois Rockets 17-and-under team on Sunday, Dowell’s team finished play in the USJN Mid-America Challenge with a 2-2 record. The Rockets’ roster listed six players who are rising seniors.

“A lot of our girls have already played a fair amount of varsity,” Dowell said. “We need to prep them for the exposure events that are coming in July.”

Dowell’s daughter, Tenley, sealed the final-game win by hitting 2-of-2 free throws with 10 seconds remaining to end the game’s scoring. Teammate Maddy Cash hit 14 of her game-high 18 points during the second half, including three three-pointers.

“She’s a gamer and turned the tide down the stretch,” Troy Dowell said.

Tenley Dowell is accustomed to playing in spotlight games. As a freshman last winter, she was a starter for Morton High School’s Class 3A Illinois state champions. At 5-foot-7, she has attracted interest from Indiana, Marquette and Wisconsin, among others.

The Heart of Illinois athletes couldn’t complain about lack of playing time during the two-day event. The tem didn’t have more than six players at any of its games. Yet they had enough stamina and endurance to overcome a nine-point deficit against the Rockets in the final four minutes.

“That’s the type of effort we’ve had four consecutive games,” Troy Dowell said. “There’s no quit in them. They are a joy to coach.”

FIRST-TIME CHAMPIONS

A tournament title wasn’t a goal coach Cary Chandler established before bringing his Indiana Flight 13-and-under team to the two-day USJN Mid-America Challenge, which was held at various locations throughout Champaign County.

“This is a first-year team, my first year on the AAU circuit and every game is a new experience,” Chandler said.

The Flight scored the first 14 points of the second half to expand a one-point cushion en route to a 52-39 triumph over the Illinois Lady Lightning 13-and-under team.

Chandler, a high school principal at Fairland, Ind., claims he’s not the same coach as he was during a 20-year career working with high school boys.

“I’m less intense,” he said, “but they (the girls) think I am very intense.”

His first venture coaching girls has been a rewarding one. Sunday’s championship-game appearance was the second in a row for Chandler’s team.

“Girls want to try and do what you ask them to do,” he said. “Girls listen so much better. It’s not even close. If you set your expectations and hold to them, the girls will rise to them. I’m happy with the progress we’ve made.”

Three players scored in double figures against the Lightning, led by 16 points from Tia Tolbert. Pa’shence Traylor-Walker had 11 points and Chandler’s daughter, Maya, totaled 10.

Traylor-Walker has a sister (Kayanna) at Purdue and Cary Chandler believes the incoming eighth-grader has potential to play at the Division I level.

“She is dynamic,” Cary Chandler said. “If she engages mentally, the sky is the limit for her.”

PROGRAM PLAYERS

The Mac Irvin Fire AAU program annually produces a long list of players who receive all-state accolades in Illinois.

Among those in this year’s graduating class are two future Ohio State University teammates, Tori McCoy, from Champaign St. Thomas More, and Kiara Lewis, from Chicago Whitney Young.

The program’s reputation encourages other budding prospects to look into the Fire, where they will develop while participating in elite tournaments against quality competition.

“We have expanded,” Mac Irvin said. “We have players from everywhere. Girls want to play and be like them (McCoy and Lewis).”

The Mac Irvin Fire 15-and-under Black team has representatives from Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, as well as a Downstate player from Urbana, rising junior Lauryn Cross.

“As we go on, she’ll reach the type of level she needs to reach,” Irvin said. “She needs another level intensity-wise.”

The youthful Fire team played in a bracket with 17-and-under competition, finishing with a 2-2 record following a 44-36 loss on Sunday to the Illinois Rockets 17-and-under squad.

“Lauryn is one of those kids who’ve played varsity (as a sophomore), but is still on a 15u team,” Irvin said. “That’s why we don’t mind playing 17u teams.”

Irvin describes his 15-and-under team as “talented,” but said many eyes will be focused on his 13-and-under unit. “Our 13u team is one of the best in the county,” he said.

NOT RATTLED

The team name is Indiana Lady Getshook.

Don’t believe it, at least not for coach Steve Helm’s 17-and-under team.

In a Sunday game against the Indiana NWI Thunder White, Getshook surged into a quick 12-1 lead. By the time all but 3 minutes of regulation was completed, the Thunder held a four-point lead (53-49).

Getshook tallied the final four points of regulation followed by the first five points in overtime and secured a 60-55 triumph to complete tournament play with a 2-2 record. Mallory Vernon scored four points during the 9-0 run and then drained two free throws with 22 seconds left after the Thunder had pulled within three points.

“That shows the resilience of our team,” Helm said. “We got into overtime and that gave us a lift again. We were able to regain our composure.”

Two Getshook teams participated in the USJN event held in Champaign County. The 14-and-under squad features 6-foot-1 sophomores to be Emma and Sophia Nolan, twins who have already received scholarship offers from their hometown university, Valparaiso.

The summer tournaments are an opportunity for other players from the program’s two teams to be scouted by college coaches.

“Some of our kids are from smaller schools and don’t get a lot of exposure,” Helm said.  “This (level) gives them good competition and the chance to be seen by coaches. We have kids who can play NAIA or Division III.”

DOUBLE WORKLOAD

Derek James was one of the tournament’s busiest coaches.

His Illinois Predators 17-and-under Marvel team played four games and finished with an even split. When his squad concluded tournament play, it was time for James to work at his regular job.

He is the women’s basketball head coach at MacMurray College, in Jacksonville, Ill. He watched other games to see if he could locate some potential recruits.

Since he knows what it takes for players to get to the next level, that’s the area of focus in the two years James has worked with AAU teams.

“It’s not all about winning,” he said, “but building them, teaching them to work as a team. We stress attitude, staying positive. We focus on skill work, honing in on your strengths and working on your weaknesses.”

In a 49-44 conquest of the Illinois Evolution 16-and-under White team, Megan Price scored 13 points and Shayne Smith hit 12. Both guards are rising seniors.

“A lot of our kids are from programs where they had to do a lot on their own,” James said. “We teach them to play together. They’ve been very coachable.”

HOMETOWN PROUD

In an event which attracted teams from six states, the Champaign Lady Heat 16-and-under team went unbeaten in first-day action, topping three opponents.  Twelve of the 14 squad members on coach Charlie Due’s team attend high school in Champaign County.

A Parkland College student who is also the freshman baseball coach at Champaign Central, Due said, “I didn’t expect to have the talent I did,” in his rookie season coaching girls’ basketball.

He hadn’t seen any of the girls play prior to tryouts in March, but quickly discovered, “there’s a lot of talent in this town, and my goal is to get as many to the next level as I can.”

The Heat trailed the Romeoville Lightning 17-and-under team, 39-30, at halftime and was still behind with 5 1/2minutes to play. Fess Hawkins and Erica Williams scored six points apiece down the stretch as the Heat went on a game-ending 17-8 run to pull out a 66-58 victory.

“That second half was the best we’ve played all year,” Due said. “In the first half, we played zone and they were killing us on the threes. We came out (the second half) in man, put the pressure on and the girls really battled.”

Due doesn’t plan on being a short-term coach.

“It’s in my blood,” he said, “and it’s in my future.”

A REGIONAL TEAM

The Indiana Elite Swish 17-and-under team has a 10-player roster, but those athletes attend high school in three different states: Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.

Practice is a tricky thing for head coach Johnny Bartley.

“Usually once a week,” he said.

It helps that many of his players have been with him for three years and “it’s easier because they know what to expect,” Bartley said. “I get them to play together and trust each other.”

He has a Murray State University commit on his team (Emma Johnson) and knowledge of what college coaches are seeking.

“I asked a college coach when they recruit, what they look for,” Bartley said.

The response was simple. “In high school (games) it’s how well they get along with teammates and their character,” Bartley related, “and in AAU, it’s how good they are against physical talent every night.”

His team rebounded from a 10-point halftime deficit to edge the Illinois Hoop Dreams 17-and-under Elite team, 55-53, in a first-day tournament encounter.

“This is our fourth tourney of the year and we’ve gotten better at each tourney,” Bartley said.

One of the catalysts was senior-to-be Alexis Thomas, whose schools of interest include Southeast Missouri State.

“We have kids who can play and tournaments like this get them exposure they wouldn’t get in high school basketball,” Bartley said.

BALANCING ACT

Joby Crum coaches an Illinois Predators 17-and-under team which will take a break from games during the month of June as squad members compete with their high school teams.

That doesn’t mean Crum will be heading out on vacation soon.

One week ago, he was named the boys’ basketball head coach at Springfield (Ill.) High School. In June, he will work with his high school team during the 25 contact days allowed by the state association.

He anticipates a large turnout.

“We had 33 at our first open gym last Friday,” Crum said.

His girls’ AAU team will return to action during the July evaluation period. Many of his athletes are already on the radar for college coaches, including Brandi Bisping who has earned all-state recognition in both basketball and volleyball.

Raina Gully has been approached by Ivy League universities, Sydney Diekhoff has interest from Bradley and Illinois State University, while Marquette and St. Bonaventure are among the courters for Angela Perry.

“Perry (6-foot-3) has good hands, range up to 20 feet and is able to control the glass,” Crum said. “Her footwork is pretty good. She needs to get stronger.”

Crum, meanwhile, has no plans to give up one of his coaching gigs.

“I’d like to do both,” he said.