DISTRICT HEIGHTS, Md. – It doesn’t matter if it’s the NBA, Major League Basketball or a girls AAU tournament during a summer evaluation period. When it comes to the playoffs, where teams have the option of winning or going home, that is when the real fun begins.
Down in the Washington, D.C. area is no different as the U.S. Junior Nationals will move into the single-elimination playoffs beginning with the round of 16 at 6 p.m. with those winners playing again at 9 p.m. at the Capital Sports Complex. The semifinals and final are slated for Monday back at Capital Sports. Round of 16 pairings are below.
Philadelphia Belles 17 Nike Elite vs. Pa. Comets, winner plays winner of Blue Star Maryland vs. NJ Sparks Blue Star Elite; Cy-Fair Nike Elite vs. Boo Williams 16s, winner plays winner of Midwest Elite Platinum vs. Spiece Lady Gym Rats 17 Red; Sports City U vs. CSS Bisons, winner plays winner of Fairfax Stars 16s Nike vs. Wiggins Wave 17s; Arizona Warriors vs. SC 76ers, winner plays winner of Georgia Metros vs. NJ Demons.
I have maintained throughout the last two days that the two best platinum teams at this event have been Midwest Elite Platinum, which is the defending USJN champion, and Cy-Fair. Should both teams win their respective round of 16 contests, the two Nike-funded squads will have a showdown on Court 2 at Capital Sports for the right to advance to Monday morning’s semifinals.
Midwest Elite Platinum has gotten a strong tournament thus far from Notre Dame commit Jewell Loyd, who has seemed to come up with big shots and big plays whenever her team has needed them. There is good depth behind her with 6-foot-2 star junior Taya Reimer and 6-foot-3 junior Jacqui Grant doing the heavy lifting on the blocks.
For Cy-Fair, head coach Katie Hensle’s squad survived a 1-point scare from the South Carolina 76ers in pool play on Friday, but has otherwise rolled through USJN with a cast that features four Division I recruits leading maybe the deepest bench at the event.
If this matchup of grassroots heavyweights does indeed come to pass, you can expect a throng of fans and college coaches watching. If you don’t know where Court 2 is, all you’ll have to do is listen for the loud cheering and shouting. It’s really that simple.
