Adidas Super 64 - MN Results

The Adidas Super 64 is considered the top event in Las Vegas and several Minnesota teams took part this week. The Minnesota Pump N Run 17s, the Minnesota Comets 17s, and the 43 Hoops 16s all played well into the weekend reaching deep levels of tournament play.

Four of the top five 17 and Under AAU teams in Minnesota were in the Adidas Super 64 but only the Minnesota Pump N Run was invited to the 32 team Super Pool. What that meant is that they played games in their own division amongst numerous college coaches in the big gym and was given a bye into the top field of 64. The others had to win a berth through pool play to play in the top event.

The Minnesota Pump N Run went 2-1 in Super Pool play. Behind the 23 points from Carlos Emmory the Pumps beat Urban DFW Elite (Texas) 55-51. Later that night Emmory led the team again, this time with 15 points as the Pumps used a balanced effort to beat the KC Pump N Run 54-50. The Super Pool loss by the Pumps came at the hands of DC Assault who was led by the 19 points of 5-foot-8 guard Daryl Traynham. This game was even until Boston College commit Kevin Noreen fouled out.

The Pumps received a first round tournament bye and then beat Indiana Elite 61-57 to moved into the Sweet 16. Emmory produced 16 points Saturday night as the Pumps defeated the Las Vegas Prospects 57-51. Carlos continued his scoring surge in the Elite Eight when Minnesota handed New Heights of NYC a 77-74 defeat. Carlos rocked the rim for a total of 27 points. In the final four on Sunday Pump-N-Run lost to the New England Playaz 55-37.

Al Harris and his 43 Hoops 17s bunch were the only Minnesota team that joined the Pumps in the top division. 43 Hoops opened the event barely defeating 1 Tough School of Basketball 53-51. On Thursday the defense of 43 held the Arizona Stars to only 29 points as 43 Hoops doubled them up scoring 58 themselves. Brett Ervin led with 16 points. Finally, 43 Hoops won their pool by demolishing Valley Stars Pump N Run 77-34. Playing well and headed into bracket play 43 Hoops ran into a talented bunch of Philadelphia 2011 kids who make up the majority of the Team Philly 17s. Led by Ameen Tanksley and Jameer Hanner the Philly kids knocked 43 Hoops out in round one 40-35.

For the top Minnesota Comets team the pool play results were reported on during the week by Preps. They won their opener 94-84 over the KC Matrix behind the 23 points from Erik Tengwall. Later that night the Comets defeated the Abyssinian Crusaders 54-53 as Shaun Condon hit three free throws to win the game after time had expired. The Comets pitfall was to the Compton Magic 16s who defeated the Sota kids by ten points.

In Gold bracket play the Comets beat Colorado Select White 87-48 on Friday then defeated PAL of Delaware 76-69. Taylor Filipek scored a team high 16 points to earn the W. In the round of 16 the Comets beat the Florida Rams Blue team 61-53 as Condon and Filipek each led with 11. Alex Hanks turned up his play in the Elite Eight scoring 16 points leading the team over the Lakeshow 17s 69-62. In the final four Minnesota lost to the San Francisco Rebels 80-65. The Comets just couldn't contain Rashad Parker who went off for 30 points.

For the Minnesota Comets Elite second group coached by Ben Severs it was a rough group of pool play. This team had five of their regular members joined by Simon Krych of Holdingford, Jayme Moten of New London-Spicer, and Michael Lindsay of Becker. Despite the addition of talent the Comets were placed in a double tough pool and the results showed. The Comets lost by 26 to TMP, 35 to 2D1 Academy (Los Angeles area), and by a big margin to Net Gain.

All was not lost though as the block by six-footer Nolan Toft on seven-footer Anthony Diloreto was the talk of the game. As was the near jam by Luke Januschka on Sean Jensen. Januschka continued to raise his stock with his play in Vegas and area D2s are certainly going to take a look at this developing prospect. That same TMP team that beat the Comets also beat Net Gain knocking them from bracket play contention. In the victory Bruce Ellington scored 21 points for TMP. In a 88-77 win over the Derek Smith All-Stars West Cole Stefan dropped a game high 23 points.

The Comets Elite II was then beat 69-63 in a fun contest played against the Arizona Stars. This was the first round of Gold bracket play. The 28 points from Januschka was countered by the 18 from 2011 guard Jason Garretson.

Despite the fact that they have not played the Minnesota Pump n Run 16s I believe after this weekend it's even more clear that the 43 Hoops 16 and Under squad was the best 16s team from Minnesota this spring/summer. They had another tournament effort that was better than that of the Pump 16s as 43 went to the final four of bracket play where as the Pump 16s lost every game although three of them were by a combined five points.

Chris Carr's team opened the event with a 15-point win over the Galveston Hornets and a 20-point victory over the Dallas Mustangs White team. In pool play game number three Carr's team crushed Triple Threat (from California) 92-39. Round of 64 play began on Friday when Carr's group throttled KC-ACT Rebels 69-43 and then defeated Compton Magic-Results 78-36. In the round of 16 Carr's team was victorious 60-58 over DC Assault but lost to Indiana Elite 63-62 in the quarterfinals.

The Minnesota Pump N Run 16s were tripped up in their fist game by the Utah Pump N Run 52-50 on a buzzer beating tip-in and were then beaten by HP Elite (from Louisiana) 54-42. The Pumps would lose again to Indiana Elite Friday morning and on Friday night the Pumps were knocked out of the event in round one by Team Phenom.