MESA, AZ — The West Coast Elite Under Armour Association (UAA) Southern California-based 17s squad improved to 4-0 Saturday with back-to-back victories during the second day of UA Next, Session 1, at the 16-court Legacy Sports Complex.
Six-foot-five Vyctorius Miller continued to demonstrate why he’s rated one of the top backcourt prospects in the national Class of 2024 and he and his teammates edged Indiana’s Grand Park Premier (75-71) and Tennessee’s BMaze Elite (59-39) to move on top of the UA Pool D standings.
Miller (pictured) & Co. will try to make it a Session 1 sweep when they take on 3-1 Canada Elite at 1 o’clock Sunday afternoon on Court 7 in the Legacy Center.
Session II for the UAA squads is next weekend in South Carolina’s Rock Hill Sports Center, the second and final weekend of grassroots boys’ basketball recruiting of the spring that the NCAA allows its memberships coaching staffs to evaluate in person.
The WCE 16s UAA squad, after a couple of overpowering Friday victories, dropped tight contest against D.C. Premier, 73-64, and Team Curry (as in “Steph Curry, face Under Armour basketball apparel”), 70-66.
The 16s (with a roster that includes 6-foot-3 junior-to-be Angelino Mark, a key contributor to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame’s California State Division I title run) are back it Sunday morning at 11:45, on Court 8, playing Florida’s SOH Elite while attempting to improve to 3-2 in Pool D.
And the 15s squad (Northern California-based players plus standout freshman guard James Croy of Riverside Poly) improved to 2-1 with Saturday wins over Kansas City Run GMC, 54-40, and Middlesex Magic (from Massachusetts), 77-65.
That team closes its Session I schedule Sunday morning at 8 o’clock when it takes on New York’s 2-1 Riverside Hawks.
West Coast Elite — the flagship western program on the UAA circuit — has also been the “host” for the “Cactus Classic” this weekend at multiple sites in Phoenix and surrounding communities, with programs not part of the UAA and UA “Rise” sessions.
Among that event’s sites Sunday is Inspire Courts (in Gilbert), where multiple “Super Showcase” games will be played before NCAA-affiliated coaches have to depart the gyms as the spring’s first NCAA-approving “viewing period” ends at 5 p.m.
Included will be a national “East vs. West” Junior/Community College All-Star clash at 4 o’clock on Court 4.
Many of the “still-available” sophomores will trying to impress college coaches still trying to replenish their rosters for the 2023-24 season — many of those of which, no doubt, need to replace athletes lost thru the NCAA’s “Transfer Portal”.
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