BYU Targets Prepare for Postseason
State Tournament Championships Up For Grabs
Cameron Holmes (6’5” Goodyear, AZ, Millennium) and his Millennium teammates celebrated Wednesday after winning the first round of the AIA State Tournament. Arizona is unique in that if Millennium wins their next game, they’ll advance to the quarter finals of the open tournament, but if they lose, they’ll play in the 6A classification tournament. Let’s take a look at the post season paths of some other BYU targets.
EYBL Conference Tournament
Junior County (6’4”, Highland, UT, Wasatch Academy)
Miikka Muurinen (6’9” Jarvenpass, Finland, AZ Compass Prep)
County and Muurinen’s teams are part of the NIKE EYBL Scholastic Conference. A national group of 14 teams participating in events nationwide. The top ten teams will face off in a season ending conference tournament in Fishers, Indiana on March 5-8. County’s Wasatch Academy team is currently sitting in third place, but could tie for first place in the regular season with a victory this weekend over current number one CIA Bella Vista. Murinan’s Arizona Compass Prep is in the clubhouse in ninth place. They won their final three of the season and in the first round would likely face Link Academy whom they beat by 17 on February 7th.
Utah 5A State Tournament
Chamberlain Burgess (6’9” Highland, UT, Orem)
Dean Rueckert (6’6” Provo, UT, Timpview)
Jamyn Sondrup (6’9”, Springville, UT, Springville)
The second biggest classification in Utah boasts three players BYU has interest in. All three were in the same region during the season, with Burgess’ Orem team beating Timpview twice and Springville once. Orem secured the number one seed for the tournament. Timpview beat Springville the only time they played and earned the three seed. Springville got the seventh seed. Springville could potentially play Timpview on February 26th with the winner potentially playing Orem in the State Championship game on February 28th at the University of Utah.
The Grind Session
A.J. Dybansta (6’9” Brockton, MA, Utah Prep)
Xavion Staton (6’10” Las Vegas, NV, Utah Prep)
Ikenna Alozie (6’2” Glendale, AZ, Dream City Christian)
Anthony Felesi (6’5”, Orem, UT, Utah Prep)
Arafan Diane (6’11”, Montreal, QC, Iowa United Prep)
The Grind Session has three weekends remaining before beginning postseason play. They’ll be in Philadelphia this weekend, Napa, California next weekend before making a stop in Jamaica. The first round and quarterfinals will be held March 14 and 16 in Salt Lake City. The semi finals and finals will be held the following weekend in Dallas. If the tournament were to start today, Alozie’s Dream City Christian team would get the two seed and likely a first round bye. Utah Prep would get the sixth seed and play Accelerated Prep who they beat by nearly 40 in November. Arafan’s Iowa United squad would get the five seed and play Balboa, who they beat by 22 in November.
Individuals
Austin Goosby (6’4”, Melissa, TX, Melissa)
Goosby’s Melissa High team qualified for the 5A Division 1 Texas State Tournament, but fell in the first round 57-42 to Lufkin High.
Darius Bivins (5’10” Alexandria, VA, Bishop O’Connell)
Bishop O’Connell begins play in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Tournament on Saturday. In the first round they’ll face St. Johns, who O’Connell beat by 5 both times they played this summer. If they win, they would likely face Paul VI, who beat O’Connell by 12 the only time they played this season on February 8th. After the conference tournament, O’Connell will play in the Virginia Division 1 State Tournament.
Jeremy Jenkins (6’7” Miami, FL, Riviera Prep)
Last night Riviera Prep defeated Miami Country Day to advance to the semi finals of the Florida 2A State Tournament. Riviera Prep has won the 3A State Tournament the previous two years.
Darius Ratliff (6’11”, White Plains, NY, Archbishop Stepinac)
Stepinac will face St. Raymonds in the Bronx/Manhatten Archdiocesan Final on Saturday. Stepinac beat Raymond twice during the season, both by single digits. After the final, Stepinac will play in the New York Catholic High School Athletic Association City Tournament.