I was in New York City last week to cover the JFK Challenge in the Boogie-Down Bronx for ESPN Hoopgurlz. I came in a few days early so I could hang with my family and friends and get some of Mom’s homemade vegetable soup(which is the bomb). Even though I see a lot of players from the City out on the elite summer club circuit, I haven’t been to a high school game there in about 10 years. Things have definitely changed..back in the day teams from Jersey and Long Island never had a chance at getting a win in the City and were always sent home with an ice bag and some Ben-Gay. I was shocked at the level of play at the public school level, I actually watched a game where only one guard actually had a real handle..which of course is the calling card of a NYC baller. And then my boy Apache and his St. Mike’s girls get roughed off by 2 barbie-squads from Jersey, no disrespect to St. John’s Vianney and Colt’s Neck they are excellent teams and put in some real work, but c’mon son you gotta represent.

One of the highlights of the weekend was getting to see some of my former NY Gazelles players coaching their old high school, Manhattan Center. Jaywana Bradley is the head coach, Eppie and Jessie Vilella are her assistants. J and Eppie played on the 17U team when I first began coaching and Jessie played for me on the 15U squad…those 3 were all such special players and I learned so much as a young coach being able to work with them.

Shout out to Coach Glenn from JFK High School for hosting a nice tournament. Of course there is always room for improvement, the packets could be better to include player’s addresses and phone numbers. But overall the vibe was great and the jerk chicken was banging, I will definitely recommend that some of the top DMV teams make the trip next year.

It was great to see DC’s favorite daughter, Ronika Ransford back on the court for HD Woodson. ‘nika is a straight balla, street ball flavor with a super high basketball IQ…I love watching her play because she knows how to entertain the crowd and play team basketball. Last year in the DC city title game at the Verizon Center(where the pros play) she put on a show like no other female basketball player that I have ever witnessed..she had the whole joint, including fans that came for the boys game on their feet stomping and cheering every time she had the ball in her hands. If this kid doesn’t win POY in the Washington Post I am going to take it personally. Athens Georgia here she comes!

Speaking of the Washington Post, what is up with their new high school sports page…it is a little too much. All I need to see is box scores quarter by quarter..that’s it! And what is the deal with the All-Met watch, everybody knows who is going to be 1st team All-Met, it is so politically and demographically staged. Don’t worry I’ll have my own All-LBoogie team at the end of the season, not sure what party favors I am giving out yet but it might be a pool party at my place or the players can raid my shoe closet.

You can always tell when it is the middle of the basketball season cause folks start showing their true selves. The heat is on coaches for real and there is no place to hide, especially when you have to deal with daily drama: star players getting injured, parents whining about playing time, school administration watching your every move, message board jockeys and bloggers(gulity) running their mouths in cyberspace and coaches from other programs looking to swoop in and pick over your remains. My best advice is just remember it ain’t about you, it is about those kids and if that doesn’t work hit the Grey Goose.

A couple more random thoughts:

What is going on with club teams putting out in public they are ready to pay real dollars for top talent?
This ain’t the boys side, there is no fat NBA contract at the end of the rainbow.

What is the deal with all these new jack hustlers trying to step into the game without any experience? I ain’t knocking anybody for trying to spark something off, but do your homework and pay your dues. All these random scouting services and event planners think that having a web site with a couple of pictures and video is going to instantly gain them fame, fortune or an assistant job at UConn.  But then what, do you have a business plan that is going to keep you relevant 5 years down the road, have you really studied the nuisances of girls basketball at the grassroots level, do you know who is really running shit. I love when men who have some limited experience on the boys side try to come on the girls side because they think it is an easy buck, the reality is that there is less money on the girls side and that money is controlled by a few people that have it under lock and key…sorta like the Mafia. And trust me, the Dons know everything that is going on in their sectors and when these newbies(who aren’t real a threat) become annoying enough they get ‘handled’. My advice to the new jacks is tread lightly in deep waters ’cause the sharks are waiting.

I am really getting tired of negative recruiting, especially by club coaches who have never put one player in college at any level.

I am officially over the flex offense.

I think it is hilarious that random people come up to me in the street and want me to put their daughter’s coach on blast in my blog.

What is going on at Herndon High School? The best player on the team gets benched after 4 games because of some fake beef with the coach and the girl’s parents. The coach has the girls in tight form-fitting uniforms that don’t fit, the girls are in desperate need of sports bras and other under garments that will keep their stuff from bouncing all over the place. It is embarrassing and this should have been addressed at the first team meeting.

I have recorded a lot of DII and DII games this season on my DVR, watching and analyzing them helps me do my job as a scout. And some of the games weren’t half bad.

I would love to see Oakton High play Colt’s Neck, NJ…they are basically the same team except Colt’s Neck plays real competition with a 30 sec clock.

Seneca Valley is undefeated, so why do I think they will lose in the regionals.

Forest Park is the most underrated team in the DMV…freshman point guard and a young squad are going to upset somebody come play off time.

My old team Wakefield Country Day, scored 11 points in a game..should I care?

The Baltimore Sun message board is the new Slam Jam, minus the real cuss words.

B-Mac vs Paul VI or Courtland vs Eastern View tonight?

Until the next time..see you in the gym.

Share on Facebook

1. Merritt Hempe, 6-2, Stafford/Stafford, Virginia

2. Danielle Robinson, 5-8, Brooke Point/Stafford, Virginia

3. Galaisha Goodhope, 5-4, Norfolk Christian/Norfolk, Virginia

4. Logan Battle, 6-1, West Springfield/Springfield, Virginia

5. Diana Logan, 5-11, Riverdale Baptist/Upper Marlboro, Maryland

6. Lanay Montgomery, 6-4, Academy of the Holy Cross/Kensington, Maryland

7. Dionna Joynes, 6-2, Bishop McNamara/Forestville, Maryland

8. Taylor Jenkins, 5-11, The Bullis School/Potomac, Maryland

9. Kelila Atkinson, 5-10, Riverdale Baptist/Upper Marlboro, Maryland

10. Brittany Gordon, 5-8, South Charleston/Charleston, West Virginia

11. Alecia Bell, 6-0, Woodside/Newport News, Virginia

12. Jade Clark, 5-11, St. John’s College/Washington, D.C.

13. Jephany Brown, 6-0, H.D. Woodson/Washington, D.C.

14. Faith Randolph, 5-9, Good Counsel/Olney, Maryland

15. Raven Makins, 5-9, Archbishop Spalding/Severn, Maryland

16. Rahni Bell, 5-11, H.D. Woodson/Washington, D.C.

17. Simone Sampson, 6-0, Northwestern/Adelphi, Maryland

18. Zakiya Chambers-Hunter, 5-8, St. Mary’s Ryken/St. Mary’s, Maryland

19. Chanel Green, 5-5, H.D. Woodson/Washington, D.C.

20. Chenice Lee, 5-6, Bishop McNamara/Forestville, Maryland

21. Dominique Johnson, 5-7, Academy of the Holy Cross/Kensington, Maryland

22. Kelsey Cruz, 5-6, L.C. Bird/Chester, Virginia

23. Daisy Aleaze, 5-10, Roland Park Country Day School/Baltimore, Maryland

24. Jennie Simms, 6-0, Riverdale Baptist/Upper Marlboro, Maryland

25. Sasha Orr, 5-5, Seneca Valley/Germantown, Maryland

26. Ashley Leonard, 6-0, Archbishop Carroll/Washington, D.C.

27. Jonelle Britt, 6-2, St. Frances Academy/Baltimore, Maryland

28. April Robinson, 5-9, West Springfield/Springfield, Virginia

29. Deja Gibson, 5-9, The Severn School/Severna Park, Maryland

30. Jartu Toweh, 5-9, Watkins Mill/Germantown, Maryland

31. Aisha Foy, 5-5, Woodrow Wilson/Portsmouth, Virginia

32. Kara Hight, 5-7, Oakland Mills/Columbia, Maryland

33. Bryanna Robinson, 5-8, St. Mary’s Ryken/St. Mary’s, Maryland

34. Carla Batchlor, 5-11, Northwest/Germantown, Maryland

35. Sarafina Arthur-Williams, 6-1, Churchill/Potomac, Maryland

36. Jonquel Jones, 6-0, Riverdale Baptist/Upper Marlboro, Maryland

37. Imani Bailey, 5-8, Archbishop Spalding/Severn, Maryland

38. Lexi Carpenter, 5-8, Forest Park/Woodbridge, Virginia

39. Lauren Tolson, 5-8, Frederick/Frederick, Maryland

40. Krishauna Leftridge, 6-0, St. Mary’s Ryken/St. Mary’s, Maryland

41. Tiffany Grant, 5-7, Arundel/Gambrills, Maryland

42. Jasmine Mungo, 6-0, Riverdale Baptist/Upper Marlboro, Maryland

43. Teyshya Heslip, 5-5, Riverdale Baptist/Upper Marlboro, Maryland

44. Katie McCormick, 5-9, St. Mary’s Ryken/St. Mary’s, Maryland

45. Jackie Palmer, 5-9, Atholton/Columbia, Maryland

46. Chaun Crockett, 5-5, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute/Baltimore, Maryland

Share on Facebook

My last two blog posts were pretty serious and even though I have no qualms about the controversy they created or the dialog that got sparked off in the DMV, I truly wish I didn’t have to go there**said in Madea voice**. All that negativity needs to be balanced out.

Now back to business, let’s talk about the GIRLS:

Defense.. everybody preaches it, everybody knows you can’t win a championship without it, but very few high school girls truly embrace it.  Right now their are 3 sophomore guards that are showing a commitment to defense. They play it with passion and intensity and for all you stat junkies what they do doesn’t show up in the box score.

Teshya Heslop/Riverdale Baptist

Sasha Orr/Seneca Valley

Lee and Orr start and since they both play with a Kobe/LeBron duo( Jr. Taylor Brown – Sr. Cierra Strickland/B-Mac and (Sr. Kelsey Wolfe- Sr. Audrey Cunningham/S.V.) they don’t need to carry the water on offense. Both have found their niche defensively, often taking on the toughest perimeter player on the opposing team.

Chanice is fierce, gritty and tough, she works hard to stay in front of her opponent making them have to work to handle the ball or find the right passing angle.  And the sheer physicality that Orr brings on the defensive end has opponents bringing extra ice packs to games.

Heslop comes off the bench  for a formidable Riverdale Baptist team, when she is in the game she  provides a nice burst of energy on the defensive end. She has quick feet, quick hands and can pressure the ball  full court. Her work against Stonewall Jackson’s Kyani White(VA Tech) was a defensive masterpiece, she created turnovers forced and unforced and made White work every time she touched the ball.

Keep up the good work girls, there is a reason why your teams are doing well this season!

Share on Facebook

HS Team of the Decade: Eleanor Roosevelt

HS Coach of the Decade: Rod Hairston, Eleanor Roosevelt

HS General Manager of the Decade: Mike Teasley, Notre Dame Academy

HS Player of the Decade: Jasmine Thomas, Oakton HS

Club Team of the Decade: Boo Williams Summer League

Club Coach of the Decade: Boo Williams, BWSL

Club General Manager of the Decade: James Nichols, Team Unique

Club Player of the Decade: Tierra Ruffin-Pratt

Impact Player of the Decade: Elizabeth Williams

Little Girl AAU Team of the Decade: Fairfax Stars ’97

Little Girl AAU Coach of the Decade: Jeff Boykin, Fairfax Stars

Big Girl AAU Coach of the Decade: Herb Krusen, MD Flames

Big Girl AAU Team of the Decade: MD Flames ’91

AAU General  Manager of the Decade: Saladin Reese, Team Sol

Major DI College Team of the Decade: University of Maryland

Major DI College Coach of the Decade: Debbie Ryan, University of Virginia

Major DI College Player of the Decade: Kristy Toliver, University of Maryland

Mid Major DI College Team of the Decade: James Madison University

Mid Major DI College Coach of the Decade: Kenny Brooks, JMU

Mid Major DI Player of the Decade: Tamara Young, JMU

College Impact Player of the Decade: (tie) Marissa Coleman, UMD and Monica Wright, UVA

Basketball Entrepreneur of the Decade: Curtis Symonds, Hoop Magic Sports Academy

Trend of the Decade: ESPN Hoopgurlz.com DMV Message Board

Team Mom of the Decade: Tahiri ‘Terri’ Bell, HD Woodson, NC State…the entire DMV!

The INS and OUTS for the next decade:

OUT: Fathers coaching their daughters past middle school

IN: Fathers sitting in the stands and being a fan

OUT: Negative recruiting by club teams that have no track record

IN: Building a resume and getting your players into college

OUT: Any scouting service that ranks kids without actually seeing them

IN: Sitting in the bleachers for hours and taking notes

OUT: Regional scouting services trying to do national rankings

IN: Regional scouting services actually covering the region they are from

OUT: AAU teams claiming to be an elite team with 12 guards

IN: Elite teams with players playing their college positions

OUT: Playing in a national level showcase tournament but playing down so you can win

IN: Playing in a national level showcase tournament and playing the best competition at or above your age group

OUT: Sitting on the bench for an elite club program

IN: Getting on the court and actually playing in front of college coaches

OUT: Claiming you have a Nike deal

IN: Realizing you can only get a “pack of Newports and some Puma sweats”(shoutout 3rd Bass)

OUT: Feasting on the weak..more concerned with your high school record than real competition

IN: Getting some real bump for your team in a holiday tournament

OUT: Winning games and not graduating your players from high school

IN: Graduating your players from high school whether they ever play basketball in college

OUT: HS teams with talent and horrible coaches

IN: HS teams with marginal talent and good coaches

OUT: Washington Post HS rankings

IN: Real Basketball Report HS rankings

OUT: Fathers infiltrating HS programs

IN: Former HS players returning to help their school team

OUT: Fall League

IN: Real skill development and conditioning

OUT: Sending You Tube highlights to coaches and scouts

IN: Sending full game video to coaches and scouts(when asked)

OUT: Paying a basketball trainer with no resume

IN: Finding a quality basketball trainer with a resume

OUT: Playing every weekend during the spring and summer

IN: Working on fundamentals every weekend during the spring and summer

OUT: Adidas Grassroots

IN: Fila Grassroots

OUT: Male coaches who rip apart their players

IN: Female coaches who keep it positive

OUT: The name on the back of the jersey

IN: The name of the front of the jersey

Share on Facebook

In sports I think Helicoptering has been around much longer but there was no official moniker for it…folks would just say “Oh, that’s so and so’s father and he is just an asshole”. Remember the Texas cheerleader drama that made the news over a decade ago, where the mothers orchestrated all the drama and eventually one mother took a hit out on the rival cheerleaders mother.

As a parent I can confess I have a little Helicopter in me(more like a crop duster) and I had to work very hard to suppress it. By nature as a parent your first instinct is to protect your child against any and all harm, you want smooth out all bumps in the road. Anytime I felt like one of my sons was in some type of distress, I would kick into another gear physically and emotionally. Even though my twins are 24 year old grown men, I still get the twinges to launch into whirlee bird mode:) For example, my son Corey told me that was offered a modeling gig for Gucci underwear at a fall fashion show in Miami…of course I am proud that he would be considered for the job but heli-mom mode kicked in, if my baby boy is going to be walking the catwalk in some drawers every hoochie, queen and cougar is going to be all over him and I AIN’T GOING FOR it, I need to be there to regulated that drama. Of course we had a good laugh about it and he wants me to be there and I want to be there for him, but in stealth mode of course.

HELICOPTER PARENTS IN GIRLS BASKETBALL

As I travel the basketball universe from gym to gym I am just totally blown by the vibe of parents today, it goes beyond being a fan and a supportive parent. Helicopter Parenting is seeping into the girls game and slowly but surely it is eroding the structure. There is a certain innate aura that resonates from the Helicopters…we have all seen them in action…they stomp up and down the sidelines, they constantly yell instructions at their daughter, usually something like “Don’t pass anymore to Suzy, she sucks”, “Just come down and get yours”, “Don’t worry about what your coach says, he is an idiot, you listen to me”(hmm but you put her on the team!!!). They pull their daughter out of huddles to instruct her, they sit behind the bench barking instructions. After the game, they are either blowing a gasket at their kid, huffy and puffy and stomping out of the gym, standing in the shadows waiting to get at the coach or starting a fight with another teammates parents because their daughter didn’t pass the ball.
These are just a few of the symptoms of a Helicopter parent and in the my next post I will explore it in more detail.

A Blackhawk helicopter is a military super helicopter, that is used in tactical assaults. So it is safe to say that a Blackhawk Helicopter parent is the next level of Helicopter parent, they destroy any and everything around them, usually their daughter’s basketball career (when it is all said and done), the teams that she has played on, coaches and even her teammates. They take no prisoners as they go on their mission of getting their daughter all the basketball party favors, leaving a trail of destruction and collateral damage. Sadly, they have probably have severely scarred the relationship they had with their daughter. Years from now when she hangs up her sneakers and reflects back on her basketball experience, how will she remember it? That remains to be seen.

Acronym of the Week: FFT– Fake Father Trainers. Can usually be found in your local gym with a basketball drill book under their arm and the mindset that they know what is best for their daughter even though they:
A: Have never trained anyone
B: Barely made it off the bench in JV ball
C: Honestly think because he they are a male and she is a female he automatically knows more than her(even though his wife is the one that is really running shit at home)…so he defers his lack of control and domination over his wife to his daughter…Freud would have field day with this.

If I have offended anyone, GOOD because that means you are a real Helicopter parent and maybe just maybe you will think twice before you take off again.

Share on Facebook