Three teams, three top finishes to end Summer

"You always want to end your season on a high note," Ballers Nation head coach and CEO Brian Crawford said when reflecting on the importance of this past weekend. "This journey doesn't just end another Summer for myself, the athletes, parents and staff. It ends the 20th year of the process we constantly preach." 

Year twenty would end in Court 23's Summer Finale tournament in Plano, with both Jr. Ballers teams and the High School Girls making the trip. All three teams went in with high spirits, even with it being the last competition of the year. "Everyone this year went in with the understanding that even if it's the last tournament, our expectations as coaches are still high," girls director and head coach Heavunli Reese said. Her high school girls would run the table in pool play, and would carry that momentum into a second place finish to conclude the season. "Even with us coming up short I am beyond proud of how the girls performed not only in this final tournament, but in the final stretch of this Summer. It's a long grueling season, but they stayed together and tackled every challenge brought to them," Coach Reese concluded.

Both Jr. Ballers teams also were in Plano for the weekend. With one of the many highlights of the weekend being how both teams won games in dramatic fashion. In the opening game for JBN Black, a late 8-2 run capped off by a game winning basket secured the win for the team. Much to the joy of head coach Elijah Coppock. "I'm so thankful for the parents, for their trust and support in the coaching staff by believing in what we bring when it comes to mentoring and coaching them." 

For JBN Blue, the team secured a third place finish thanks to a game winning layup with no time remaining, after averaging a +12 point differential through the first 2 games of the tournament. "Both groups not only possess all the talent in the world on the court, they shine bright off the court as well," head coach Jared Jones said. "This season showed us as a coaching staff that this organization is full of bright young minds that create a solid foundation. I'm looking forward to seeing them grow as they continue to Trust the Process!"

JBN Black would cap off the weekend with their first tournament win of the season, with the team going a perfect 5-5 from the field in the final 2 minutes of game time. Coach Coppock expressed how proud he was of the boys finishing the season strong with championship gold. "I know we were tough on these boys but we love each and every one of them. At times, it looked as if they couldn't handle the tasks at hand. But they pushed past their fears and look at the results!"

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