AAU seventh-graders win High Hoops Tournament

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Thirteen-year-old Emily Walser practically grew up on the court.

She’s been dribbling a basketball around for as long as she can remember; and the thought of not playing — well that’s an idea that’s never crossed the Nolan Middle School seventh-grader’s mind.

“I just want to play,” Walser said. “I love basketball, and I’ve been playing since I was little.”

Looking to gain a competitive edge, Walser tried out for Next Level Hoops, a local AAU travel basketball team run by Lakewood Ranch girls basketball coach Tina Hadley, two years ago.

And on Feb. 25-27, Walser and the rest of her seventh-grade basketball teammates opened up their season by winning the High Hoops Tournament in Fort Myers. It was the first time the team had won a tournament.

“It felt really good because this was the first tournament we’ve ever won, and it was the first tournament of the season,” 13-year-old Elise Spiller said. “This is more competitive that other leagues. It makes you want to get better.”

The girls played four games throughout the tournament, and on more than one occasion, the team found itself down by as many as 15 points at halftime.

“We fought,” 13-year-old Amanda Lewis said. “We were losing, and we didn’t give up.”

Hadley agrred.

“They’re very competitive,” Hadley said. “The biggest thing I’m proud of is that they don’t quit. We were down 13-15 points at halftime twice and came back and won.”

Hadley started Next Level Hoops three years ago after receiving numerous e-mails from parents asking about travel basketball teams for girls. Since there weren’t any teams in the area at the time, Hadley sarted an organization; however, the organization isn’t associated with Lakewood.

Today, the organization is home to five boys and girls travel basketball teams.

The AAU travel basketball season began last month and will run through June. During the season, the teams practice twice a week and play an average of two tournaments a month.

And while Hadley is pleased with her team’s early success, her main focus is preparing her players for what it takes to compete at the high school level.

“I want them to gain a basketball IQ and see the level of intensity that’s required when you reach the high school level,” Hadley said.

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].