Orlando Comets

Comets Red Win Garden City Classic (KB - 06/26/05) The Comets Red team won the Garden City Classic 16U division, downing the Georgia Hoopsters II, 47-40, in the championship game. Brooke Thomas earned tournament MVP honors as she led her 15U team to victories against three top shoe company 16U teams on Sunday. Brooke's heady play at point guard spearheaded the Comets fast break. Against these high calibre teams, however, the Comets had to have more than a fast breaking offense. The Garden City Classic featured some of the top Nike and Adidas teams in the nation, including the Georgia/Lina 76ers and Dallas/Ft. Worth Elite. All these teams have speed parity with the Comets and most of them have a size advantage. The Red team needed to dig deep to eke out a few of their wins. In the quarterfinals on Sunday the Comets advanced past the South Georgia 76ers, 61-55. Comets center Kyrstal Thomas led the way with 14 points. The semi-final game against Dallas/Ft. Worth Elite 16U was a classic. The Elite are the #1 Adidas team in the country. Both teams were 4-0 entering this game. The Comets, however, withstood this test and emerged with a 56-52 win. In the finals, the Comets were expecting to meet up with the Georgia/Lina 76ers, who were the top ranked team at this tourney. The Sixers, however, were upset by their local rivals, the GA Hoopsters II, in the semifinal. These two teams have waged a pitched battle all year with the Sixers winning most of the time. In Augusta, the Hoopsters raised their game a bit and took down the Sixers. It looks as if they expended all their energy in the semis because the Comets jumped out to an early lead and cruised to a seven point win. Using their press strategically and effectively, the Comets kept the Hoopsters off balance for most of the game. They went inside to center Krystal Thomas, who led the team with 11 points. Stephanie Thomas managed the Comets mid-range game with her jumpshot. And Tierra Brown and Jamie Givens handled the long range shooting. In the end, the Comets plethora of offensive weapons prevailed. The Comets now come home to compete in the Brawl in the Swamp at UCF, their last tune up before AAU 16U Nationals (Read the Augusta Chronicle write up on this game HERE.) Comets Blue Continue to Struggle (KB - 06/26/05) The Comets Blue team competed in the 15U division at the Garden City Classic and came away 0-4. Losing close games against the GA Nikes and the Arkansas Rebels in pool play left the Blue team with a quarter-final matchup with the Charlotte Fire, one of the top 15U teams in the country. (The Fire are one of the few teams in America to ever beat the Comets Red team, a feat they accomplished in Atlanta two years ago.) The Fire finished second to the Comets Red team at the SC Sixers Invitational in April and weren't about to suffer another loss to the Blue team. SG didn't see this game, but we understand the Fire won by 20. The Blue team is struggling with finding a combination to close games. They have the Comets press down pat, but their second half play has been sporadic all season. They have struggled to hit clutch shots or to find their big people inside. As a guard-oriented team this is understandable. But to finish games the Blue have to be more well-rounded offensively. The Blue team will play next week at the Brawl in the Swamp, then go on to attend AAU D2 15U Nationals.