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Posted by Kurt Coleman at Jun 6, 2006 5:00PM PDT ( 0 Comments )

Comets Black Team

(KB - 06/07/06)  The Comets Black team always seems to be in a constant state of metamorphosis.   Change seems to be the rule rather than the exception.    While most travel teams change their players year by year, the Black team seems to be doing it week by week.

That's not unusual for a new team.    The Black team evolved suddenly in March as a patchwork assembly of components from the Clearwater Heatwave, Girls Got Game, and Bishop Moore High School.     They didn't go thru the normal growing pains of a new team.    All their players have championships on their resumes.    They didn't have to go out and lose games by forty in order to get incrementally better.

No, they skipped over all that.   The Black team even shook up the existing order by winning an AAU super regional in April over a highly favored Comets Blue team, played the Comets Red within ten at Spring Fling, and beat Gold Coast AAU champions Hollywood Eagles at the Comets Gathering of Champions.

The question is, Where do they fit in the state pecking order and what is the future of the team?

The Black team is probably the third best 16U travel team in
Florida, their loss to Jacksonville T.E.A.M. Ball not
withstanding.

It looks as if the team's schism with Heatwave coach Joe
Hopper has cost the team its Clearwater players (who did not
attend the Comets Gathering of Champions).   But the loss of
those players opens the door for a trio of talented freshmen--
Jennifer George, Lindsay Watson(shown here) and Ashley Jones--
to get significantly more playing time.

George, in particular, has drawn the salivacious attention of local coaches.
A 6'2" fourteen year old, George dominated the paint in the Black team's

win over Hollywood, including two monster
blocks against the Eagles' superstar guard,
Shamar Harris.

The Black team will compete at AAU
Nationals in July and is hoping for a
Sweet 16 finish.

Next year the team will return
the three freshmen and 6'3"
sophomore shooting guard
Chandler McCabe.

It is doubtful that current
coach Nik Nikic will return to
coach that team since this
is Jacky Nikic's last year of
AAU eligibility.

If that is the case,
the Black team will
either have a great nucleus for next year or a talent rich cadre
of free agents for other teams to pluck.

Whatever the case, the team is remarkably resilient.    It wouldn't surprise us to see the Black team in a completely different incarnation come the Spring of 2007.
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What's News?

Posted by Kurt Coleman at Jun 5, 2006 5:00PM PDT ( 0 Comments )

Comets Red 14U Showing OUT!!!!

(KB - 06/06/06) The Comets Red 14's are showing out, ain't they?

After a season of turmoil in which coach Harry Montalvo lost half his 2004 12U team to the upstart Orlando Hoopstars, Montalvo returned with a vengeance in 2006.    First, he shed the independent Dynasty moniker and mobbed up with the Comets.    Then he went out and picked up Deaundre Young and Jennifer Knurek to anchor his post.   But his most important move was a visit to the chemistry bank, where he made a big withdrawal.

 

The Red 14's thrive on chemistry, not controversy.

These moves have paid big dividends.   The Red 14's are the best 14U team in Florida, may be the second best 15U team, and certainly cannot be discounted when playing against 16U teams.

This past weekend they proved their prowess by taking three 16U teams to the limit, prompting one Hollywood Eagles parent to snidely remark:  "They need to change their name from Comets Red to Bad*ss 14s."

And it's true, too.   When the Red 14U are firing on all cylinders they look like the Red 16U.    Smooth.    Unflappable.   Confident.   Will hit the three on you in a New York minute, or introduce you to one of Deaundre's 'bows in the next.

We watched the Red 14U play against the Gold Coast 16U champion Hollywood Eagles and they were straight mackin' 'em.    The Eagles looked dazed and confused as the Red 14's  drained shot after shot.    How could these little girls be THIS good?    And their point guard was injured and on the bench!   And their center missed the entire first half while out on CPT!!!

The Eagles clamped down defensively in the second half, reversed a nine point deficit and eventually won 62-49.  

But that's not the point.    The Eagles had to think about it.   They couldn't take these girls lightly.   They had to give them some respect.

It'll get worse before it gets better, too.    According to Montalvo, the Red 14U will add point guard Jasmine Whitting to the lineup this week.    The Red 14's main weakness has been the fragility of PG Leo Montalvo's joints.    Leo has a history of suffering season ending injuries during the latter days of the AAU season.   Her absence is the main reason Harry's teams have not done better at AAU Nationals since they finished 7th in 2001.

And Whitting isn't any backup player, either.    Harry will have to find room for her in the starting lineup.    She has earned her respect during her days with the Clearwater Greenwave.

Whitting's addition can only make the team deeper and better.    Harry is far too smart to use her as a "just in case" player.   As long as Harry serves her up with a steaming dollop of chemistry, the Red 14U will be fine.

 

 
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Posted by Kurt Coleman at Jun 4, 2006 5:00PM PDT ( 0 Comments )

Red Team Wins Inaugural Comets Tournament of Champions

(KB - 06/05/06)    The Comets Red team pulled off a stunning upset win over the top ranked Boo Williams Summer League team in the championship game of the inaugural Comets Tournament of Champions yesterday.    The Comets rallied from five points down to eke out a 63-60 win over their Nike circuit rivals.   Brooke Thomas's 16 points and clutch defensive play led the Orlando team to the win.   Krystal Thomas contributed nine blocked shots to the effort.
 
This tournament showcased excellent all-around efforts by all the Comets teams.    The Black team upset the Hollywood Eagles in the quarterfinals.   The Blue team took the Essence down to the wire in another quarterfinal matchup.    The Comets Red 14U actually led in the second half against every 16U team they played before eventually falling
short.

And the Comets Fusion 15U created the greatest buzz
at this tourney.  Playing with only 6 players,
(sometimes five, and only two starters), the
Fusion coaches used a combination of guile and
deceit to befuddle their opponents before
coming up short.    The Fusion stormed back
against the Comets Blue while playing only
four players and resting another.   They
had the entire gym (including some Blue
team fans) rooting for them to pull out
a win with that undermanned lineup.
Their heart and hustle in the face of
enormous odds epitomizes the best
that basketball has to offer.

All in all, this tournament was a
resounding success.

There will be a short lull in the
AAU season now as some of the
girls will play at camps with their
high school teams.

The Comets will return to action at
the Garden State Roundball Classic
in Augusta, GA on June 23.

 

 

Read more about the tournament in Milquetoast Gazette.
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Plus 13 Rules

Posted by Kurt Coleman at Jun 1, 2006 5:00PM PDT ( 0 Comments )
(KB - 06/02/06) Every single opening game at the Comets Tournament of Champions was a +13 blowout. That's not unusual for pool play. But dang!! It kind of cuts down on the number of talking points, doesn't it? The Red team won, 67-23, over the Florida Lady Ballers. The Blue team beat DEBO, 72-53, led by Asia Wilson's 16 points. Former Blue team player Laquita Curry had 17 for DEBO. The Comets Black team fell to the Tallahassee Essence, 66-47. And the Comets Red 14U blasted the Central Florida Yellow Jackets, 60-27. The Yellow Jackers are Ocoee's high school varsity team. The Red 14s are a bunch of over-achieving freshmen and eighth graders. No drama yet. The Red team takes on the Comets Fusion 15U at 8:30 Saturday morning in what promises to be an unbalanced scrimmage between sister teams. The Blue team gets their first taste of a national team when Boo Williams shows up at 8:30 on Saturday. The Essence will play DEBO on Saturday, too. The Hollywood Eagles are here. They opened with a 70-54 win over the Essence B team. They will take on a bunch of over-achieving freshmen and eighth graders at 11:30 on Saturday.
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Posted by Kurt Coleman at May 21, 2006 5:00PM PDT ( 0 Comments )

Champs16!!!   Champs15!!!!    Champs14!!!

(KB - 05/23/06)  Orlando Comets teams won state AAU championships in three age divisions yesterday at the AAU state qualifier in Tampa.    The Comets Red 16U team won their seventh consecutive AAU state championship with a 70-23 win over Jacksonville T.E.A.M. Ball.     The Comets Fusion 15U won their fifth overall state championship with a 53-43 win over the Tampa Extreme.    (The Fusion's other four state championships came as Orlando Miracle).     And the Orlando Comets Red 14U team won their fourth state championship by squeaking past the Jacksonville Sparks, 59-58.

All three of these teams had already qualified for AAU Nationals via tournament championships at various AAU super regionals.     But winning the state qualifier has always been the measuring stick for the state AAU season.

In fact, all five Comets teams had already qualified for AAU Nationals before the state tournament started.    The Black team and the Blue team qualified at the AAU super regional in April.   Both teams competed in Tampa,
but only one team could win the state
title.

All five Comets teams now begin serious
preparations for AAU Nationals.   Those
preparations start in two weeks with a visit
from Boo Williams Summer League to the Comets
tourney in Orlando June 2-4.   

The addition of BWSL to this tourney makes it a national calibre event.    BWSL won the Boo Williams tourney in April, beating last years top two teams (Fencor and Fairfax) in the process.    BWSL is the favorite to win AAU nationals this year.   The Comets Red team will have their hands full at their own event.

  

 

Read more about the Florida state championships in Milquetoast Gazette.