The Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, which has earned a reputation as the nation's best AAU circuit, is coming to Eagan this weekend. One hundred games will be played, featuring eight of the top-10 ranked juniors and 45 of the top 50.
Even some top-rated sophomores and freshmen can be spotted. The players include local standouts Tyus Jones (Apple Valley), Rashad Vaughn (Cooper), and Reid Travis (DeLaSalle).
Nike Elite Youth Basketball League
When: Friday, 6–9 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; Monday, 9–10:30 a.m.
Where: High Performance Academy, 2950 Lexington Av., Eagan
Courts in use: Five
Cost: Adults $10/day, students/seniors $5
top juniors on display, as rated by ESPN
1: Jahlil Okafor, Mac Irvin Fire (Chicago)
2: Tyus Jones, Howard Pulley (Minneapolis)
3: Emmanuel Mudiay, Texas Pro (Houston)
4: Trey Lyles, Spiece Indy Heat (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
6: *Chris McCullough, Team Scan (New York)
8: Cliff Alexander, Mac Irvin Fire (Chicago)
9: Rashad Vaughn, Wisconsin Playground Elite (Milwaukee)
10: Justise Winslow, Houston Hoops
* committed to Syracuse
Local connections
Howard Pulley, which includes Jones, Travis and Jarvis Johnson of DeLaSalle, is tied for second place in Division D. Games this weekend include:
Saturday: 9 a.m. vs. ICP Elite; 3:30 p.m. vs. Basketball Travelers
Sunday: 8 a.m. vs. Seattle Rotary; 2 p.m. vs. Team United
Monday: 10:30 a.m. vs. All Ohio Red
one more playing next door
Playground Elite, a Milwaukee team that includes Vaughn, is tied for fifth place in Division B. Weekend games include:
Friday: 7:30 p.m. vs. Team Texas Elite
Saturday: 12:30 p.m. vs. Georgia Stars; 6:30 p.m. vs. Team Penny
Sunday: 11 a.m. vs. CP3; 5 p.m. vs. NJ Playaz
The entire weekend schedule is here.
'Big Three' on the circuit
Vaughn: "You can't take any breaks. You don't get any off games [in this league]."
Travis: "When you get out on the circuit, everyone is fighting for wins. It opened my eyes to what's out there around the country."
Jones: "Any win you can get on the circuit is a big win."
How they stack up
Jones: Leads league in points (301, 23.2 points per game), assists (89, 6.8 apg), steals (39, 3 spg) and minutes (400, 30.8 avg). Second in baskets made (100, 7.7 avg.). Fourth in free-throw percentage (81-for-91, 89 percent). Fifth in free-throw attempts (91, 7 avg.)
Vaughn: Fourth in points (249, 19.3 ppg), second in field-goal attempts (210, 16.2 avg.), fifth in baskets made (89, 6.8 avg.), fifth in free throws made (48, 3.7 avg.), fourth in minutes (376, 28.9 avg.)
Travis: Eleventh in points (227, 17.5 ppg), fourth in free-throw attempts (94, 7.2 avg.). Has 106 rebounds (8.2 rpg)