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2015 EYBL Preview: Division A

04/09/2015, 8:00pm CDT
By D1 Circuit

Arkansas Wings


Simply put, the Arkansas Wings are one of the favorites in the 2015 circuit. The Wings are used to winning, and they did a lot of it last year. Their 17U squad was eliminated at Peach Jam after a tough set of pool play games. Their 16U, on the other hand, won the championship – their second straight 16U title. Those players are all a year older and will team with EYBL veteran and 2015 MVP candidate Malik Monk (ESPN No. 6). They are fresh off an opening-weekend championship at MADE Hoops’ “The Warmup”, beating three EYBL squads during the way.


Athletes First - Oklahoma


Last year, Athletes First had one of the youngest teams on the circuit. Now Oklahoma’s finest is considered a veteran-laden squad, as their six EYBL veterans are more than anyone else in the league. Even so, they have more to replace than anyone. Graduated is four-year veteran and all-time EYBL leading scorer Allonzo Trier. He did anything and everything for this squad the past two seasons, so they will be relying on a variety of talented pieces to pick up the slack.


BABC


Boston Amateur Basketball Club (BABC) is as consistent as programs come, and their 2015 roster looks like it will follow suit. BABC returns two-time EYBL veteran guard Bruce Brown (ESPN No. 54), giving them a terrific all-around floor leader to pair with point guard Ikenna Ndugba. 6-foot-8 forwards Terrell Brown and Kevin Marfo are their only means on interior production, so BABC will have to defend on their always-excellent defense to make up for it. Leo Papille is as good as coaches come at this level of basketball, and knowing Leo, he will want us to keep his talented squad under the radar.


Boo Williams


Boo Williams comes off an impressive 2014 campaign, making it to the Peach Jam Final Four on the back of Chris Clarke and company. DeShawn Corprew is back after a strong first season and he is our early favorite to lead Boo in scoring. They’re set at point guard, featuring sophomore stud Matt Coleman. Huntington Prep guard Curtis Jones and Oak Hill center Khadim Sy are two huge additions that will play major minutes in Boo’s rotation. They are deep, have three big men over 6-foot-10 and they defend as well as anyone. Keep an eye on sophomore Dajour Dickens (6-foot-11) and juniors Robert Smith Lewis Freeman, who all figure to big parts of the rotation. We like the makeup of this team, and a repeat of last year – or better - isn’t out of the question.


Mac Irvin Fire


Chicago’s most historic grassroots basketball program completely flips their roster, bringing 12 new players to the table. Their lineup features four players from Chicago powerhouse Morgan Park along with Simeon junior combo guard Zach Norvell (ESPN No. 59). They’ll be tough, scrappy and will play as fast as possible. The Fire is developing a pattern of producing elite big men, and the versatile Nick Rakocevic looks to be next in line. They’ll be good, but it’s hard to predict just how far they can go.


Oakland Soldiers


The Oakland Soldiers need to replace a star-studded lineup, returning three contributors from a Peach Jam second round exit. Jordan Ford is coming off a terrific junior season and his experience should pay huge dividends for a rather inexperienced Soldiers squad. Sophomore Ira Lee (ESPN No. 25) will bring high expectations into his debut and we expect him to shine. Rising junior uard Christian Terrell should turn some heads alongside elite talent. Simply put, the Oakland Soldiers are always highly competitive, and this year’s squad should be no different.PREVIEW


Playground Elite


Playground Elite missed out on Peach Jam last year and bring back mostly new pieces. Kostas Antetokounmpo, the brother of Milwaukee Bucks’ forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, is a prime contender to take the league by storm. The 6-foot-8 wing will team with DP Burt, Kaj Days and Josh Mueller to a balanced yet slightly undersized frontcourt. Bryce Nze (3.9 PPG) Deantae Woods (4.1 PPG) return as veteran leaders, but Playground will be relying on strong backcourt production from Danya Kingsby and Deang Deang. Their squad is entirely upperclassmen, so we think this team could surprise some people as the season wears on.PREVIEW


Pro Skills


Pro Skills is brand new to the EYBL circuit, replacing the former Dallas/Fort Worth representative Texas Titans. Just like the Titans, Pro Skills will bring a formidable team to the table, including highly ranked juniors, sophomores and Marques Bolden – the only holdover from the now-defunct Titans. Coached by Jeff Webster, Pro Skills has talent and depth, which will likely make them into instant contenders. Andrew Jones and Jalen Harris lead a very underrated backcourt, and their success will be crucial to Pro Skills’ success during their debut season.PREVIEW


PSA Cardinals


The PSA Cardinals made it to the Final Four last year, and their roster may be equally as talented in 2015. The Cardinals will be led by a pair of high-major commits Omari Spellman (Villanova) and Ty Jerome (Virginia). Spellman will be their go-to-guy in the frontcourt, with Jerome teaming with EYBL veteran Bryce Aiken, Travis Atson, Unique McLean, James Scott and Christian Vital. 6-foot-7 forward Kassoum Yakwe should shine in his second season, especially on the defensive end. PSA will be ranked highly in our power rankings, and we look forward to seeing Munch Williams’ crew in action.


Team Texas Elite


Team Texas Elite flips over a completely new roster featuring nine juniors and four sophomores. Sophomores CJ Roberts and RJ Nembhard are their most highly touted players and both figure to improve their stock playing a level up. The 6-foot-3 Nembhard will be responsible for setting the table for his teammates. Their frontline is led by Louisiana product Cameron Lard, an intriguing prospect in 2016. It’s tough to tell how good this team can be until they develop a consistent rotation, but they will certainly have talented pieces to watch.PREVIEW


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