07.15.2019

Showing Out

The Nation's Top High School Players Unleash Chaos at 2019 UA Association Finals

Top recruits. Hidden talent. Epic matchups.

 

Each is an integral piece of the fever-pitch hype around this year’s Under Armour Association (UAA) Boys circuit – which concluded over the weekend in the Atlanta area. The fifth season of UAA kicked off in Chicago in mid-April and has since made waves in Kansas City and Manalapan Township in northwest New Jersey, with each of the participating teams vying for the elusive UAA championship this past weekend at North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, GA.  

 

UAA IV kicked off July 11 at LakePoint Sports just outside of Atlanta, with 60 teams split between 17U and 16U competing for a spot in the Finals. The top 16 teams advanced for the opportunity to play in front of 600 college coaches from across the country.

 

Under Armour pulled out all the stops for the finale of the nation’s premier prep hoops tournament, developing player mixtapes through a partnership with SLAM, creating players' lounges outfitted with the latest innovations in rest and recovery – including UA RUSH technology – and equipping the teams with best-in-class UA Basketball gear.

 

Under Armour also supplied finalists with the HOVR Havoc II. Designed to be the ultimate basketball shoe for a player of any size and skillset, the HOVR Havoc II provided the perfect mixture of stability and flexibility to allow the nation’s elite players to put on a show. 

 

The boys' 17U group play in the 2019 UAA Finals included the following team matchups: 

 

Group A
  • C2K Elite (12-2)
  • B. Maze Elite (9-5)
  • DC Premier (7-7)
  • Florida Viper (7-7)
Group B
  • NE6 (11-3)
  • Houston Defenders (9-5)
  • WeR1 (9-5)
  • Team Thrill (7-7)
Group C
  • Louisiana Elite (11-3)
  • Wisconsin Playground (9-5)
  • West Coast Elite (9-5)
  • New Heights (7-7)
Group D
  • Team Thad (12-2)
  • Grassroots Sizzle (10-4)
  • Atlanta Xpress (8-6)
  • Texas Hard Work (7-7)

From there, B. Maze Elite vs. Team Thrill and Team Thad vs. Playground competed in the semi-finals. NBA pro player and Team Thrill coach Will Barton supported his team during the semi-finals.

 

The 2019 UAA Finals marked the first time in-state rivals, B. Maze Elite (Knoxville, TN) and Team Thad (Memphis, TN) competed against each other. The 17U championship featured big time jump shots, amazing defensive plays and a plethora of acrobatic finishes and dunks to keep the crowd alive.

 

The game started in favor of B. Maze Elite, with the team coming out with a clear goal to rattle Team Thad. As the game progressed, Team Thad began to settle in and chip away at the B. Maze Elite, led through exceptional outside shooting and stingy team defense.

 

B. Maze Elite, without one of their top players, played hard throughout the UAA Finals. Multiple players stepped up to lift the team and keep them competitive, while concurrently doing what was required to be victorious. Team Thad never let up, and ultimately secured their first UAA championship. As a mainstay in the UAA, Team Thad is named after NBA vet Thaddeus Young, who was in attendance and celebrated the win with his program. Team Thad finished the UAA regular season tied for the best overall record in the league, 12-2.

 

In the 16U championship, Philly Pride faced off against DC Premier. DC Premier was on the hunt for their second consecutive UAA Championship win since their 17U team won the UAA Finals in 2018.

 

Philly Pride, through great teamwork, passing and a creative way to get buckets, emerged victorious. A tight game throughout, Philly Pride was able to pull away from DC Premier in the fourth quarter to secure the championship. Big time contributions came from several different players enabling Philly Pride to secure the win and their first 16U UAA Championship.

 

The UAA Girls circuit - in its inaugural year - will conclude July 23-25. Check back into the UA Newsroom for updates from that tournament.