The Team Elite Mississippi Amateur Athletic Union boys basketball team won the Magic City Rumble last weekend in Birmingham, Alabama.
“Pappy” Randle, of West Point High School, had a team-high 20 points to lead Team Elite Mississippi to a victory against the Talladega Ballers in the championship game on April 12. Jartavius Dobbs, of Aberdeen High, had seven points and 11 blocked shots. Javier Shinn, of New Hope High, had eight rebounds and six steals.
“Javier Shinn did a fantastic job defensively shutting down their top scorer in the post,” Team Elite Mississippi coach Erise Wilson Jr. said. “The kid repeatedly backed our players down all the way to the basket for 14 easy points. Shinn is a football player at New Hope. He is very strong in the upper body and legs. We went into man defense and I put Javier into the game. I told him to stay with his man no matter where he goes. Javier didn’t say a word and just nodded his head. They immediately went to battle. The big kid from Talladega got the ball and Javier stood his ground. The kid couldn’t back Javier down. Javier stole the ball from him.
“The next possession, the big kid got the ball around the free-throw line and tried to back Javier down toward the goal. Javier stood his ground as they were banging bodies. The big kid gave in and tried to dribble. He turned the ball over. When they pulled that kid out of the game, I pulled Javier out. When they put him back in, I put Javier back into the game.
“Pappy Randle took over and had a breakout game. He scored 20 points. Only two points came on a layup. He had six 3-pointers. He is holding his own playing guard and small forward. He has outstanding fundamentals in all aspects of the game. He is the cousin of NBA star Travis Outlaw.”
In a bracket-play game earlier on April 12, Team Elite Mississippi defeated the Rimshakers, of Prattsville Ala., 71-66. Randle and Blake Rogers, of Starkville High, had 12 points, Carlos Brooks, of New Hope High, had 12. Queshon Young, of Aberdeen High, had 10 points, while Terrell Jennings, of New Hope High, had nine. Dobbs had two points, 11 rebounds, and eight blocks.
The team won all three of its pool play games. It beat the Birmingham Blaze 69-50. Brooks had 17 points, Young had 16, Rogers had 14, and Randle had eight. Jeremy Dumas, of Columbus High, had seven, Shinn had five points and seven steals, and Juvante Burks, of Columbus Christian School, had two points.
In the second game, Brooks had 25 points and Young added 22 in an 83-38 victory. Brooks and Young were named co-MVPs of the tournament. Rogers had 11 points and Dumas added 10.
In the third game, Jennings and Rogers led the way with 11 points each in a 55-23 victory against the Steel City Gators, of Florida. Brooks added eight, while Young had seven.
“The kids played together through all aspects of the tournament,” Wilson Jr. said. “Brooks and Young played guard and did a phenomenal job leading us up and down the court.”
It looks like they have been playing together for years. They took turns during every game switching up at the guard positions. They complement each other’s talent when playing together.”
Team Elite Mississippi, which is based out of Aberdeen, is preparing for the AAU Southern District Championship on May 1-3 in Jackson. The top four teams will advance to the national championship in Louisville, Kentucky.
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