Prep Basketball: Journey Starts With AAU Play
JUSTIN ANDERSON
Patrick Holloway tried to maintain his composure at his first practice with Team Takeover.
Caron Butler walked into the gym where the Washington-based AAU basketball team was practicing. Holloway, a Stafford County resident, wasn’t accustomed to NBA stars watching him play, but his teammates were.
“To them, that was just normal,” Holloway said. “[Butler’s] a part of the family. To me, it was cool. I was shocked and excited, but I had to act like it was nothing.”
Holloway and several other players from the Fredericksburg area have learned to navigate the AAU basketball scene the past few years.
Their experiences on the summer circuit, where college coaches recruit the most, have guided them to a time many hoops enthusiasts in the region are calling a significant one.
Holloway, a 6-foot guard for the private school Paul VI in Fairfax County, signed a national a letter of intent with George Mason University yesterday.
Westmoreland County resident Justin Anderson will sign with the University of Virginia today, while Fredericksburg Christian School guard Seth Allen made his pledge to Maryland official yesterday.
Former Courtland High School standout Waverly Austin signed with South Florida in September. He is about to begin his second season at Palm Beach State (Fla.) Junior College.
“I think what [AAU basketball] did was light a fire,” said Craig Boothe, founder of the Stafford-based Hoop Booth travel basketball program.
“We said, ‘The more you play and the more you travel and challenge your game against others, the better you’ll do.’ We are so happy to see basketball grow in this community, and AAU is the reason for it. It has changed these kids’ lives.”
Caron Butler walked into the gym where the Washington-based AAU basketball team was practicing. Holloway, a Stafford County resident, wasn’t accustomed to NBA stars watching him play, but his teammates were.
“To them, that was just normal,” Holloway said. “[Butler’s] a part of the family. To me, it was cool. I was shocked and excited, but I had to act like it was nothing.”
Holloway and several other players from the Fredericksburg area have learned to navigate the AAU basketball scene the past few years.
Their experiences on the summer circuit, where college coaches recruit the most, have guided them to a time many hoops enthusiasts in the region are calling a significant one.
Holloway, a 6-foot guard for the private school Paul VI in Fairfax County, signed a national a letter of intent with George Mason University yesterday.
Westmoreland County resident Justin Anderson will sign with the University of Virginia today, while Fredericksburg Christian School guard Seth Allen made his pledge to Maryland official yesterday.
Former Courtland High School standout Waverly Austin signed with South Florida in September. He is about to begin his second season at Palm Beach State (Fla.) Junior College.
“I think what [AAU basketball] did was light a fire,” said Craig Boothe, founder of the Stafford-based Hoop Booth travel basketball program.
“We said, ‘The more you play and the more you travel and challenge your game against others, the better you’ll do.’ We are so happy to see basketball grow in this community, and AAU is the reason for it. It has changed these kids’ lives.”
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Anderson’s first experience with AAU basketball was with the Westmoreland Eagles. He was 10 years old on a team with high school players.
The Eagles were coached by Anderson’s father, Edward, who soon realized his son’s talent required a higher level of competition.
“He was the runt of the group at the time, but he got in a couple of games,” said Anderson’s older brother, E.J., who was then a 16-year-old on the Eagles. “But once he got to middle school, that’s when he really started to get out on the larger scene.”
Anderson is now a 6-foot-7 senior forward at Montrose Christian School in Rockville, Md. He played briefly with the Richmond Squires before he joined Hampton-based Boo Williams, a nationally known AAU program.
The ascension from local teams like the Eagles is one that those who aspire to play major college basketball must make, said Natalie Hairston, the mother of Duke forward Josh Hairston.
Hairston played three seasons at Courtland before he finished his career at Montrose Christian. He began playing AAU with the Caroline Foxes, but left for Boo Williams after he was spotted at a tournament in Hampton.
Natalie Hairston said it was difficult for her son to leave the Foxes, but higher level programs travel across the nation and are often sponsored by major corporations.
“You can’t travel around the country,” Natalie Hairston said, “selling doughnuts and T–shirts.”
Anderson’s first experience with AAU basketball was with the Westmoreland Eagles. He was 10 years old on a team with high school players.
The Eagles were coached by Anderson’s father, Edward, who soon realized his son’s talent required a higher level of competition.
“He was the runt of the group at the time, but he got in a couple of games,” said Anderson’s older brother, E.J., who was then a 16-year-old on the Eagles. “But once he got to middle school, that’s when he really started to get out on the larger scene.”
Anderson is now a 6-foot-7 senior forward at Montrose Christian School in Rockville, Md. He played briefly with the Richmond Squires before he joined Hampton-based Boo Williams, a nationally known AAU program.
The ascension from local teams like the Eagles is one that those who aspire to play major college basketball must make, said Natalie Hairston, the mother of Duke forward Josh Hairston.
Hairston played three seasons at Courtland before he finished his career at Montrose Christian. He began playing AAU with the Caroline Foxes, but left for Boo Williams after he was spotted at a tournament in Hampton.
Natalie Hairston said it was difficult for her son to leave the Foxes, but higher level programs travel across the nation and are often sponsored by major corporations.
“You can’t travel around the country,” Natalie Hairston said, “selling doughnuts and T–shirts.”
ASSAULT LOOKS SOUTH
Hairston left Boo Williams after two seasons to play for D.C. Assault.
He, Anderson and Holloway helped change the perception of area players among big-time AAU programs.
But a lesser-known player had a role in that as well, said Damon Handon, one of D.C. Assault’s coaches.
Former Riverbend forward Mike Phillips made the D.C. Assault team after his parents brought him in for a tryout. Phillips is now a 6-foot-7 junior at Howard University who led the Bison in scoring and rebounding last season.
Handon said Phillips and Hairston showed there is talent at Virginia schools that aren’t traditional powers. He said Hairston and Phillips competed well against players from the well-known Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.
“They both came here and played at a high level,” Handon said. “They weren’t as recognized as the kids from the WCAC, but they showed there are some good players down there.”
Their performances encouraged D.C. Assault to begin recruiting farther south.
Spotsylvania resident Rashard Kelly, a 6-foot-5 Bishop O’Connell junior forward, now plays for the program. Culpeper High School junior Nik Stewart recently attended a tryout. D.C. Assault coach Eric Moses said he’s asked Kelly’s parents to be on the lookout for more talent in the area.
“Boo Williams is the strongest AAU program in Virginia, but everybody can’t play for Boo,” Handon said. “We see a void there and we really want to attack it.”
Hairston left Boo Williams after two seasons to play for D.C. Assault.
He, Anderson and Holloway helped change the perception of area players among big-time AAU programs.
But a lesser-known player had a role in that as well, said Damon Handon, one of D.C. Assault’s coaches.
Former Riverbend forward Mike Phillips made the D.C. Assault team after his parents brought him in for a tryout. Phillips is now a 6-foot-7 junior at Howard University who led the Bison in scoring and rebounding last season.
Handon said Phillips and Hairston showed there is talent at Virginia schools that aren’t traditional powers. He said Hairston and Phillips competed well against players from the well-known Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.
“They both came here and played at a high level,” Handon said. “They weren’t as recognized as the kids from the WCAC, but they showed there are some good players down there.”
Their performances encouraged D.C. Assault to begin recruiting farther south.
Spotsylvania resident Rashard Kelly, a 6-foot-5 Bishop O’Connell junior forward, now plays for the program. Culpeper High School junior Nik Stewart recently attended a tryout. D.C. Assault coach Eric Moses said he’s asked Kelly’s parents to be on the lookout for more talent in the area.
“Boo Williams is the strongest AAU program in Virginia, but everybody can’t play for Boo,” Handon said. “We see a void there and we really want to attack it.”
THE EXCEPTION
Allen is the one major recruit in the area who didn’t choose to play for a high-level travel team or attend a private school known for producing basketball talent. The Woodbridge resident instead stayed with Hoop Booth and Fredericksburg Christian.
Boothe said the 6-foot-1 Allen had opportunities to leave Hoop Booth and FCS.
“I have a total amount of respect for him for staying loyal to the program that got him there,” Boothe said. “What that should tell the community is you don’t have to go to the Takeovers. At the end of the day, it should show the type of talent we put out in our program.”
Boothe said FCS and his program helped Allen’s exposure because he was allowed to be the centerpiece of both teams. Allen said he chose to remain local because he wanted to be one of the first players to help establish the Fredericksburg area on the college basketball scene.
“I could’ve [gone] to bigger schools, but I wanted to stay local and give my hometown a name,” Allen said. “Before no one knew where Fredericksburg was. Now people know where it is.”
Holloway started in Boothe’s program, but left for Team Takeover after he enrolled in Paul VI.
Boothe said he believes if Holloway remained with Hoop Booth a school in one of the six major conferences would’ve offered him a scholarship.
Boothe said Holloway’s recruiting process became “diluted” because Team Takeover caters to players from the Washington area.
John Holloway doesn’t see it that way. He said having his son as the center of the Hoop Booth program wasn’t as important as becoming a “well-rounded basketball player” and learning to play in a system with highly skilled teammates.
“Even more than seeing the caliber of athletes, it was seeing the character of the young men [on Team Takeover],” John Holloway said. “These kids were in very rigorous academic programs. They were about getting it done, having high expectations and staying grounded. I said, ‘Hey, that’s what I want for my son.’”
Allen is the one major recruit in the area who didn’t choose to play for a high-level travel team or attend a private school known for producing basketball talent. The Woodbridge resident instead stayed with Hoop Booth and Fredericksburg Christian.
Boothe said the 6-foot-1 Allen had opportunities to leave Hoop Booth and FCS.
“I have a total amount of respect for him for staying loyal to the program that got him there,” Boothe said. “What that should tell the community is you don’t have to go to the Takeovers. At the end of the day, it should show the type of talent we put out in our program.”
Boothe said FCS and his program helped Allen’s exposure because he was allowed to be the centerpiece of both teams. Allen said he chose to remain local because he wanted to be one of the first players to help establish the Fredericksburg area on the college basketball scene.
“I could’ve [gone] to bigger schools, but I wanted to stay local and give my hometown a name,” Allen said. “Before no one knew where Fredericksburg was. Now people know where it is.”
Holloway started in Boothe’s program, but left for Team Takeover after he enrolled in Paul VI.
Boothe said he believes if Holloway remained with Hoop Booth a school in one of the six major conferences would’ve offered him a scholarship.
Boothe said Holloway’s recruiting process became “diluted” because Team Takeover caters to players from the Washington area.
John Holloway doesn’t see it that way. He said having his son as the center of the Hoop Booth program wasn’t as important as becoming a “well-rounded basketball player” and learning to play in a system with highly skilled teammates.
“Even more than seeing the caliber of athletes, it was seeing the character of the young men [on Team Takeover],” John Holloway said. “These kids were in very rigorous academic programs. They were about getting it done, having high expectations and staying grounded. I said, ‘Hey, that’s what I want for my son.’”
THE FUTURE
When Kelly played at the Spotsylvania County YMCA, basketball director Lewis Geter called him “the Shaq of the 7- to 9- year-old age group.”
Kelly towered over his teammates and opponents.
Geter recognized Kelly’s abilities, so he eventually asked his mother, Tammy, if he could work with him individually.
Kelly was also coached by his father, Troy Martin, a Caroline County native, who starred for King & Queen High School in the 1980s.
Martin coached his son with A.L. Roberts Youth Sports Association in Spotsylvania, and at the Hoop Booth.
Kelly later joined D.C. Heat, but after he transferred from Chancellor High School to Bishop O’Connell following his freshman season, he was recruited by D.C. Assault.
Kelly said his first tournament with D.C. Assault “opened my eyes a lot.”
“There were college coaches in every seat on one side,” Kelly said, “from Duke all the way to Oregon in one gym.”
Kelly said that made him realize how much harder he needs to work. Moses said Kelly is receiving interest from Virginia Tech, N.C. State and Rutgers, among other schools. He said Northeastern has offered Kelly a scholarship.
This time next year, Kelly could become the next area player to sign with a Division I program.
Geter said the trio’s recent signings will be a valuable teaching tool to show the region’s youngsters they can make it, too.
“Hopefully we’ve set a good example,” Justin Anderson said, “so the train keeps moving, and our area keeps producing good athletes.”
When Kelly played at the Spotsylvania County YMCA, basketball director Lewis Geter called him “the Shaq of the 7- to 9- year-old age group.”
Kelly towered over his teammates and opponents.
Geter recognized Kelly’s abilities, so he eventually asked his mother, Tammy, if he could work with him individually.
Kelly was also coached by his father, Troy Martin, a Caroline County native, who starred for King & Queen High School in the 1980s.
Martin coached his son with A.L. Roberts Youth Sports Association in Spotsylvania, and at the Hoop Booth.
Kelly later joined D.C. Heat, but after he transferred from Chancellor High School to Bishop O’Connell following his freshman season, he was recruited by D.C. Assault.
Kelly said his first tournament with D.C. Assault “opened my eyes a lot.”
“There were college coaches in every seat on one side,” Kelly said, “from Duke all the way to Oregon in one gym.”
Kelly said that made him realize how much harder he needs to work. Moses said Kelly is receiving interest from Virginia Tech, N.C. State and Rutgers, among other schools. He said Northeastern has offered Kelly a scholarship.
This time next year, Kelly could become the next area player to sign with a Division I program.
Geter said the trio’s recent signings will be a valuable teaching tool to show the region’s youngsters they can make it, too.
“Hopefully we’ve set a good example,” Justin Anderson said, “so the train keeps moving, and our area keeps producing good athletes.”
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