ATLANTA CAGERS
www.CagerHoops.net
Forsyth County Georgia
AAU and YBOA Basketball Organization

Banner Year!

Best season ever propels girls program to spot among nation's elite

8U wins AAU state title!

9U Blue #4 in the USA!

10U Girls take first place!

11U Blue #4 YBOA team in the nation!

12U Blue makes YBOA national top three!

13U Blue wins AAU Super Regional

13U Silver Finishes Season in Style!

13U White finishes #2 in YBOA State!

The 2010 season was the most successful to date for the Cager program, which was a very significant accomplishment given the success of years past. With multiple state championships and three teams making the national Final Four in their respective age groups, the Cager girls achieved a level of success on par with some of the country's top programs.

The 8U girls, in their first season of travel ball, made an unbelievably strong debut. They were undefeated and virtually unchallenged in their age group, winning the AAU DI state championship with an average margin of victory of 20+ points per game. The girls also made the medal stand in a 9U tournament and had several victories when playing up an age group. The extraordinary shooting and ball handling of this team will undoubtedly make them one of the top teams in the program for coach Heath Davis in the future.

The 9U program was once again very successful on both the state and national level. The 9U Blue girls were coming off an 8U AAU national title and turned in another superlative season. They rode a 33-4 record into the AAU DI Final Four in Missouri. The national 4th place finish was accompanied by a YBOA state championship and four 10U tournament titles, including the prestigious Great Smokies Shootout in North Carolina. In addition, the 9U Silver girls of coach Kim Pasonski made the medal stand in two tournaments, finished fourth in the AAU DI state championships, and placed #13 at AAU DI nationals. Dramatic improvement from last year for this group.

The 10U girls finished 21-10 on the season and made a strong run to the AAU DII state championship game, where a narrow one point loss to the Lions in the finals was the only thing keeping the program from three state titles in the three youngest age groups. An Easter Classic championship achieved in great come from behind fashion was icing on the cake. Expectations will be high for incoming coach Kevin Furtado and this group.

Coach Rodney Storms' 11U Blue girls showed dramatic improvement over last season, finishing 2nd in the YBOA DI state championships and posting a 4th place finish at the YBOA DI national championships. The nationals result vaulted the girls over the team that had beaten them in the state finals, cementing their claim as one of the top teams in the state. The 11U Silver girls led by Joe Gazza also improved over last season and gained great experience for the future.

The 12U Blue girls were also led by Rodney Storms and had a great season. After several near misses, the girls broke through with a championship in the School's Out Shootout and rode the momentum all the way to the YBOA DI Final Four. National champion Dallas Biddy remarked that the Cagers were the toughest team they faced all season. Lynn Hammond's 12U Silver team also made great strides this year, making at least the semifinals in five different tournaments. The Silver also won the championship of the Saturday Ball league to get the spring off to a positive start.

The 13U age group was the largest in the program, sporting three fine teams. Coach Gregg Jones' Blue squad turned in another excellent season, highlighted by wins in the AAU Super Regional in Greenville, South Carolina and the AAU Hoops Fest in Marietta. Coach Tom Martin's Silver team also had a strong year, reaching the medal stand in the Tri-Counties Shootout and the Great Smokies Shootout in North Carolina. And Doug Metzger's Cagers White closed very strong, with a 4th place finish in the AAU National Qualifier and a 2nd place finish in the YBOA National Qualifier.

The older teams continued to improve, with Jeff Myers' 14U squad turning in fine showings in multiple tournaments. Bruce Kidwell's 15U team got the season off to a rousing start with a 2nd place finish in the AAU Tifton Super Regional, but then got bit by the injury bug time and again to disrupt their momentum. Coach Cliff Roberts' 16U team romped to the championship in the St. Patrick's Day Challenge to open the season, and remained in the hunt in several tournaments throughout the spring. The program will miss coach Roberts next year, but we are proud of the season his girls turned in to send him out on a winning note.

We can't wait 'til next year! Congratulations Cagers!

Note: the age group leaders for next year will be added to this article shortly; in the meantime, please direct any questions or comments to girls director Ralph Smith at .

FINAL FOUR!

9U Blue girls make AAU Division I national semifinals

AAU Final Four!

The 9U Blue girls teams spent the last week in June in Branson, Missouri at the AAU National Championships. The girls won the national title last year, so expectations were high... and as they usually do, the girls responded well to the challenge.

Craven slashes to the hoop

Shipes Drive on New Orleans

Aledia after loose ball

Ozment takes flight!

Pool play began with a tough draw against the Tennessee state champion Lady Trotters. Our girls were sluggish in the first half but were able to post a 21-16 lead by intermission. Our defensive intensity heated up in the second half and enabled us to pull away to a 48-24 victory. Audrey Weiner had 11 points and 7 rebounds in the contest, and Tatum Shipes contributed 12 points and 6 rebounds. Skylar Aledia added 5 points at crucial times and pitched in 3 assists and 2 rebounds as well. Preston Reid drove the length of the floor for a beautiful drive and lay-in to put the finishing touch on the victory.

Game two continued the parade of state champions, as our girls faced Ohio kingpin Cincinnati's Finest. A low scoring first half ended with our girls ahead 14-12, but we were not able to hang on to the modest advantage in the second half. A tie game midway through the fourth quarter turned on 1-for-8 free throw shooting by our girls and resulted in a closer-than-it-sounds 29-20 defeat. Shipes and M.E. Craven dropped in five points each to lead in scoring, and Shipes and Tory Ozment each pulled down five rebounds as well.

The loss made the final pool play game against the Virginia Hurricanes a veritable must-win situation; another loss would have resulted in a murderous path through bracket play. Not to worry, as the girls turned up the defensive intensity dramatically in jumping out to a 16-point first quarter lead. Ozment led in scoring with 9 and Weiner chipped in 6 rebounds. Hannah Sik stepped up with 5 points and 4 rebounds to go along with 3 blocked shots. Sidney Chason also grabbed three big rebounds and a steal in the second half to help preserve a solid 29-7 victory.

Pool results placed the girls against the New Orleans Domino's with a place in the Sweet Sixteen at stake. Shipes dominated the game from the start, finishing with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals. Craven added 4 points and 6 rebounds, and the girls took a 21-9 halftime lead. Tough defense in the second half from Reid, Sik, and Alicia Patterson helped maintain the margin and resulted in a 32-18 win.

The Sweet Sixteen game was a spirited affair against the Tennessee Team Pride, who had fresh legs from a first round bye. Early drives from Ozment and Weiner helped get the Pride center in foul trouble, and without her our girls were able to control the inside. We raced to a 24-8 halftime lead and coasted to a 36-21 victory. Ozment led in scoring with 15, and Weiner just missed a double-double, finishing with 10 points and 9 rebounds.

The Elite Eight pitted our girls against a very large and well-disciplined Indiana Blizzard team that featured two 5'9" post players and a host of deadly shooters. This game was a classic, as our girls recovered from an early 7-1 deficit to take the lead entering the fourth quarter. Shipes' early foul trouble thrust Sik into the spotlight, and she responded with seven huge rebounds. Courtney O'Malley notched 5 rebounds from her guard position and excelled in distribution of the ball as well. The final stanza featured multiple lead changes, and our girls took the lead for good on a Weiner 15-footer with two minutes to go. Strong late foul shooting sealed a 35-27 victory. Craven finished with 14 points and 8 steals, and Ozment chipped in 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The win earned the girls a return trip to the national Final Four, where they faced the undefeated United Ballers Elite from Texas. The Ballers raced to a 24-12 halftime lead behind the stellar play of star point guard Katie Ferrell, and the outlook was bleak. But tough man defense in the second half led by Jordan Smith and sweet shooting by Shipes and Ozment enabled our girls to close the margin to 36-35 with 16 seconds to play. Alas, our final jump shot caromed off the rim, and the Ballers hit their foul shots late to escape with a 39-35 win that ended our title hopes. The Ballers defeated Cincinnati's Finest for the title the following day.

While our girls were of course disappointed with their fourth place finish, the Final Four run capped an amazing season. The girls finished 33-6, with four 10U tournament titles and a 9U state championship to go along with their strong performance at nationals. The 4th-place finish ensures an automatic return bid to nationals next year, so the future is bright.

Congratulations Cagers!

Silver and Gold

13U Silver girls finish #2 in Smokey's Gold Division

13U Finishes Season in Style!

The 13u Cagers Silver girls also spent Memorial Day weekend in Asheville at the Great Smokies Shootout, reaching the finals in a very deep field. It was the Silver girls' second trip to the medal stand and a gratifying finish to their spring season.

Pool play opened Saturday with the Cagers facing a familiar foe from Georgia, the Dacula Lady Falcons. The teams had met four previous times this year, with Dacula earning a pair of two point victories. But our girls dominated this one from the opening tip and built a 17 point lead going in to the fourth quarter on Kendall Runyon's three as time ran out in the third. Outstanding defense shut the Falcons down for a satisfying win. Saturday afternoon found the Cagers facing off against eventual champion Lady Royals Blue. Outstanding defense once again proved the key in this game. The Cagers built a nine point lead early in the third with Kelsey Morkem dominating the glass on both ends of the floor. Some big threes by the Lady Royals down the stretch enabled them to escape with a two point win.

Gold Bracket (top division) play started Saturday night with the girls going against a very physical LaGrange Wolverine team. The Cagers would not be intimidated by the Wolverine style of play and gutted out a ten point win. Kajal Patel and Ceely Coker hit big free throws at the end to keep the game out of reach. Madison Loudermilk played outstanding defense, shutting down the Wolverines best player. Jordan Taylor and Kasey Martin were big contributors off the bench, earning the girls a spot in the semifinals.

The Cagers faced the Lady Royals White Sunday morning in a semifinal game that was thrilling from beginning to end. The game was close throughout, with neither team being able to extend a lead by more than four points. Our girls found themselves down by that margin going into the fourth quarter. Another outstanding defensive effort shut the Lady Royals down in the decisive period. Madison Loudermilk hit a shot from the paint to tie the game with 1:07 to go. Two defensive stops later Ceely Coker grabbed a rebound and went end to end to make an incredible shot to put the Cagers ahead with 31 seconds to go. Great defense forced the Lady Royals to take a tough shot and Kendall Runyon snagged the errant attempt. The Lady Royals fouled Kajal Patel and she iced the game by hitting both ends of a 1 and 1.

The finals was a rematch with the Lady Royals Blue. Early foul trouble hurt the Cagers and the Lady Royals eventually ended the Cagers run. Still a great weekend for the Silver!

On Top of Old Smokey!

9U Blue girls return from Asheville with 10U crown

10U Division Champs!

Jones locks up

Shipes lays it in

Craven on D

Weiner cleans the glass!

Sik gets position

Ozment for two

Skylar in the sky

Back in action after a long layoff, the 9U Blue girls posted a perfect 5-0 record to win the 10U age group championship this weekend at the Great Smokies Shootout in Asheville, North Carolina. The shootout is typically the largest YBOA event of the year, and this year the field definitely did not disappoint. And this title was especially gratifying, as our girls were the only 9U entrant in the 10U division.

The weekend began with a tough game Friday night versus the Surry Storm A team, who were fresh off a second place finish in the North Carolina state championships. Our girls jumped to a 13-5 lead before the Storm drained a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer. The second half was a battle royal, but we were able to hold on for a tough 24-21 win. Audrey Weiner had a dominant game, leading in scoring with 11 and rebounds with 6. Tory Ozment and M.E. Craven combined for 15 steals to keep the Storm at bay.

Saturday began with a pool play game versus the local Franklin Panthers. Our press enabled a quick 11-2 lead consisting of four quick baskets from Ozment, who finished with 11. The girls never trailed in an eventual 44-11 win. Nine different players scored in this one, including 8 each from Tatum Shipes and Weiner. Sidney Chason and Hannah Sik each contributed 5 big rebounds to help control the boards, and Sik added 3 blocks as well. The win clinched the pool, making the cross-pool game Saturday afternoon versus the Surry Storm B team simply for pride. The Storm held a 7-6 lead early, but our girls went on a long run to swing the momentum and cruised to a 36-11 victory. Amber Jones stuck a 3-pointer to charge up the girls and get the run started. Excellent defense from Alicia Patterson and passing by Courtney O'Malley, Preston Reid and Skylar Aledia were instrumental in our girls posting their highest point total of the season.

Sunday's semifinal matchup was against the Greensboro Lady Gators. The first quarter got off to a slow start before a few quick baskets helped our girls take a 10-2 lead, which they extended to 14-5 at the half. Aledia was instrumental in the run, dropping in three first half jumpers to widen the margin. But the third quarter was all Gators, as a few 3-pointers and putbacks closed the lead to 20-16 by the start of the midway point. But then Jordan Smith shut down the Gators leading scorer in the fourth quarter and Ozment had a few key steals, and our girls held the 4-point lead to the end. A Gator basket at the buzzer made the final 24-22 Cagers.

The title game was against a very large Wilkes Diamonds team, who came into the game 4-0. Our girls jumped out to a quick 14-5 lead, and kept the margin at around 10 points until less than a minute remained. This win was a total team effort, with seven players scoring and no one posting more than six points. Weiner and Shipes divided 15 rebounds against the giant Diamonds front line, and steals by Aledia on the press jump started the offense. Baskets on consecutive trips down the floor in the final minute narrowed the score to 22-17, but the Diamonds were unable to close further, giving our girls the title.

This has been a great year for the 9U squad. The title was their fourth 10U tournament championship, and they are in the 9U Georgia state finals awaiting the scheduling of the final game. This weekend marked the beginning of preparation for the national championships, to be held in Missouri beginning in late June.

Congratulations Cagers!

Young Guns!

Cager girls teams storm the medal stand in state championships

13U White finishes #2 in YBOA State!

Nolan and Richards Enjoying 8U #1 Finish!

13U White on AAU Medal Stand

11U Blue Takes #2!

As the old song used to say... Thank Heaven for Little Girls! Our kids have already claimed tournament titles in several age groups this spring, and the state championships over the last few weekends gave us a chance to take it to a whole new level... and the girls responded with flying colors.

The 8U girls were dominant in winning the AAU DI state championship, posting 20+ point wins in every game. The ball handling of Preston Reid and Maggie Davis, shooting of Bria Harmon and Samantha Breslow, rebounding of Kendall Kerr and Maya Richards, and tenacious defense of Jennifer Nolan and Jojo Clark all contributed to the title. The girls are undefeated within their age group this season and have made the finals of a 9U tournament as well. Great start for the third graders!

The 9U Blue girls got back into action after a few weeks off due to injuries and participated in the YBOA state championships. The double elimination format precluded the event from finishing in one weekend, but our girls are undefeated and will play the Georgia Xplosion for the title as soon as it can be scheduled. The 9U Silver girls also posted a strong showing, winning their pool and finishing #4 in the state.

The 10U girls turned in their best effort of the season in the AAU DII state tournament, going undefeated in pool play and sailing through the brackets all the way to the finals. The final against the Lions was a thriller, coming down to free throws with a few seconds remaining that sent our girls to a nail-biting one-point defeat and the runner up trophy.

The 11U Blue had an amazing weekend as well, winning their pool and reaching the winner's bracket final, where they dropped a close contest to the GT Stars. This put the girls in the loser's bracket against the SW Georgia Bulldogs. A hard fought victory put the girls in the finals with a rematch against the Stars, but they couldn't pull off two successive victories and finished with the runner up trophy.

The 13U White team has had an amazing month. After finishing 4th in the AAU DII championships, the girls rocketed to a 2nd place finish (out of 14 teams) in the YBOA DII championships. This team has gotten better each time out this year, and the girls and coach Doug Metzger have a lot to be proud of.

The 15U girls also put in a fine showing, finishing 3rd in the AAU DII tournament to secure their bid to the national championships. And the 16U girls made the finals of the Peach State Classic, losing a 1-point heartbreaker in the finals to the North Georgia Force. All in all, it has been an amazing couple of weeks. And the tremendous success at the lower age groups has us very excited about the future.

Congratulations Cagers!

An Affair to Remember

Dawson Smith Memorial Jam biggest tournament in state history

8U Takes the Title!

Craven hard to the hoop

Shipes in flight

Patterson after loose ball

O'Malley looks for open girl

Ozment flies upcourt

The weekend of April 23-25 marked the eighth year the Cagers have hosted the Dawson Smith Memorial Jam, and this year the state YBOA director gave us the exciting news that our event was the largest in YBOA state history. We were thrilled to host 121 teams from around the Southeast, making it an extremely competitive and exciting event.

We were very pleased with the performance of our Cager teams, beginning with coach Brian Clark's precocious 8U girls. Playing in the first all-8U field of the season, our girls raced to a 4-0 record to bring home the championship. An opening night win over the Pistols Gold was followed by two decisive wins on Saturday over the Running Saints and Cobb Crusaders. This earned the girls a rematch with the Gold for the title. Deploying several different defenses and a tremendous overall aggressiveness, our girls pulled away to a 34-7 victory to bring home the title. Coach Clark was pleased to note that every girl scored in the title game, led by Jenny Nolan with 8 points and Kendall Kerr and Preston Reid with 6 each. Way to go girls!

The 9U field was the largest and toughest of the season, with three teams from the AAU national top ten. One referee remarked “I've been in basketball for 40 years, and I've never seen this much talent in a 9U field”. Our girls fared very well against the tough competition, with our Blue and Silver squads both making the playoff rounds. Coach Kim Pasonski's Silver team finished second in their pool behind a very tough Georgia Xplosion team, then fought the North Georgia Heat to the finish in a tough 24-13 quarterfinal loss. The Cagers Blue carried a 4-0 record into the championship game against the cross-town rival Pistols Gold, but went down to a hard fought 17-15 defeat.

Coach Rodney Storms' 11U Blue squad had perhaps their best outing of the season, making the championship game of the tough 11U Division I field. A heartbreaking one-point loss in the final seconds cost our girls the championship, but this is a team that is headed in the right direction and showing lots of promise.

Coach Gregg Jones' 13U Blue squad also made the medal stand in a tough Division I field. The girls posted an undefeated record going into the finals, where they went down in a tough 57-51 loss to the Peak Performance Gold team. The game was hard fought and close throughout, but the Gold were able to avenge a loss to our girls from earlier in the season to take the title.

The tournament also served as an excellent sendoff to a great group of girls that helped build the Cager franchise in the early years. We entered a team in the 18U division, and several longtime Cagers came back to play one more time. Special recognition to Kelsey Turchi and Lindsey Smith, who played Cager ball each year from 10U through 16U and helped build our winning tradition. Other longtime stars that returned were Megan Cox, Cara Malone, Kirsten Ebert, Meagan Tesh, Grace Ramey, and Jordan Shultz. Each of these girls logged over 100 games in a Cager uniform, and without them today's success would not have been possible. Aided by last season's stars Taylor Johnson and Callan Bennett and two-season Cagers TJ Howell, Victoria Geisler, and Sarah Stainback, the girls posted an impressive 4-0 record before falling in the semifinals. A great finish, to say the least.

Congratulations Cagers!

Triple Play!

9U Blue girls win Spring Break Classic to take 3rd consecutive championship

Spring Break Classic Champs!

Chason with the outlet

Smith skies for the block

O'Malley looks inside

Jones lets it fly!

Craven on the drive

The 9U Blue Cager girls had an exciting weekend in Marietta, posting a 4-0 record to win the 10U division of the Spring Break Classic.

Pool play began with the first meeting of the year against the 10U Running Saints, who the girls had numerous close games with last season. A spirited and fast-paced first half ended with our squad up 18-8. After the break our girls went on a very quick 12-0 run to extend the lead and then cruised in for the victory. Taum Shipes had a monster game with 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Audrey Weiner chipped in 6 points and 9 boards.

The second Saturday game came against the Georgia Pearls 10U Silver team, with the winner advancing to the semifinals. A tough full court press forced some turnovers early, and our girls went on to a 36-10 victory to win the pool. Tory Ozment and Amber Jones struck for 6 points each, and Jones added 5 steals for good measure. Jordan Smith chipped in 4 steals and 4 rebounds to go along with 2 points.

The win qualified the girls for the semifinal against Monkey Joe's Jumpers from Peachtree City. The Jumpers didn't have a lot of size, but they were big on hustle and aggressiveness. Fortunately our girls were able to exploit their height advantage and control the game inside in securing a 33-4 win. Shipes posted another double double with 10 points and 10 boards, and Ozment had 7 and 7. Hannah Sik had a strong all around game, with 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocked shots. M.E. Craven also was a big factor, with 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals. Sidney Chason contributed strong work on the boards, and 8U star Preston Reid gave the girls a big lift with her defense and aggressiveness in the second half.

The final was a rematch with the Running Saints, who rebounded from the earlier loss to make the championship game. Our girls played perhaps their finest first half of the season, dropping in 31 points. The charge was led by the early scoring of Courtney O'Malley (who finished with 6 points), Skylar Aledia (6), Shipes(10), and Ozment(9). The defense out front in the second half by Alicia Patterson, Craven and Jones was instrumental in keeping the Saints from catching up, and our girls prevailed 43-15 to take the title.

The girls will be taking next week off before trying to defend our home turf in the Dawson Smith Memorial Jam April 23-25. The field promises to be the largest of the season and will include at least three of the top ten finishers from last year's national championships, so it will be a tough test.

Congratulations Cagers!

April off to a Great Start!

10U Girls storm to Easter Classic championship

Coach Gary Smith and the 10U girls put on a great show this weekend at the YBOA Easter Classic, posting a 4-0 record to win their first championship of the young season. The girls' performance was all the more impressive considering the absence of a few key players due to the holiday weekend.

Due to the no-Sunday format of this tournament, the first game against the Georgia Bearcats was critical. A loss basically would have put our girls in a hole they would not have been able to dig out of, and the Bearcats jumped out to a 17-5 lead. Our girls showed great character and resolve in coming back to a hard fought 21-17 win.

Opening night gave way to two pool games on Saturday, and our girls notched big wins over the Peak Performance 9U squad (35-16) and the Pistols Purple 10U (39-19). The 3-0 record put the girls in the finals against the North Georgia Heat 9U. The game was hard fought, but our girls eventually pulled away to a 23-10 victory.

Congratulations Cagers!

Fast Start!

12U Boys win 1st tournament championship

The 12U boys played their first tournament of the season and recorded their 1st ever tournament championship in the Gwinnett Spring Fling.

Tenacious defense and rebounding proved to be the difference in every game. Braden Ragsdale lead the offense with double digit assists in multiple games. Cameron Kline was the leading scorer and rebounder. Kline, along with Michael Leveille, Carter Augustine and Will Springer, totally dominated the glass and blocked or altered every shot that came into the lane. The Cagers constantly broke the press and were rewarded with layups for their efforts. Gabe Shook, Trent Rizoti and Garrett Broxson were the blue collar players that scored points, gathered rebounds and locked up on defense in every game. The weekend was a true team effort, with every player on the team having positive marks by their name in every category of the score sheet. The Cagers are coached by Kevin Ragsdale & Douglas Shook.

Great start to the season, and congratulations Cagers!

Up, Up, and Away!

9U Blue wins consecutive 10U titles to open 2010 season

Two Time Champions!

Sik goes up strong

Shipes and Patterson fight for loose ball

Ozment gets physical

Aledia and Jones D up

Weiner grabs another board

The 9U Blue girls made it two tournament titles in a row this weekend with a fantastic performance at the Pistols-sponsored AAU North Atlanta Invitational this weekend. The girls went 5-0 to win the 10U division over a very tough field, featuring six strong 10U teams and one of the top 9U teams in the country.

The weekend began on Friday night with a solid win over the Pistols White. Tatum Shipes turned in a double double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and added 4 blocks for good measure. Audrey Weiner and Hannah Sik also contributed strong work on the glass, dividing ten rebounds between them and starting the break with strong outlet passes. Eight steals by M.E. Craven and Tory Ozment also were instrumental in fueling the break and leading to the 22-10 victory.

Saturday featured a doubleheader that began with a tough contest against the Central Georgia Fever, who travelled from south of Macon for the event. Shipes was overcome with the flu and missed the game, leaving it to the rest of the girls to pick up the slack. Ozment partnered with Courtney O'Malley and Skylar Aledia to do outstanding work protecting the ball up front, and Craven led in rebounding and steals and kept the Fever's post star from getting untracked. Ozment dropped in 13 big points in the 22-14 win. The nightcap Saturday against the North Georgia Heat was a coming out party for new guard Alicia Patterson. Playing against her former team, Patterson led the team in scoring with 8 and also chipped in 3 assists. Shipes returned to net 7 points, and Amber Jones dropped in 4 points on consecutive trips to stifle a Heat rally. Weiner controlled the glass with 10 big rebounds in the 32-17 win. Sidney Chason played strong post defense against the Heat big girls and got out in front on the break on multiple occasions.

The semifinal game was against a very large Peak Performance squad, who finished second in the other pool. Our girls got off to a fast start and did a great job trying to bottle up Peak's star point guard. After a Peak rally, Jordan Smith played excellent full court defense and scored on a key drive to swing the momentum in the second half, enabling our girls to post a 32-21 victory. Ozment dropped in 14 points, and Patterson added 5 to go with 4 rebounds. Weiner and Craven again came up big underneath, with 16 rebounds between them.

The final brought a rematch with the Fever, who were looking for revenge from the Saturday loss. Our girls sprinted to a 12-1 lead behind ferocious rebounding from Weiner, Ozment, and Sik. O'Malley played great open court defense and finished with 5 steals and connected on multiple key jump shots, and Ozment once again helped compensate for the absence of Shipes by leading in scoring with 16. The Fever closed the gap throughout the game and took the lead with under a minute to go, but a big rebound by Weiner led to an Ozment layup that put our girls back ahead to stay. Two free throws with 12 seconds left iced the 32-29 win and gave the girls the title.

It was a great win for the girls, given the age and level of the competition. They will be taking some time off the next few weeks for Easter / Spring Break, then working toward trying to defend the home turf in our tournament in April.

Congratulations Cagers!

Medals Everywhere

Multiple girls teams hit the jackpot on March 26-28 weekend

8U girls take 2nd medal in a row!

11U Blue Reaches 12U Finals!

In addition to the 9U and 13U titles, multiple Cager teams had exciting finishes this weekend.

The 8U girls reached the medal stand for the second weekend in a row, finishing #2 to the tough Griffin Xplosion. The girls lost the championship game 24-19, but they are continuing to work hard and improve fast. Coaches and parents are very proud.

The 11U Blue team played up an age group and did very well, competing in the North Atlanta Invitational - Pistols tournament in the 12U Division 2 age bracket. The girls went undefeated in pool play, averaging 44 points a game, and won the semifinal before bowing out in the championship game 36-53. The girls have made major strides in just their second tournament!

The 9U Silver team played ina combined 9U-10U tournament in Marietta. Two opening wins over Monkey Joe's Jumpers (17-12) and the 10U Pearls Silver (23-3) put the girls in the semifinals, where they were eliminated by a good 10U Pearls Purple team and finished third.

Congratulations Cagers!

Rocketing out of the Gate!

Multiple titles highlight early March

8U Girls with first trip to the medal stand!

13U Boys reach the medal stand!

9U Blue opens with a title!

The first few weeks of the season were very exciting for the program, with our 9U Blue, 13U Blue, and 16 teams all winning titles in their season debut.

Gregg Jones' 13U Blue squad got the ball rolling with an impressive 5-0 record at the AAU Hoopsfest in Marietta, defeating a strong Peak Performance team twice and taking the first place trophy. The girls returned to action this past weekend at the YBOA Alexander Memorial event and played up in the 14U/15U division and made another strong showing, reaching the semifinals of a 12-team event and finishing third despite being the youngest team in the field.

Cliff Robert's 16U squad started strong by winning the YBOA Georgia Slam-n-Jam in Dacula the weekend of March 12-14. The win was all the more impressive considering the girls got a late start because they were waiting for the high school season to finish before tryouts began. It was a great tribute to their talent level and team chemistry from seasons past that they were able to take the title after only one practice!

The 9U Blue team finally got on the court this weekend at the YBOA Alexander Memorial tournament in Marietta, and won the 10U Division. Strong wins over the Lions and Harrison Hoyas earned the girls a spot in the finals, where they defeated a very strong Georgia Blaze 10U team 19-18.

In addition to the titles, several teams reached the medal stand in a runner up capacity. Brian Clark's 8U girls made the finals of the 9U division at the Alexander Memorial only to fall 16-14 to a good Peak Performance team. Bruce Kidwell's 15U girls came back from the AAU tourney in Tifton with a runner up trophy from the 16U division, losing to the champion Jacksonville Roadrunners 16U in the finals. And Lynn Hammond's 12U Silver team enjoyed an undefeated weekend on the Saturday Ball circuit, with wins over the Lady Hornets and Pistols Teal. And Rodney Storms' 12U Blue girls have visited the medal stand twice already, with runner up finishes in both the AAU Hoopsfest and the YBOA Georgia Slam-n-Jam.

On the boys side, Tim Palmer's 13U squad made a fine showing in their season debut, finishing second overall, with great wins over the Georgia Crush and Atlanta Select. The boys' only losses were to the eventual champion Central Georgia Rimrockers.

All in all, a great start to the season. Congratulations Cagers!

AAU Sparks Were Flying!

15U Girls finish second in 16U division

Pictured Standing: Coach Kidwell, Colleen Malone, Alexis Keskonis, Peyton Card, Haley Pope, Lindsay Patton, Brian Pope, Taylor Runge, Coach Runge

Pictured Kneeling: Brooke Heilman, Kaitlin Kidwell, Jenna Thompson, Kierstin Kidwell, Kierra Lawrence, Karley Schimelman

The 15U Cager girl began the 2010 season this weekend with an exciting trip to the medal stand. The girls, coached by Bruce Kidwell and Mark Runge, entered the GA Angels AAU Spring Shootout in Tifton GA and were the only 15U team in a very tough 16U field.

Play began Saturday morning against the host Georgia Angels. Our girls' tenacious defense and quick strike offense were too much for the home team, and we emerged with a convincing 15 point victory. The offense was led by Jenna Thompson with 12 points and 4 assists, and Colleen Malone chipped in 9 points and 4 rebounds. Rebounding leaders were Alexis Keskonis with 6, while Peyton Card and Taylor Runge contributed 5 each . The win was a great team effort, with 9 out of 12 players putting points on the board.

In game two our girls faced a solid Lady Pride team out of Valdosta. Once again we came out strong and never let up, winning 60-43. Karley Schimelman led all scorers with 10 points, and Card and Runge tallied 8 each. Kaitlin and Kierstin Kidwell and Brooke Heilman contributed 6 points each in a very balanced offensive performance. Meanwhile, Card dominated the glass with 12 rebounds, and Lindsay Patton and Keskonis grabbed 5 each.

The final game of pool play matched us against the Jacksonville Roadrunners, who proved to be the toughest opponent of the weekend. Our girls led 30-20 at the half, holding the Roadrunners to their lowest point total of the tournament. Unfortunately, the Roadrunners stole the momentum in the second half and raced to a 55-43 victory. Patton led the scoring with 13 points, Kaitlin Kidwell added 6, and Card had 6 points and 5 rebounds. Keskonis added 5 points and 5 rebounds, and Kierra Lawrence grabbed 4 boards.

The 2-1 pool play record qualified our girls for a championship rematch with the Roadrunners. The game was a battle from beginning to end, but our girls up short and received runner up trophy. Great job ladies, especially playing up an age group!

The girls move on to Greenville SC to play in the AAU Super Regional next weekend. We are confident they will continue to build on last season's #2 finish at YBOA Nationals!

8U / 3rd Grade Girls Notice

The Cagers 3rd grade girls have an open slot for a new player. Please contact Head Coach Brian Clark for information. 404-295-6827 or

We'll do it again in 2010

We're rolling...and we need YOU!

How do we top 2009? It will be tough. The organization secured our first national championship, a number two in the nation finish, a southeastern regional and state title, and over 20 tournament trophies… truly an exceptional year! And with an experienced coaching staff and high player return rate, we're very excited about our prospects. But we need you to help us take another step forward. Below is the list of coaches for the different age groups. Some age groups will field multiple teams, with the exact numbers to be determined by demand. Please contact the age-appropriate coach for information on the plan for tryouts and the spring season.

Girls:

Boys:

Wouldn't you really rather be a Cager?!?!?!

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!

8U Girls Win AAU Division I Crown

Aledia denies Memphis

D'Allen, Weiner and Pasonski close down the middle

Jones and Chason fly upcourt

Craven on the drive

Ozment for two

Shipes nails jumper

Smith and O'Malley playing tough defense

The 8U Cager girls spent the second week of July fighting it out with the best teams in the country at the AAU National Championships at the Wide World of Sports in Orlando. Teams from California to Washington DC joined in the action, making it a true national championship. And when the dust had settled, our girls were left standing with a perfect 7-0 record and the organization's first AAU national championship.

The first day of the tournament brought two pool play games, the first of which was against the Texas Bluedevils. Our girls jumped out to an early lead and cruised to a 33-13 victory. Tory Ozment led the team with 11 points, and Tatum Shipes turned in 10 rebounds to go along with her 8 points. Amber Jones chipped in four points and 3 steals from her guard position. Game two pitted our girls against the Rampage Remix from Florida. The Remix hit a 3-pointer to begin the game, but then our press took over and we sprinted to a 23-4 halftime lead. Skylar Aledia repeatedly got out in front of the break to get open for layups, and M.E. Craven's defense and ball movement were instrumental in securing the 35-13 victory.

Day two began with a very tough game against perennial power Team Ohio. Our girls jumped out to an 8-2 lead early, but the Ohio girls fought back to trail only 10-8 at the half. But the second half marked the emergence of Jordan Smith on defense. Her repeated harassment in the open court was instrumental in slow down the Ohio offense. Our girls got three steals and layins in the final two minutes to break open a tight 14-10 game and delivered a tough 21-10 win. The win wrapped up the pool for our girls, so the final game against SCU Hoops of Oklahoma was for pride. Our girls responded well to the challenge, with Audrey Weiner and Reagen Pasonski getting key hoops and Natalie D'Allen grabbing key rebounds in a tough 19-14 win. Preston Reid also contributed tough defense in the open floor to help secure the victory.

Winning the pool gave our girls a bye into the national quarterfinals, where they were matched against a tough FBC-Indiana team. This game was characterized by very rough play and some ugliness from the stands, but it didn't faze our girls. We blew open a 13-4 halftime game with three quick baskets to start the third quarter and cruised to a 32-15 win. Ozment had 12 points, Shipes had 8, and Craven kicked in 10 points and 5 rebounds to key the win.

The national semifinal was against the Memphis Elite, also a very good team. Our girls repeatedly moved the ball to the open man and built a 13-4 halftime lead, and once again pulled away in the second half to win 27-12. Courtney O'Malley hit a huge jumper to thwart a Memphis comeback, and Ozment was 10 for 12 from the free throw line to lead the win.

The national championship game was a rematch against Team Ohio, who fought their way through the other side of the bracket by knocking off two pool winners. This game solidified more than any other how far our girls had progressed as a team. Smith opened the scoring with two free throws and combined with Jones, O'Malley, and Aledia out front to prevent easy shots. Shipes and Chason did an excellent defensive job on the huge Ohio center. Craven and Ozment repeatedly showed great floor leadership, controlling the ball and hitting the open man. A big 3-pointer by O'Malley gave our girls a 19-6 lead midway through the third quarter, and we then cruised to a 25-16 win. Ozment led in scoring with 12, and Shipes in rebounding with 6.

The title marked the end of a truly special season for these kids. They finished with six tournament titles, an undefeated record against age group competition, the number one ranking in Georgia, the Southeastern Super Regional 9U championship, and now the prestigious AAU National Championship. And they have been as classy off the court as they have been ferocious on it. What an honor to have them as part of our program.

Congratulations Cagers!

Number Two With a Bullet!!

14U Girls finished second in the land at YBOA National Championships!

Jenna Thompson

End of game team pic

Delaney Hollenbeck

Colleen Malone

The Atlanta Cagers 14U Girls team coached by Bruce Kidwell and Mark Runge returned from Florida with the National Champion Runners Up title. The team had a very successful year in the regular season. including a championship in the North Atlanta AAU 14/15U Invitational and 2nd place finishes in the YBOA State Division I Championship and YBOA Super Regional Division I tournament. These outstanding results officially gave the team the bid to Nationals as one of the top teams in Georgia.

The national tournament began in pool play with the Cagers matched against a very tough Team Athens opponent. While the our girls had defeated the Athens squad in the State Tournament, they had added some talent for Nationals and the Cagers came up on the short end of a tough 56-30 loss. Delaney Hollenbeck contributed 16 points, 9 blocked shots, and 6 rebounds, Peyton Card had 6 points and 6 boards, Taylor Runge chipped in 4 points, and Colleen Malone pulled in 8 rebounds.

Game 2 of the pool play was against a very good Alabama Cardinals team. The Cagers bounced back in this game to win 43-40. Hollenbeck had her first triple double of the tournament with 13 rebounds, 17 block shots, and 19 points. Jenna Thompson chipped in 6 points, Runge 6 points and 4 rebounds, Malone pulled in 12 rebounds, and both Kierstin Kidwell and Abby Grant hit key 3 pointers in the game.

The final game of pool play placed our girls against the Carolina Stompers. The girls turned in their best-balanced defensive and offensive effort and won 56-40. Hollenbeck pumped in 25 points with 18 rebounds and 9 blocked shots, Jenna Thompson contributed 11 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Malone put in 6 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Brooke Heilman chipped in 6 points and 5 rebounds, and Kaitlin Kidwell contributed 4 points. The 2 -1 record put the girls in excellent position for bracket play.

In the first round of bracket play our squad faced the Maryland Lady Knights. We once again hit the floor running and won 47-30. Hollenbeck racked up her second triple double with an amazing 36 rebounds, 13 blocked shots, and 28 points. Malone and Thompson divided 12 points and 17 rebounds.

The second round of bracket play placed the Cagers against the Pool Winner Angels Elite, who came in with an undefeated record. Once again our girls stepped up to the challenge and won 47-41. Malone led all scoring with 13 points while grabbing 5 rebounds. Hollenbeck posted 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 blocked shots. The Kidwell twins combined for 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. The girls delivered an excellent team effort in this game to secure the win.

The third round of bracket play placed the Cagers face to face once again with Team Athens in the winners bracket semi-final game. The game was hotly contested early on but coming off of the momentum of 4 straight wins was not enough to carry the girls to a win. Thompson led all scoring with 16 points, and Malone put in 9 points and 10 rebounds.

The loss dropped the girls into the loser's bracket, but the chance to win the title remained. Realizing the opportunity placed in front of them, the Cagers rallied against the Georgia Pistols to win 39-27. Hollenbeck led the way with 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 blocked shots.

The win placed the girls in the National Championship game for one more shot at still-undefeated Team Athens. The score was tight through the first half, with our girls showing plenty of grit and determination. But by the middle of the 3rd period the Athens girls pulled away to win the title.

While the final game did not turn out the way we would have liked, the team was ecstatic to have played in a National Title game and earn the 2nd place trophy. Individual highlights of the week included Hollenbeck and Thompson being named to the all tournament team, Thompson winning the 14U Nationals Free Throw contest, and Colleen Malone earning the "Hustle" award.

Congratulations Cagers!

Last Chance for Love

12U girls tune up for nationals by reaching medal stand again

Another 12U Trophy!

The 12U Blue played in the Last Chance Classic this weekend and came away runner up out of the 10 team field.

Friday night pitted the Cagers against the Georgia Thunder. The Thunder scored first, but the Cagers caught fire with pressure defense and ended the 1st quarter with a 12 - 2 lead, and extended it to 27 – 2 by the half. The team created multiple turnovers with nearly everyone scoring. The second half saw the Cagers executed superbly in their half court offenses and cruise to a 49 – 17 victory. The second game matched up the Cagers with the Georgia Cyclones. The Cagers again came out of the gate fast and with the press ran up a 30 – 2 half time lead. The girls then played a tight zone defense and rested their legs being down to 8 players and coasted to a 39 – 6 win.

The semifinal game against the Georgia Pistols Teal was a tougher game. The Cagers came out and pressed again early but could not convert multiple turnovers at the rim and committed to many errors and fouls allowing the Pistols to remain in the game. After playing hard but a poor 1st half, the Cagers were down 9 – 7. Our girls came out in the second half and played solid defense, sound offense and came away with a 30-21 win. Everyone contributed with rebounds, defense and scoring in taking what the Pistols gave up defensively to earn the win.

Our girls knew that the final game against the Hotshots was going to be tough. There were some early passing mistakes that prevented us from taking the lead but we went into half time down by five. Foul trouble late in the first half hurt as again, as our bench was a little short. The Cager girls played hard in the second hal,f but missed some opportunities at the line and missed multiple critical layups that kept them from taking the lead. We were still within striking distance with just 5 minutes to play, but the shallow bench took its toll. The Hotshots were able to bring in their top three players with fresh legs and the girls could not match their energy after being on the floor nearly the entire game. The girls played hard to the final buzzer but suffered a 53-39 loss. Still, the tournament was a strong finish in preparing for nationals. And taking second place was a nice prize considering the team was missing two starters from the line up!

Congratulations Cagers!

Young Guns

10U Girls reach state finals!

10U Finishes #2!

The 10U Blue girls turned in a great performance at the YBOA state championships, finishing #2 in Georgia.

The weekend started strong with a Friday night against the Georgia Phenoms, with jessica johnson scoring the first 12 points to pace a 34-4 win. Saturday morning pitted our girls against the Lions Gold and the 6'1' center. Julie Richards and Megan Hampton held the big girl in check, and great defense by Hannah Jones and Morgan Grindle was instrumental as our girls won 35-17. Johnson had 14 points, 11steals, and 6 assists in the win.

The pool play victories set up a quarterfinal match on Sunday with the Lions Blue. Our 41-7 win set up a tough semifinal match against the Georgia Extreme. The shooting of Johnson and Corrie Baker and rebounding of Richards was critical as our girls won 38-21. The state championship game against a very good Georgia Bearcats team was a war of attrition, and our girls played well but wore down at the end of a 27-21 loss. Still, a second place finish and collecting three trophies out of five tournaments on the season was a great showing.

Congratulations Cagers!

The Summertime BLUES!

8U girls win Summer Classic

The Champs!

The 8U girls, playing for the first time since the state championships three weeks ago, turned in a stellar performance to win the 9U division of the Summer Classic this weekend in Dacula.

Pool play began with a tough 14-10 loss to the hometown 9U Dacula Elite. A strong defensive effort by the Dacula squad and poor shooting on our part contributed to the loss, and the rust from the long layoff showed. Reagan Pasonski gave our girls a big lift with a quick basket and some key rebounding on the second half, but it wasn't enough to get us over the hump. Our girls bounced back Saturday morning with a strong 27-2 win over the Pistols Purple. Tory Ozment led our girls with 16 points and 5 steals, and Tatum Shipes chipped in 8 big rebounds. The game also marked the debut of new Cager Audrey Weiner, who came in and grabbed several key rebounds to seal the win. Pool play concluded with a stirring 28-15 victory over the 9U Woodstock Wolverines. Our girls really started to turn up the intensity in this game, led by ME Craven's 10 points and nine steals each from Shipes and Ozment. Natalie D'Allen hit a key basket when Woodstock was chipping into our lead that was instrumental in delivering the win.

The 2nd place pool finish earned our girls a semifinal matchup with the Pistols Gold, our toughest 8U opponent from the regular season. A spirited and aggressive first half ended with our girls on the positive end of a 4-2 score. Strong rebounding and ball control from Sidney Chason kept us on top. A quick 8-point run to start the second half enabled our girls to hang on for a tough 14-6 win. Courtney O'Malley led in assists, Craven knocked down 9 points, and Shipes and Ozment each had 8 rebounds and 6 steals.

The win earned the girls a rematch against the Dacula Elite. This game turned on the scoring of Craven and Shipes and the tough defense of Jordan Smith, who helped fluster the opposing point guard throughout the second half. Our girls were able to extend a 6 point halftime lead into a 27-14 victory.

The wins were especially hard-earned due to the absence of starters Amber Jones and Skylar Aledia, who only were able to make one game each over the course of the weekend. The girls will now be formally beginning their preparations for the national championships July 15-21 in Orlando.

Congratulations Cagers!

Stately Performance

14U Girls finish #2 in YBOA Georgia DI Championships

The 14U Cagers of coach Bruce Kidwell made it to the medal stand for the third time in four tournaments, finishing as the runner up in the YBOA 14U State Championships this weekend.

Our girls began pool play slowly, with a close 40-37 loss to the Peak Performance 14U team. In the second pool play game our girls faced Team Athens and made a strong comeback with a 54-38 win. Jenna Thompson led the way with 27 points, and Delaney Hollenbeck chipped in 19 rebounds, 13 blocked shots, and 18 points. Kierstin Kidwell led all guards with 6 defensive rebounds. The good news was that the margin of victory enabled the girls to win the pool. Bracket play began with a strong 51-39 win over the Georgia Pistols, paced by Hollenbeck's 28 points, Thompson's 14, and 8 rebounds from Colleen Malone. This earned the girls a winner's bracket semi-final against a tough Peak Performance 13U team. While Hollenbeck pumped in 21 points, the young Peak Performance squad proved to be too much and pushed our girls to the loser's bracket.

Facing elimination, the girls had a rematch against the Peak Performance 14U team. Determined to not start the game as we did on Friday, the girls took control from the start and never looked back in a 60-41 win. Scoring was led by Hollenbeck blocked 12 shots to go along with her 21 points and Malone chipped in 20 points and 13 rebounds. Abby Grant rounded out the scoring with 8. Defensive play was key in this game, as Brooke Heilman, Kierstin Kidwell, and Kaitlin Kidwell shut down their top scorer with a tough man to man defensive push. With the win the girls moved on to the Championship game to again face the stacked Peak Performance 13U squad. In the 6th game of the weekend the tank was empty and we went down to a tough defeat. The girls confirmed their standing as one of the top 14U teams in the state with the 2nd place showing. Our squad will take a well deserved rest next weekend after playing 11 games in two weeks, and will return to the courts next in the AAU National Qualifier.

Highly Qualified

Cager teams qualify for nationals in the Southeasters Super Regional!

14U Earns Number 2!

12U Silver punches ticket to Disney!

Little girls BIG trophy!

Ozment for 2!

Shipes and D'Allen track loose ball

Pasonski looks to pass

Jones spots an open O'Malley

Craven races downcourt

Chason grabs rebound

Aledia soars for block

Smith with the block

This was a big week for the program, as multiple Cager teams fought through tough fields at the Southeastern Super Regional to earn bids to the 2009 National Championships in July.

The parade was led by the 8U girls, who were playing up in the 9U division. The girls won their fourth tournament in a row despite being the sole 8U team in the field. An opening night 28-16 win over the North Georgia Heat Red team was a bit sloppy, but Tory Ozment came through with 12 big points and great floor leadership to carry our girls through. Saturday was a 3-game gauntlet, beginning with a huge game against a strong Running Saints squad. The tenacious defense of ME Craven and scoring of Ozment and Tatum Shipes kept our girls close, but we were still 1 point down with 12 seconds to play. Then Amber Jones stepped to the free throw line and canned the two clutch shots that gave our girls a 21-20 victory. We then played a tough tune up game against the North Georgia Heat Black, and Sidney Chason, Reagan Pasonski, and Natalie D'Allen really made the most of the opportunity to turn in quality minutes. The final pool play game on Saturday night versus the Lady Shooters was perhaps the best of the season, as our girls raced to a 31-11 victory. Skylar Aledia hit some big shots to ensure the win.

Pool play performance earned the girls a rematch with the Heat Black in the finals. Suffocating defense all round contributed to a first half shutout and eventual 14-8 win. Shipes was maginificent under the basket and Ozment in the open floor. Craven and Jordan Smith contributed a little bit of everything to aid the win, which earned the girls a paid-for bid to Disney.

The 14U Cagers of coach Bruce Kidwell also turned in another strong performance, making it to the medal stand for the second time in three tournaments. Our girls opened by defeating the Primetime Elite 50-46. The win was led by point guard Jenna Thompson with 12 points, guard Brooke Heilman with 7, power forward Colleen Malone with 11 and Delaney Hollenbeck with a triple double of 10 rebounds, 14 blocked shots, and 11 points. Saturday morning the Cagers played amazing defense to defeat Triple Threat 57-8. Malone had 16, Hollenbeck 14, and Peyton Card 9 to pace the win. Saturday afternoon paired the Cagers against the 14U Lady Shooters, and tough defense again was the key in a 52-25 win. Every Cager scored in a true team effort.

The semifinal on Sunday matched the Cagers against a tough Georgia Heat team. A great contest that went back and forth for four periods was decided by Cagers persistence in a tough 41-36 win. Thompson chipped in 20 points and Hollenbeck blocked a season high 19 shots in the win. The championship game was a classic, matching the girls against the Pistols, who were also undefeated for the weekend. The game was hotly contested and physical, and went right down to the wire. Our girls battled back from a 7-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but came up short in a 41-39 loss. A key three pointer by Kaitlin Kidwell couldn't quite get us over the hump. Hollenbeck turned in her second triple double of the weekend, with 14 rebounds, 11 blocked shots, and 12 points. Malone contributed 10 points and Thompson 9. The 4-1 record gives the girls a bid to the National Tournament.

Coach Tom Martin's 12U Silver team also made a strong showing, riding a 2-1 pool record into the finals against the Georgia Breeze. The girls came back from a seven point deficit in the final quarter to tie the score, but a few big shots by the Breeze enabled them to edge out our girls by a scant four points. Still, the trip to the medal stand earned yet another Cager team a bid to the Big Dance!

Coach Clay Roney's 10U Blue team also continues to progress, doing well in Division I and earning their bid to Florida as well.

Congratulations Cagers!

Big Men on Campus!

12 Boys reach Shootout final

Shootout Finalists!

The 12U Cager boys had a great weekend, bringing home the runner-up trophy from the Cherokee/Cobb Shootout.

The weekend started with a come from behind victory Friday night over the Allatoona Bucs 48-35. The boys were a little sluggish starting off the game, but kept their composure and outscored the Bucs 30-8 in the 2nd half. The boys then met the Atlanta Rush in their first game on Saturday. It was a close game throughout, with our boys hitting key free throws down the wire to seal the victory. The afternoon game on Saturday was a difficult matchup against the #1 seed in the tournament – the Georgia Scorchers. The Scorchers were too much for our boys, but the team learned a lot about the virtue of perseverance.

The 2-1 overall record earned the boys a semi-final matchup against the Atlanta Pistons. A great team effort and tenacious defense garnered a 35-22 victory, and the team's first trip to a tournament final. In the final the boys once again met the Scorchers. While our boys went down 59-30, it was a much better game than the score indicates. Several of the Scorchers coaches and parents commented on the difference between the two games we played against them. Our boys are getting better each week, and are looking forward to their next tournament the weekend of April 24-26.

Congratulations Cagers!

Triple Crown!

8U Girls win 3rd title in a row in Spring Break Classic

Champions!

The 8U Cagers Blue girls continued their winning ways this weekend, posting a 5-0 record en route to a championship in the 9U division of the Spring Break Classic.

The weekend began with a very tough 16-8 win over our 8U rival Pistols Gold. This was a tough and physical game that was won with defense and rebounding. Jordan Smith and Amber Jones, filling in for missing starter Skylar Aledia, did an outstanding job keeping the Pistols away from the hoop. M.E. Craven and Courtney O'Malley turned in stellar ball handling to mitigate a strong press. Pool play concluded with solid wins over the Habersham Raiders 25-6 and the Lady Xplosion 27-7. Tatum Shapes and Sidney Chason were very strong on the boards, totaling 32 in the two games. And Tory Ozment chipped in 16 points to lead in scoring. Reagan Pasonski turned in quality minutes on the defensive end to spur the victories.

The wins put the girls into the semifinals against the 9U Lady Shooters, who we'd played in an overtime thriller earlier in the year. Serious foul trouble early resulted in four starters sitting out large portions of the first half, which ended with an 8-7 Shooters lead. But the defense in the second half was the finest of the year, with the Shooters only score coming on a 3-pointer to end the third quarter. We slowly pulled ahead to win 17-11, with O'Malley, Ozment and Shipes hitting key baskets down the stretch.

The finals brought yet another rematch against the Pistols Gold, who defeated a tough (and huge) Xplosion 9U team in the other semi. This game was very similar to the first, with tough and aggressive play on both sides cilminating with our girls winning 18-10. Ozment and Craven again did an excellent job of moving the ball around to preserve the victory.

The girls will be taking some time off for spring break, and then gearing up for a run at the state championship. Congratulations Cagers!

Oldies but Goodies!

14U Girls lead parade of medals in upper age groups

AAU North ATL 15U Champs

15U Reaches Medal Stand!

Bennett eyes the lane

Harper goes up strong

Johnson receives pass

Smith denies entry pass

Turchi ready to fire-pass

Our Cager teams were spread throughout the metro area this weekend, but we're proud to say that all the older age groups (14U-15U-16U) came home with some hardware.

The 14U girls team led the charge, being crowned champions of the 14U/15U AAU North Atlanta Invitational tournament. Our girls, coached by Bruce Kidwell, Mark Runge, and Brian Pope, got off to a great start Friday night beating the GA Pistols 15U team 49-37. Our girls were led by 6'5" center Delaney Hollenbeck, who totaled 17 points. Jenna Thompson led in rebounding and Abby Grant shot 50% from 3 point range On Saturday the Cagers ran down a Lady Hornets 15U team, racing to a 46-23 win. Strong rebounding from Haley Pope and Hollenbeck and the passing of Kaitlin Kidwell keyed the victory. Saturday evening paired the Cagers against a tough GA Pistols 14U team. Taylor Runge led the team in steals, but a second half scoring drought resulted in the Cagers coming up short 56-52. Sunday's championship game pitted the Cagers in a rematch with the Lady Hornets. Our girls came out strong, outscoring the Hornets in the first half 34-21. This set the tone for the 63-48 victory and championship trophy. Scoring in the final game was led by Kierstin Kidwell with 19, and power forward Colleen Malone contributed 12. Hollenbeck recorded a triple double, with 13 points, 15 rebounds, and 16 blocked shots. This tournament was excellent preparation for the girls' next outing, a college exposure event the weekend of April 17-19.

Cliff Roberts' 15U girls also had an great weekend, making it to the finals of the YBOA March Madness tournament at North Gwinnett High School. The girls started with a tough 43-38 loss to the Georgia Breeze, but came back to make the semifinals after convincing victories over the Georgia Hoyas and GT Stars. The semifinals brought a rematch with the Breeze, and Kara Arps (16 points) led our girls to a 67-62 win. All ten Cagers scored in this one. A close loss to the Georgia Force in the finals was disappointing, but this team is clearly gaining momentum as they get used to playing together. Kasey Meadows led all scorers with 46 over the course of the weekend.

The 16U girls spent the weekend downtown at Georgia Tech, playing in the Southeastern Hoops Report Spring Showdown. This event was an exposure event for non-DI schools, and pretty much all of the top programs were there. Our girls got off to a good start against the Georgia Hoopstars, erasing a 37-24 deficit in the second half to win 47-45. Haley Chapman hit the critical 3-pointer to finally give our girls the lead. Taylor Johnson and Kelsey Turchi led in rebounding, and great pressing by guards Cara Malone, Jessica Harper, and Kirsten Ebert keyed the comeback. After a disappointing loss to the Southeast Elite, our girls toppled the previously undefeated NEGA Hoopsters 52-51 to claim a share of the Gray Division crown. Callan Bennett drained 3-pointers all afternoon to lead the girls in scoring with 15, and TJ Howell added several key rebounds. Lindsey Smith and Michaela Rice chipped in quality minutes keeping the Hoopsters off the glass, enabling our girls to hold off a furious rally and hang on for the win.

Most of our teams are off for spring break next week, but we are proud of our strong March and looking forward to hitting the hardwood again in April!

Lucky Seven!

8U girls bring home the crown to lead the 7th annual hometown jam

8U Blue takes the championship!

12U Blue wins another medal

10U Blue reaches medal stand

O'Malley looks for open man

Ozment takes off

Shipes after loose ball

Craven and Smith on the break

Aledia on the drive

Harman skies for the block.

What a weekend!

The 7th annual Dawson Smith Memorial Jam was a huge success, becoming the largest March tournament of the YBOA season. We nearly doubled the entry numbers from the same weekend a year earlier. Many thanks to all the strong clubs across the state and southeast that sent their teams to our event!

Three Cagers teams made it to the medal stand, led by another exciting performance by the precocious 8U Blue team. Our girls posted a 4-0 record to win the championship. The weekend started with a solid victory over a gritty Pistols Purple squad, highlighted by the defense of Bria Harmon, Natalie D'Allen, and Jordan Smith. Pool play concluded with a tough 19-10 win over the Running Saints, who sported a few huge post players to go along with their quicksilver guards. Outstanding defense from M.E. Craven and Tori Ozment helped hold the Saints in check during the second half and delivered the victory. A solid semifinal win over the North Georgia Heat was initiated by the quick scoring of Ozment and Tatum Shipes, as our girls raced to an 8-0 lead in the first few minutes and were able to hold it the rest of the game.

The final against the always-tough Pistols Gold was without a doubt the most physical game of the season. A rough and tumble first half ended with our girls on the top of an 8-4 score. Excellent passing by Courtney O'Malley, Skylar Aledia, and Amber Jones enabled our girls to negate a ferocious Pistols press and extend the lead in the second half to earn the victory. Ozment had a double-double in the victory and Shipes was two points away from one as well… but this was a true team effort over an outstanding opponent.

Clay Roney's 10U Blue Cagers also made the medal stand. A strong 30-14 win in the semifinals against the Lady Dawgs from Mississippi pitted our girls against the North Georgia Heat in the finals. The final was a classic; a back-and-forth game that went right down to the wire. Our girls unfortunately came up on the wrong end of a 32-31 last second defeat. But this team improved dramatically from their first tournament and we expect big things in the future!

Gregg Jones' 12U Blue Cagers also turned in another strong performance. Playing their fourth tournament of the young season, the girls reached the medal stand for the third time. We were pitted against an undefeated Lady Shooters team in the final, and our girls led throughout. But injuries and illness had thinned our roster, and the lack of depth enabled the Shooters to come from behind to hand our girls a tough three point loss.

Eleven other Cager teams were able to participate in this year's event, making it the biggest hometown showing yet. Some of our age groups are just now getting started and the rust showed a bit, but we were happy to be strutting our stuff in front of the home crowds, and we are confident more age groups will be bringing home trophies in the near future.

There's no doubt that Dawson was smiling down this weekend. Congratulations Cagers!

Young Guns!

8U-12U Win Trophies to Highlight Big Opening Weekend

8U Young Guns Take 9U Division!

12U Blue reaches medal stand!

Ozment on the drive

Shipes playing tough D

Jones protecting the ball

Smith denying the middle

Aledia and Jones pressure the ball

Craven on the break

O'Malley with the steal

The season started with a bang this weekend, with five Cager teams in action at the Georgia Slam-n-Jam in Kennesaw / Marietta. Great debuts were made by all, with two of our teams reaching the medal stand and bringing home the hardware!

The 8U Blue and 8U Silver elected to play up in the 9U division to find strong competition, and we definitely got what we were looking for. The Silver team had a great first tournament. The team was led by the rebounding of Sidney Chason and Sydney Ogbogu, the ball handling of Summer Edwards and Landyn White, and the defensive efforts of Reagan Pasonski, Madeleine Bertz, and Randi Jellame. Adrienne D'Souza also contributed quality minutes and had some key steals. The Silver defeated the Habersham Raiders and played tough against their older opponents as well.

The 8U Blue posted an undefeated record in pool play, bolstered by the scoring of Amber Jones, the rebounding of Natalie D'Allen and Jordan Smith, and the defense of Bria Harmon. This earned the girls a spot in the semifinals against the 9U Lady Shooters. The team earned a hard fought victory. We were paced by the all-round play of M.E. Craven (7 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals) and Tatum Shipes (5 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals), and the ballhandling / distribution of Courtney O'Malley (3 assists) and Tory Ozment, who chipped in 8 points to go along with multiple assists and steals.

The 23-16 win advanced the girls to the finals against a huge 9U North Georgia Heat team. This game belonged to Ozment, who repeatedly got the ball up the floor against a ferocious Heat press. She finished with 8 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals. Shipes and Craven did a great job on the glass, repeatedly boxing out the mammoth Heat front line. And Skylar Aledia contributed perhaps the most critical baskets of the tournament, sinking a jumper and a free throw in the fourth quarter to break a 9-9 deadlock and put our girls ahead to stay. The 15-9 finals win gave our girls the big prize!

Coach Gary Smith's 9U Cager squad had a productive debut as well, making it to the tournament semifinals on Sunday before dropping a close game to the Heat. The girls were great in their first time out, with a big pool play win and a few very close losses. We expect big things from this bunch! And coach Joe Gazza's 10U Silver team also made its debut. They had the misfortune of a very tough tournament draw, but competed well and benefited from the tournament experience.

The 12U Blue team played in their second tournament of the year, and excelled against a very strong strong field. Our first game against the Pistols on Friday night saw a lot of whistles and tough defense as the Cagers fought to a 40 – 33 win after a sluggish 1st half. The second game against the Lady Eagles was a better performance, as our girls built a lead early and broke open the game with smothering defense to win 37 – 15 with only 7 players. The third game was a rematch from the first tournament against the Georgia Bearcats. Our short-handed squad fought hard the entire game but came up short losing 55-37. The lack of depth really hurt late in the game as the Bearcats were able to pull away down the stretch.

Sunday's championship game pitted the Cagers against the Bearcats yet again. Our girls had the lead after the first quarter and were only down one at half time after playing great defense and scoring in transition. Down the stretch the free throw woes continued, however, and our girls fell short 48–38. Congratulations to the team on a well played tournament and taking second place! We got that trophy!

Congratulations, Cagers!

We Have a Winner!!!

12U Girls Winter Team Dominates the League!

Congratulations to Bruce Kidwell's 12U girls winter team for their outstanding season, which culminated last weekend with the first Cager medals of 2009! The young team, made up of Riverwatch Middle school 6th graders, finished regular season play with a 10 and 2 record, earning them the 3rd seed for the season ending tournament. The girls romped through the four-game tournament with an average margin of victory of 15 points, including a huge 21-14 win over a tough GA Heat team in the Championship. The win put the finishing touches on a stellar 14-2 record. Congratulations to the team for all the hard work this season and the championship achievement.

Go Cagers!!!

Things will be fine in 2009!

The stars are aligning for a very special season

How do we top 2008? With a near national championship, two state championships, and eight teams finishing in the state top five in their respective divisions, it will be difficult indeed. But with the players and coaches we have returning the sky is the limit… all we need is YOU!

The season has already gotten off to a wonderful start, as we have succeeded in scheduling the Cager-sponsored Dawson Smith Memorial Jam on the prime weekend of March 20-22. We have had the largest tournament in the state the last three years running, and this year we expect it to be no different. We will have several teams that have the goods to keep the big trophy at home... all we need is YOU!

For information on the upcoming season / tryouts, please contact the relevant coach. NOTE: YBOA and AAU have changed the age cutoff dates again this year. The objective is to ensure that all girls in the same grade may play together. Please use the guide below to find the proper coach / age group. If you have questions just email us at .

Wouldn't you really rather be a CAGER?!?!?

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2007-2008 Seasons
2006 Season
2005 Season
2003-2004 Season

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