The beginning of the week saw the gathering of the top 24 women's basketball teams in America in North Augusta, South Carolina for registration and some social interaction prior to the beginning of the competition on Tuesday morning at the invitation-only 2009 Nike Nationals Invitational tournament.
With four pools of 6 teams, each day would have a morning session and an evening session through pool play, to determine which teams would advance to the Gold Bracket ( 1st & 2nd place from each pool ) to compete for the tournament championship, and which teams would advance to the Silver Bracket ( 3rd & 4th place ) to complete for the championship of that bracket.
The Fairfax Stars entered the tournament after a great showing at the 2009 U. S. Junior Nationals National Championship tournament, where they finished 3rd, and were confident as they entered the prestigious competition, attended by coaches from more than 500 colleges and universities across the United States.
The Stars went 5 - 0 in pool play competition in arguably the toughest pool in the tournament. As evidence, the #2 team advanced to the quarterfinals of the Gold Bracket and the #3 & #4 teams will play each other in the championship of the Silver Bracket.
The Stars won their quarterfinal game against the Illinois Hustle on Thursday night and set up a semifinal matchup against the California Swish, a team that won the 2009 Oregon End of the Trail tournament.
After the Stars jumped out to an early lead, the Swish made a late first half run to cut into the lead and the Stars went into halftime up 27 - 25. The teams battled with intensity in th second half with the Swish taking a small lead. The Stars would continue to fight on each possession and the game was a two-point game with less than two minutes to play. However, the Swish made plays and free throws down the stretch, and the Stars came up just short, falling 65 - 59.
The Stars finished tied for 3rd in the year-end tournament that saw tremendous competition, and terrific team and individual performances.
Congratuations to the players and coaches...and a great big shout out thanks to the parents, families, friends, and fans of these incredibly talented student-athletes...for your continued support and enthusiasm.
As a note, no Fairfax Stars team had advanced to the Gold Bracket in the previous five years of this prestigious tournament, and the grit, courage, determination, skill and teamwork demonstrated by this group of players was extraordinary. Great job ladies...GO STARS!
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After advancing to the Gold Bracket at the 2009 Nike Nationals Invitational basketball tournament for the first time, the Fairfax Stars U16 Girls Gold Nike Elite Travel team took another step by defeating the Illinois Hustle, 58 - 49 in the quarterfinals to earn a spot in the tournament semifinals.
The Stars ran out to an early lead and maintained a 15 point lead at halftime. Midway through the second half, Illinois went on a run themselves to cut the lead inside of 10. After getting within four points, the Stars went on another run to extend the lead and close out the quarterfinal win to advance to the tournament final four. With the win, the Stars improved to 6 - 0 in tournament play.
On Friday morning, the Stars will play the California Swish, looking to advance to the tournament championship game on Friday afternoon. Good luck ladies and GO STARS!
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The gym had a sense of excitement...for the players, the parents, the fans, the college coaches...everyone at the Riverview Activities Center was anticipating the matchup between the Fairfax Stars U16 Girls Gold Nike Elite Travel team and the DFW T-Jack Nike Elite in the final pool play game, with the outcome impacting which teams would advance to the tournament Gold Bracket.
The Stars had met DFW twice earlier in the travel season, once in Cincinnati and then again at the Nike Summer Showcase in Chicago, falling in a great game in Chicago. But this Fairfax Stars team is on a mission and jumped out to an early 7 - 2 lead. However, DFW, with their injured players back in the lineup, ran of a 16 - 2 run to take an 18 - 9 lead. The Stars battled back and were down by 5 at halftime.
The second half was a contest of will as each team would make short runs...but each possession was challenged with passion and the intensity level was rising with each trip down the court. The Stars would take a short lead, only to have DFW battle back to take a one point lead with seconds to play. With a short range jumper, the Stars would again claim the lead, only to have DFW make two free throws to tie the game with less than 30 seconds to play.
On their next possession, the Stars would hit a three-pointer from the top of the key and then make a defensive stand to earn a hard-fought 62 - 59 victory to complete round-robin pool play competition at 5 - 0, and earn a spot in the 8-team Gold Bracket with a quarterfinal game on Thursday evening. The 1st & 2nd place teams in each pool advance to the single-elimination Gold bracket, while the 3rd & 4th place teams advance to the Silver bracket.
While the Stars have competed well during the past five years of the prestigious Nike Nationals Invitational, and have advanced to the championship game of the Silver Bracket on two previous occasions...no Fairfax Stars team has advanced previously to the Gold Bracket, with an opportunity to win the tournament.
Great job ladies...good luck and GO STARS!
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The Fairfax Stars U16 Girls Gold Nike Elite Travel team came back from a 5-point halftime deficit to play a strong second half and defeat the Philadelphia Belles in pool play action, 62 - 46, at the 2009 Nike Nationals Invitational tournament in North Augusta, South Carolina.
With tenacious defense, strong rebounding, and efficient offense, the Stars improved to 4 - 0 in the round-robin pool play competition. The will play the DFW T-Jack Elite in their final pool play game on Thursday morning, looking for an opportunity to advance to the tournament Gold Bracket and compete for the tournament championship.
Good luck ladies and GO STARS!
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The Fairfax Stars U16 Girls Gold Nike Elite Travel team improved to 3 - 0 in round-robin pool play competition with a strong 59 - 44 victory on Wednesday morning against the Alabama Roadrunners.
On Wednesday evening, the Stars will take on the Philadelphia Belles and then complete pool play action on Thursday against the DFW Elite. Good luck ladies and GO STARS!
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The Fairfax Stars U16 Girls Gold Nike Elite Travel team defeated the Georgia Lina 76ers on Tuesday night during the evening session, 51 - 41, to improve to 2 - 0 in round-robin pool play competition at the 2009 Nike Nationals Invitational tournament in North Augusta, South Carolina.
Nike Nationals is an invitation only tournament with the top 24 women's travel basketball teams in America, competing for a prestigious championship. More than 500 coaches from colleges and universities across the United States have gathered to observe the competition, and the talented teams and players.
The Stars will play two more pool play games on Wednesday. Good luck ladies and GO STARS!
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The Fairfax Stars U16 Girls Gold Nike Elite Travel team arrived in North Augusta, South Carolina on Monday afternoon as one of only 24 women's travel basketball teams from across the United States to be invited to compete at the prestigious 2009 Nike Nationals Invitational tournament.
On Tuesday morning, they entered the Riverview Community Center facility to meet the New York Gauchos in their opening round pool play game full of confidence and enthusiasm. However, the Gauchos ran out to an early lead and the Stars found themselves battling to stay in the game. They worked hard and found themselves down four at halftime.
In the second half, the Stars would get within one, however, the Gauchos went on another run and built their lead to 11 points, past the midway point of the second half. But these Fairfax Stars never give up, and they battled back to get close again. In the closing moments of regulation, the Stars would tie the game after a strong defensive stand on the final possession, would send it into overtime.
The game went back and forth during overtime and after getting behind again, the Stars would close and send the game into the second overtime. The crowd was in a frenzy and the gym was packed with college coaches and basketball fans, fully attentive to every possession.
Once again, the terrific game would go back and forth during the second overtime, with the talented players from both teams making spectacular plays to keep their teams from falling too far behind. With just seconds to play, the Stars would take a 2-point lead and make a final defensive stand to come away with an outstanding come-from-behind victory to begin their 2009 Nike Nationals competition at 1 - 0.
The Stars will play again on Tuesday evening as the round-robin pool play competition begins across the four 6-teams pools, with each team looking to advance to bracket play on Thursday afternoon. Good luck ladies and GO STARS!
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The Fairfax Stars U16 Girls Gold Nike Elite Travel team played Cy Fair Shock Nike 16 from Texas on Saturday morning in the semifinals of the 2009 U17 Girls U. S. Junior Nationals National Championship tournament at the Capital Sports Complex.
The game was a classic as both teams battled back and forth with the Stars taking a one point lead late in the game. Cy Fair hit a three-pointer with 7 seconds to play in the game to take a 62 - 60 lead and the Stars were not able to convert on the ensuing possession. This was a game of two girls basketball powerhouses and neither team gave in to the intensity of the game conditions.
All credit to Cy Fair, but lots of shout outs to the Fairfax Stars as they competed as champions and delivered a message that they are looking forward with great enthusiasm to the 2009 Nike Nationals Invitational Tournament next week in N. Augusta, South Carolina. They will compete as one of the top 24 teams in America against the best in the country.
With a 3rd place finish, and a 7 - 1 tournament record, it was a great job by everyone. Congratulations to the players and coaches, and thank you to the parents, families, friends, and fans that made so much noise and brought so much energy to the Capital Sports Complex in support of the very talented student-athletes. GO STARS! |
