7/31/2017 basketball Edit

Crown Basketball is King of the Northeast

Maurice Wingate

Publisher

While many of New York summer AAU/Travel teams were busy playing in Las Vegas tournaments, one Long Island, NY squad has been dominating Northeast events. On Sunday, Crown Basketball punctuated that by winning the 17U bracket of the Hoop Group Buzzer Beater Classic in New Jersey during the final Live Period of the season. The win capped off an impressive run and catapulted a once virtually unknown team into the conversation of top New York teams.

“We are 37 – 6 on the season and 21 -4 in July during Live Period,” said Crown Basketball Head Coach Chris Diasparra who’s team also recently won Live In AC. “I think we have as competitive group as you will find. A group that doesn’t flinch.”

Coach Diasparra said he believes that his team’s unwavering competitive spirit is the secret sauce that has brought about their incredible success. “That’s the only way you can win that many games in that short a time.”

To win two of the most talent-laden tournaments in the Northeast, Crown Basketball took out some formidable opponents and even got revenge on the one team that had beaten them. In the finals of Live In AC they beat a tough Philly Pride, an Under Armour sponsored team.

To win the Buzzer Beater Classic Crown Basketball beat Jersey Force in the semifinals in triple overtime off a clutch 3-pointer from Brendan McGuire (Chaminade ’18). Crown then beat Sina Basketball Academy in the championship. “They beat us in the semifinals at Hoop Group Summer Jamfest last week and went on to win the whole thing,” Diasparra said.

For his efforts, top recruit Thornton Scott was selected MVP. “He was terrific,” Diasparra added. While it was a team effort with three players along with Scott and McGuire playing integral parts in the team’s victories. They were Cam Wynters (Holy Trinity’17), Jonathan Harewood (St. Anthony’s ’18) and Victor Oluwaye (Elmont ’18).

Having won two major tournaments and in other events beating teams like New Heights and the Connecticut Basketball Club, it’s surprising that Crown Basketball has not sponsored yet by Nike, Under Armour or Adidas. While sponsorship would be nice, Coach Diasparra said “My goal is to continue having high character kids in the program. Whatever happens, happens.”