The Southern Illinois Elite AAU 8th grade basketball team took on Hoop Squad in a 4-team round robin over the weekend. The Elite White took the championship going 3-0 on the day and the tournament was hosted by Herb Williams and the Centralia Youth Complex.
The SI Elite features athletes from Franklin Park and Iuka among other schools.
They opened with a 30-18 win over Hoop Squad 2. Isaiah Lamke had 9 for the Elite with Jeremiah Brinson adding 7, Zerek Koch had 7, Ayden Rose 4 and Braden Rector 3.
They then beat Hoop Squad 1 56-48. Zerek Koch had 14 in the win, Braden Rector and Rose added 12 each.
They then took on fellow teammates on the SI Elite White and earned a 65-45 win. For the White, Nathanial Marlow had 24, Isaiah Lamke 14, Brinson added 13 and Rector 12. For Blue, Lyric Black led them with 16, Colton Starnes added 13 and Miking Ettress 8. Payton Gullion had 3 points and Keaton Gullion 2.
The White also beat Hoop Squad 2 38-30. Rose had 9 for the Elite, Starnes finished with 8, Ettress 10, Powe 5, Black 4 and Gullion 2. Hoop Squad 2 included a trio of Franklin Park athletes with Eli Lograsso, Jalen Inlow and Angel Salgado. Lograsso finished with 11 in the loss.
White also lost to Hoops Squad 1 42-26. In the loss, Rose finished with 9, Colton Starnes added 8, Lyric Black 6 and Cedric Powe 2.
The SI Elite will play in the Reebok Holiday Super Game at the Sportsplex in Cape Girardeau this weekend.
