March
27-29, 2009 Hoop Magic hosted the 2nd annual Team Takeover
Basketball tournament. As expected Keith Steven delivered his
stable of teams that recently came under the Team Takeover
organization. The tournament also provided an opportunity for
other teams and players to test their skills against some of the
best players in the country. One of those
teams/organization was Julie Skinners,
NRV Elite teams from Roanoke, Virginia that competed in the 16u
and 17U divisions. Coach Skinner not only had her teams prepared
but they came to showcase their talents.
One of her
players that caught our attention was 6"6 Toles Hartman, a
tough inside player that did not back down to
the other players on the more high profile teams. What really
caught our attention was the game against Team Takeover
"A" when he block several shots and stood his ground
against against some of the best inside players in the
tournament. His old school determination and nose for defending
other teams bigger players is what we really like and most of
all his competitive nature. We look forward to seeing him and
the NRV Elite team this summer. Check out our conversation with
Toles by selecting the Class of 2010 link above.
Success is not
always measured in victories but how a team competes, how a
player plays through the toughest situations. There were many
that fit that description, so as teams begin to prepare for July
OPEN PERIOD we will be looking for the best of the rest.
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