Interesting Facts about, and highlights of, Augusta players and Peach State and Peach Jam History

Here are some interesting facts about Augusta area players competing in the Peach State Summer Showcase and the Nike Peach Jam AAU tournaments, traditionally held in July, featuring most of the countries best high school basketball players, virtually all of the major college basketball coaches, and hundreds of young men competing for pride and attention:



1)  The Southern Select 16 and Under AAU team defeated the South Carolina Raptors Elite in the semifinals and Team United in the championship game to capture the 2011, 16 and Under Division championship of the Peach State Summer Showcase.  The majority of the players in the rotation for Southern Select (Frank Booker, Westside High; Rashad Lee, Richmond Academy; Ronald Jones, Butler High; and Kyle Doyle, T.W. Josey) live in Augusta, Georgia.  (click here to watch highlights from two of Southern Select's Pool wins).


2)  The only other Augusta, Georgia, player dominated team to win a Peach State Championship was the 2007 17 and Under champion Augusta Metros (I happened to be the coach of that team).  That team consisted of long time Augusta Metros players and players who traditionally played for the Augusta Cavaliers (Dameon Key, the host of the Peach State Summer Showcase happened to be the coach of the Cavaliers) who joined the team for big tournaments that summer and the preceding summer.


3)  Speaking of the summer preceding 2007; big time AAU tournaments hosted in the Augusta, Georgia, area with the word "Peach" in the title; 16 and Under divisions; and the 2011 edition of AAU basketball in Augusta in July,  the Boston Amateur Basketball Club (BABC) captured the championship of the 2011 Nike Peach Jam tournament yesterday in North Augusta, South Carolina.  The interesting fact is that just prior to the first day of the 2006 Nike Peach Jam, BABC's 16 and Under team had to forfeit its entry in the tournament.  Scrambling to find a replacement, the tournament directors chose the Augusta Metros 16 and Under team.  The Metros, the same team that a year later would win the first Peach State Summer Showcase 17 and Under championship, succeeded in winning one of the three pool games and competed fiercely in all three games.  Click here for an old Augusta Chronicle article describing the Augusta Metros' (at the time called the Boys and Girls Clubs of Augusta) participation in the 2006 Nike Peach Jam.


Also, enjoy the highlights below of the Augusta Metros competing in the 2006 Nike Peach Jam.


Full Peach Jam Highlight Tape

Augusta Metros | Myspace Video