Here is my top five with the spring concluding:
1. Oakland Soldiers
2. Tyler Johnson Elite
3. Team Arsenal
4. EBA Pharaohs
5. Team Lillard
1. Oakland Soldiers
2. Tyler Johnson Elite
3. Team Arsenal
4. EBA Pharaohs
5. Team Lillard
Who is the best NorCal club team?
- Thread starter Streak One
- Start date
Pharoahs shouldnt even be in that discussion. I'd say TJ Elite, because it's all NorCal kids, unlike the Soldiers team. Arsenal has great individual players, but don't seem to equal the sum of their parts. I'd put Lakeshow ahead of Lillard and EBA.
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I think Arsenal is better and will beat TJ elite. I also think the Oakland Soldiers would beat them by 25+ TJ elite almost lost to the Soldiers 16EYBL team. No matter if they have all NorCal kids or not. It's still a NorCal based team. To be a premier aau team you have to recruit out of NorCal. NorCal has been down in talent these past couple years. @hoopman2015
AAU is all about a collection of talent for the purpose of showcasing kids for scholarships. With that being said, this year Team Arsenal is without a doubt the top team. They have more kids being recruited at the High-Major level than anyone else. Now, on the flip side, for Mid-Major, Low-Major D1, D2 NAIA ect., the team game in AAU is extremely important. It allows those less athletic, or perhaps undersized players at their position the opportunity to show they can offer other desirable intangibles needed to build a college team.
Anybody team that plays in the eybl gets the nod for me as best team. It's a couple of notches above adidas and UA with no disrespect to the latter two. Most of their best players always play unless injured. You need a couple of pros or a lottery pick to win peach jam most of the time. A good team can easily go 0-4 during a session. Tough grimey basketball. Some very good players feom Norcal have played in the eybl and looked very average, but returned with a better knowledge and work ethic to make it to the next level.
Pharaohs are a good, reputable program, but I've watched them play this year, several times, and wouldn't put them in that elite tier of NorCal clubs.
After the top three, I think a lot of teams look the same. Soldiers, TJ Elite and Arsenal are a notch or two better than everyone else
@hoopman,
I will respectfully disagree with your comment about the Pharaohs. I was down at the Compton Magic event and saw them play a couple of times. They will compete with any NorCal team and beat most. They have maybe 2 or three D1 kids on that team and no height whatsoever, but they have one thing that no one else has and that's great coaching. The only other team from norcal that looked like they could play team basketball was lakeshow. Team Lillard looked terrible and didn't make it out of pool play. The Pharaohs lasted longer than every norcal team other than tyler Johnson team. Arsenal team was by far and away the worst coached team from norcal. If your talking about how good a team is, I will take the Pharaohs over Arsenal. If your talking prospects, I would take Arsenal because of Jordan Brown. Btw, I didn't even see Jordan at the event
I will respectfully disagree with your comment about the Pharaohs. I was down at the Compton Magic event and saw them play a couple of times. They will compete with any NorCal team and beat most. They have maybe 2 or three D1 kids on that team and no height whatsoever, but they have one thing that no one else has and that's great coaching. The only other team from norcal that looked like they could play team basketball was lakeshow. Team Lillard looked terrible and didn't make it out of pool play. The Pharaohs lasted longer than every norcal team other than tyler Johnson team. Arsenal team was by far and away the worst coached team from norcal. If your talking about how good a team is, I will take the Pharaohs over Arsenal. If your talking prospects, I would take Arsenal because of Jordan Brown. Btw, I didn't even see Jordan at the event
The last time I saw the Pharoahs play in late April (against Hoop Salem) they lost by 30+. It may have been a bad day for them, but I wasn't impressed by what I saw. Agree on Arsenal. Great talent, that doesnt seem to have great synergy.
You guys ar arguing apple and apples. Soldiers EYBL team beats any of these teams by 20 plus. I think Chuck Hayes can beat most of the teams listed above. Had 2 very close games with Arsenal and Team Lillard.
The soldiers would lose to half the teams listed. Always lots of talent that underachieves. I would bet on the tyler Johnson team over the soldiers. Chuck Hayes team is solid, but they didn't go far in Compton Magic tournament. As far as the Pharaohs. I didn't see them in April, but they looked solid down in SoCal last weekend and well coached. That coach used to coach for a different club. I remember him coaching Solomon Young and Tre Finch and the coaches son from folsom a couple years ago and they were beating eybl teams. I also liked the coaches from Branch West down in LA. I think Lakeshow coach does a good job too.
@57-0 for you to say that lets me know you have no clue about aau basketball. Your speaking with emotions and I'm speaking facts. Tyler Johnson elite was losing the whole game to the Soldiers 16s and end uo winning by 2. Get yourself together man. They haven't lost to a west coast team yet. So are you telling me there's a team on here who could be Cal Supreme? Can you even name 5 players on the Soldiers roster?
@mt115,
Dude, I think ur the one who is emotional. Stating that the soldiers would beat every top norcal team by 20 is disrespectful. The soldiers would lose against Compton Magic, Dream Vision, Earl Watson Elite and their Platinum team. I guarantee that one or more of these NorCal teams that play good basketball would beat them. You can have your opinion and I will have mine. Let's leave it at that.
I will ask you one question since you know so much about elite travel basketball. Last year Splash City was considered by most the best team in NorCal. Do you think last years soldiers team would have beat that Splash City team?
Dude, I think ur the one who is emotional. Stating that the soldiers would beat every top norcal team by 20 is disrespectful. The soldiers would lose against Compton Magic, Dream Vision, Earl Watson Elite and their Platinum team. I guarantee that one or more of these NorCal teams that play good basketball would beat them. You can have your opinion and I will have mine. Let's leave it at that.
I will ask you one question since you know so much about elite travel basketball. Last year Splash City was considered by most the best team in NorCal. Do you think last years soldiers team would have beat that Splash City team?
No that Splash City team did not lose to Soldiers 16s actually beat them pretty bad
Yep only 6 players, Blue team was good though and then went on to play in the championship game of the UA Finals and Fab 48
@4ballersonly lol you must be affiliated with splash. If they had only 6 players it was their best. Damari, joey and jade was all there. Stop with the excuses
When the soldiers play well they can beat any team in the EYBL...too much for these other teams to handle
No excuses needed my man and yes I am affiliated I'm the Director of the program as well as the coach of that 17u team last year, BUT also was with ths Soldiers for 10 years and was assistant Director for 4 years as well as head coach of 17s EYBL teams and have a Peach Jam championship under my belt, also I have help numerous kids in both organization get college scholarships, so as you see no hating or excuses over here my man it's all LOVE, not that you care buy just a little background on self
@HoopStudent95 i agree. I've had a chance to watch the EYBL. Irbid is the real deal. A top 50 player on the court at all times. For sure future lottery picks every year. Can't say that about the other circuits. Although adidas is better than Under Armour
@4ballersonly Oh ok that's good for you. Glad you are helping our youth ahchieve their goals and dreams of playing division 1 basketball. How come splash didn't have a 17s team this year?
All good my man, not enough talent to put together to compete to watered down so I did a 15s and 16s this year starting young
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