Maryland United Lady Ballers
With Their Gold Medals and National Championship Trophy
The Maryland United Lady Ballers won the 12U Division-II AAU National Championship in Ft Myers, FL on Wednesday, July 8, 2009. They defeated the Minnesota Stars 37-27 in the finals. This National championship is the first ever Division II national championship for a team from the Potomac Valley.
The road was tough through the 41 team Pool Play. Despite only going 1-2 in pool play, the Lady Ballers earned their way into the Championship Bracket by taking second place in their pool by beating out the other two 1-2 teams on the +/- 13 point system with a -3, besting the next team’s -11 points.
The Lady Ballers really picked up their play in the Championship bracket. The team started its run with a play-in victory over a fellow second place finisher in pool play, the Western North Carolina Lady Royals, by the final score of 56-49. In a tight game in the Sweet 16, the Ballers knocked of winner of Pool J, South Florida Jaquars, 59-56.
In the quarterfinals, the Northern Kentucky Tigers fell 65-58 and and then in the semi-finals, the Ballers edged the Virginia Lady Wizards 42-41 to advance to the finals.
The finals brought a pool play rematch between the Lady Ballers and the undefeated Minnesota Stars, 3-0 in pool play, including a 6-point win over the Ballers, and 6-0 on the tourney.
The finals were a completely different story as the Maryland United Lady Ballers brought home the gold medal with a 37-27 victory over the Minnesota Stars.
Congratulations to the Lady Baller players: Talley Britt, Alexis Newbold, Sydney Chapman, Kenyatta Butler, Chloe Jackson, Beverly Otoki, Sierra Eggleston, Drew Arnett, Amidat Sonekan, Aleeyah Colbert and Avri Parker. The Lady Ballers were coached by Erik Chapman and his assistant, Melody Britt.
