PGH Midwest Extravaganza: Teams I’m Excited To See This Weekend

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend, as well as the Prep Girls Hoops Midwest Extravaganza in the Chicago-land area. Throughout the weekend we have a solid number of teams going out and competing as they try to show off what they can do on the floor. With having so much talent in some of these contests it’ll be interesting to see who steps up and comes out on top. Below I’m going to list just some of the team I’m excited to watch play in the 17U division, enjoy!

Iowa Battlers 2026

The Iowa Battlers 2026 team is a group of players that I have not been able to catch live this spring as of yet but that all changes this weekend on Saturday morning, bright and early. The Battlers are an interesting group. A 2026 team with a few really good 2027’s on their roster while playing up against the 2024 class this weekend. I’m curious to see who steps up and makes some consistent plays as the Battlers are in Pool B, putting them against some really well-off programs who a tradition of winning throughout history.

Full Package 2024

One of the best games I had the chance of seeing this season was early on in the year in Chicago. A game that took player between Full Package 2024 and Mac Irvin Fire 2024. This game had everything. Big moments with big stars, great pace, efficient play near the hoop, physicality to its max, and it came down to a last second shot to win. These next few days with a program like Full Package I expect to see some fireworks. This program is well put together and they compete at a high level, I’m excited to see what they bring to the table for Memorial Day weekend.

Chicago Hoops Express 2024

Chicago Hoops Express 2024 has some ballers. Some players that can shoot from deep, some players that can push the ball in transition, some players that change the outcome of a game, but most importantly ALL of their players work hard. This is a team that prides itself on being dedicated to the game of basketball while being able to transition its core values over to everyday life. They do a good job of that in more then one sense. I’ll definitely be around to see them compete all weekend long against some familiar faces.

Illinois Elite 2024 National

Illinois Elite 2024 National has won a few championships this spring already. A team that features some D1 level talent at a few positions, does a great job of working as a team and getting some big wins because of it. When I had a chance to see them earlier this season against Wisconsin Impacts 17U first team it was a tight contest. That entire weekend Illinois Elite showed that they are stacked with hoopers who really understand situational basketball. This group is proud to headline the tournament in the 17U division this weekend, now all they have to do is bring it.

25 Eight Mentality 2024

25 Eight Mentality is a program that I had a chance to watch at the younger age levels this season but not the older, until this weekend. If the younger level teams were any indication of what their older teams can do, good luck to the competition. Those younger aged teams have some players that are years ahead of their teammates when it comes to the skill side of the game. I’m intrigued to see the systems and sets they will use with their upperclassman teams. I want to see if it’s going to be more US based or more Foreign based when you break down the action happening on both sides of the floor. Either way, they are going to out there and do their thing, looking to have a successful weekend overall.