PGH Roll Tide Rumble – 16U First Team

We are in the early portions of the AAU season. For those teams and players that have already began their grassroots campaigns on the right pair of sneakers, they are hoping to keep the good times going. For those that may have had rocky starts to the AAU slate, one good showing could be a catalyst for the remaining several months.    Perhaps the Roll Tide Rumble in Guntersville could be the continuation of winning ways or beginning of a turnaround. The two-day gathering in northern Alabama served as the kick-off event for this year's Triumph Region and was one of four Prep Girls Hoops Circuit events to occur this past weekend.    The 16U field played the entirety of its games at Supreme Courts. Without further ado, here is our 16U First Team from the weekend it was in Alabama.     One of two representatives from 5A Milton on this season's Team Elite Hubbard 16U 3SSB roster, she was a major reason why the team returned home to Georgia without encountering a loss in Guntersville. Team Elite Hubbard 16U 3SSB was one of two 16U groups that were unbeaten. Defensively, she is difficult to score points on given her superb ability to block shots. Offensively, she is a consistent threat to place crooked numbers on the scoreboard. The number “14” was one of the crooked numbers – as in the 14 points Davis tallied to boost Team Elite Hubbard 16U 3SSB to a lopsided win over SC Eagles UA Rise 16U. She can see time as a wing with her ability to play either the two or the three and she was key in her Eagles finishing 2024-25 with a 24-7 record.     We shift our attention from the northern Atlanta suburbs to the northwest Atlanta suburbs. She also ensured Team Elite Hubbard 16U 3SSB would run the table in its four games at the Roll Tide Rumble. Her team began the weekend with a dominant 66-12 victory over SC Eagles UA Rise 16U and did not look back since. The standout from 6A Wheeler added 12 points in that victory. Among the many areas where she excels on the court is her willingness to not give up on plays. James can give a team productive minutes as either a one or a two guard. All of her team's victories this past weekend were by double digits and their smallest margin of victory was 28 points.     The SisterHood Lady Lions 16U Bolden was the other 16U team that went 4-0 this past weekend. It helps when – as 6A Terry vividly understands - one of its best players happens to stand at a towering 6-foot-2. It also helps when that 6-foot-2 standout happens to be a double-double threat on a game-by-game basis. The SisterHood Lady Lions 16U Bolden set the tone for a successful weekend when it routed Team Elite Hubbard 16U Josh with the final tally being 67-37. Jones scored 12 points in that victory. Jones can operate at either the four or the five and is a multi-sport athlete who also competes in volleyball and track.     Right below the two unbeatens was [program_tooltip program_id='713704' first='Alabama' last='Elite'] 16U which finished Roll Tide Rumble with three wins and one loss. McCulley arrived at Guntersville's Supreme Courts with her balling shoes on. She displayed throughout the weekend how gifted a 3-point shooter she is. McCulley also has no issues with drawing contact to give her team opportunities at the free throw line. She possesses the long-range ability of a two but can also find time playing point. Coming away with steals to give her team additional offensive possessions is another strong point of McCulley's game. When one can drain 3-pointers at the rate McCulley does, it can get defenders off balance when she switches to point guard mode in driving to the rim.     Another team that had a productive weekend in Guntersville was Mississippi Jazz Elite 16U. Stevens' team went 2-2 – and nearly concluded its Roll Tide Rumble slate at 3-1. Stevens is another 6-foot-2 standout and is one of two from East Rankin Academy on this year's Mississippi Jazz Elite 16U roster. One of her team's games concluded in an emphatic 45-19 victory over SC Eagles UA Rise 16U – Mississippi Jazz Elite 16U's most lopsided victory of the weekend. Stevens scored 10 points in that Saturday win. Playing with her back to the basket is part of her overall skillset. Last season's Patriots rendition concluded its season with a 36-3 record.

We are in the early portions of the AAU season. For those teams and players that have already began their grassroots campaigns on the right pair of sneakers, they are hoping to keep the good times going. For those that may have had rocky starts to the AAU slate, one good showing could be a catalyst for the remaining several months.