June 3, 2011
Renegades 2nd In Big AAU Hoops Tourney
The SNBA Renegades 7th Grade Boys basketball team took second place in the Annual Jam On It Reno Memorial Day AAU Tournament featuring 742 teams and billed as the World's largest AAU basketball tournament.
The Renegades, made up entirely of local athletes, began play Friday night with a 38-26 victory over the host Jam On It team from Reno. Dave Mastrella led the way with12 points, David O'Brien added 8, Mario Edwards 7, Kyle Uclaray 4, Matt Lopez 3, Connor Hollister and Ben O'Lena added two apiece to round out the scoring.
SNBA then squared off with NJB Stars of Anaheim in Saturday's Play In game for seeding. The Renegades played the much larger team tough but the Anaheim club was able to break open a tie game midway through the second half and pull away for the 53-41 victory. Matt Lopez knocked down 10 points,David O'Brien 9, Dave Mastrella, Kyle Uclaray and Connor Hollister added 6 points.
The Renegades now found themselves in a must win situation for two games if they had hopes of gaining a championship game berth.
First up was the South County Extreme from Gilroy. The Renegades used a late first half run to take a fifteen point lead at the intermission and cruised to a 57-35 victory. David O'Brien scored 14 points, Ben O'Lena 10, Mastrella 7, Mario Edwards 6, Kyle Uclaray 5, Hayden Moore and Dallas Penn 4, Matt Lopez 3, Connor Hollister and William Last 2 apiece as the entire roster got in the scoring column.
Sunday's semifinal match-up proved to be a very exciting game with Nothing But Net of Clovis. SNBA used a game tying 3 pointer by David O'Brien and a David Mastrella driving lay-up with 4 seconds remaining to score the final five points of the game and steal the victory along with a Championship berth Monday afternoon.
O'Brien scored 15 points, Mastrella and Uclaray added 8 as Hollister, O'Lena and Mario Edwards chipped in 6 apiece.
All City FAM of Union City proved to be too much for the Renegades in the championship however. The Renegades played very well but once again a late run by the Oakland area squad was too much as they pulled away for a 51-40 victory.
O'Brien led the scoring with 11, Edwards knocked down 10 points, O'Lena and Mastrella scored 8 and Hollister added three points to round out the scoring.