Final Results:
The Genies 14U team is competing in the weeklong AAU Division II National Championship tournament, July 10-16 at the Disney Sports complex in Orlando. The Genies, who have captured two Arizona state AAU championships, one AAU DII Western National Championship and finished 7th in last year's National tournament in Nashville, are the sole representative from Arizona. There are 53 teams from 24 states and Puerto Rico entered in the tournament............ GAME 1 POOL PLAY: The Genies fought back from a two-point halftime deficit to rally to a 61-50 victory over the Cincy Legend. Cara Bomar scored 11 points and Christine Stevenson added 10 to lead a balanced offensive attack that saw every Genies player score. Amberlee Tialino keyed a second half defensive turnaround and finished with eight steals............GAME 2 POOL PLAY: The Genies fell behind early and could never catch up in dropping a 74-52 decision to the Florida Lady Falcons. Trailing by 13 points at the half, the Genies closed the gap to eight with 12 minutes to play, but as the Genies primary ballhandlers (Kelsi Haugo and Tara Rickenbach) both fouled out of the game, an 8-0 run by the Falcons put the game out of reach. The Genies also shot themselves in the foot going a woeful 10-for-31 from the free throw line. Cortnee Walton scored 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to pace the Genies, while Amberlee Tialino and Ashton Jones posted 11 points each............GAME 3 POOL PLAY: The Genies used a 7-0 run to close the game in beating Team Sol by the count of 48-41. After grabbing a ten-point lead late in the first half the Genies looked to be on their way to putting the team from Maryland away, but another high-turnover game (25) kept the opposition close, and with two minutes left Team Sol had battled back to a 41-41 tie. However, baskets by Ashton Jones and Kelsi Haugo put the team up by four, and then a well-executed sideline out-of-bounds play with 30 seconds left resulted in a Christine Stevenson three-point play and secured the victory. Jones led the team with 10 points, while Cortnee Walton collected a game-high 10 rebounds............GAME 4 POOL PLAY: The Genies were unable to get their offense in gear and dropped a 49-44 decision to the Georgia Atomic Stars to even their pool play record at 2-2. Kelsi Haugo scored 14 points and Cara Bomar added 12 to lead the Genies who trailed by five at the half. The Genies rallied to tie the score at 40 with three minutes left, but a three-pointer gave the Stars the lead for good..............GAME 5 POOL PLAY: In their most impressive performance of the tournament the Genies rallied for a 42-37 victory over the Texas Ice to secure the #2 seed in the six-team Pool D finishing pool play with a 3-2 mark. Trailing virtually the entire game, the Genies overcame a six-point second half deficit and secured the win with a couple of clutch free throws from Tara Rickenbach and Cara Bomar with less than 20 seconds to go. Cortnee Walton posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds to lead the club in both categories............FIRST ROUND BRACKET PLAY: The Genies roared back from a 14-point deficit in the final four minutes of the game to stun the Georgia Lady Hornets 66-59 and advance to the second round of the single elimination National tournament. Tara Rickenbach finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and four assists and keyed the frantic comeback in the game's final minutes as the Genies used a suffocating full-court press to force turnover after turnover at game's end. The Genies erased the 14 point lead in just under three minutes, and then Amberlee Tialino nailed a three-pointer from the corner to give the Genies the lead for good in front of a screaming crowd. Ashton Jones poured in 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead the Genies, while Christine Stevenson scored 11 and Cortnee Walton nabbed 11 rebounds............SECOND ROUND BRACKET PLAY: In a virtual carbon copy of their game earlier in the day, the Genies again fought back - this time from a 17-point second half deficit - but this time their luck ran out and they came out on the short end of a 56-55 decision against Lowcountry Ballers from South Carolina. Just as they had done several hours earlier, the Genies dug themselves a huge hole and trailed by 17 with eight minutes left. However, their relentless full court pressure brought the team back, and they trailed by just two with two seconds to play. Inbounding from halfcourt, the Genies executed perfectly the play drawn up in the huddle, and Christine Stevenson was fouled while attempting a driving layup in traffic with 2/10ths of a second to play as the ball just rolled off the rim. Her first free throw was good, but the second was off the mark and Genies were left with the heartbreaking one point defeat. Ashton Jones led another balanced attack with 12 points as every Genies player again was in the scoring column. The team finished the tournament with a 4-3 mark............The Genies roster is comprised of Tara Rickenbach (Mesquite High), Alyssa Heeman (Highland High), Cara Bomar (Mesquite High), Shana Davis (Apollo High), Kelsi Haugo (Mesquite High), Christine Stevenson (Mountain Ridge High), Ausha Cole (Gilbert High), Amberlee Tialino (Gilbert High), Ashton Jones (Desert Ridge High) and Cortnee Walton (Sunrise Educational Center). Fans can follow the tournament results throughout the week here at the Genies website and by clicking on the AAU link below.
Your Wish Is My Command:
2007 AAU DII NATIONALS TOURNAMENT BRACKETS
2006 AAU DII Nationals
Genies Capture 2005 AAU DII Western Nationals Championship
Photos From 2006 Nationals
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