The annual exciting Southwest Showcase Main Event took place this weekend, and kicked off the 2014 club season for the state of Arizona. The Main Event has become the annual tip-off event for the club season in the state, as tournament organizer Ron Coleman of Southwest Showcase continues to turn out well organized events for basketball enthusiasts in the state and the Southwest. The Main Event is an event that showcases the state’s top club teams for boys and girls in the state, and at numerous different age levels. The winners of this event each year go on to have strong spring and summer performances while representing the state.
This weekend’s event featured each of the state’s top club programs for boys and girls, and, in the boy's 17 & Under division, this year's championship of the event was won by a talented Arizona Power Black 17U team that included many of the state's top boy's prospects from the 2015 class, and also the state's premier freshman prospect. Led by the strong play of Tournament Most Valuable Player, Perry High School 5-foot-10 superb freshman guard Markus Howard, the Arizona Power Black would overcome an almost defeat in the semi-finals to win this year's exciting event. The Arizona Power Black would then defeat a superb group of sophomore prospects from Team Bibby in the finals of the event in a nail-biter.
The Power would also get strong play from Corona Del Sol HS 6-foot-7 junior forward Dane Kuiper (New Mexico commit), Chaparral HS 6-foot-4 junior guard Kenzo Nudo and Tucson Sahuaro HS 6-foot-7 junior forward Nate Renfro.
Coached by John Ortega, this year's version of Arizona Power Black will look forward to a strong spring and summer from this team of talented prospects. Congratulations to this year's talented group for winning this weekend's event.
Also winning this year's 17U Open Division of the tournament was Arizona Magic/Jump Athletic. This team cruised through the tournament and was led by many of the state's sleeper prospects from the 2014 & 2015 classes. The team was led by the play of top-rated Central HS 6-foot-6 junior forward Fouman Miller and Queen Creek HS 6-foot-5 senior sleeper forward Parker Anderson.
