Every once in a while, everything comes
together and basketball perfection is attained. Sometimes, by the most unlikely
of teams; the St. Louis Wildcats didn't even compete in the previously in AAU.
They arrived with 6 players and a dream; they didn’t have a large crowed or entourage.
They didn’t have a large budget, pancakes, hotdogs, and grilled cheese filled were
their main staples for the week – until they were adopted by Boo Williams staff
who introduced the group to Bojangles Chicken.
But when St. Louis played their game,
they were the kind of club that opposing coaches feared. That fear grew during
the Tournament as the Wildcats knocked off all pool opponents and the
Wellington Wolves, New Jersey’s Team IZOD, and the Tennessee Legends to reach the Final
Four shocking the world. There they
almost shocked the overwhelming favorite and soon to be National Champions
Oakland Soldiers falling 69-61 in a game that wasn’t decided until the last
minute. After that they lost by only one
to defending national champion Wisconsin United 61-60 in another amazing
performance.
Throughout the tournament they were
told not to play to lose, play to win.
That they were good enough to win and that they could beat anyone in the
country and that is just what they did.
Without question they were the fan favorite and one of the most inspiring
youth basketball stories seen in some time. Some may have felt that the
Wildcats had to win it all to complete this unlikeliest of fairy tales; but
that is far from the truth. They allowed
everyone for a week to know that its ok to dream big if you have put in the
work, trust each other, play hard, and maximize talents – in doing so you can
not only possibly win a national championship you can win at life.
How can a 10u team beat, Riverside Hawks, Gulf Coast Blue Chip, Banneker Kings, and WACG. Lose the National Cahmpionship game by 6 to Maryland with help of a certain ref who purpose gave fouls to the best player in the tournament and that team not have one player on this 2022 list
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