Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Wiggins, Canadians Try to Bounce Back in Atlantic City
It has been an up and down couple of weeks for Andrew Wiggins and his fellow Canadians.
As Team Canada, they reached the final of the Nike Global Challenge, only to lose to James Young and Team USA Midwest at the DC Armory.
Then last week at the Peach Jam, Wiggins and company beat Julius Randle and the Team Texas Titans in arguably the most anticipated and watched AAU game of the summer.
After the win, Wiggins, the 6-foot-7 Canadian sensation, proclaimed: “Everyone has different opinions [about who the best player is]. If they think I’m better, then that’s their opinion. I think I’m the best.”
He added: “I’ll put myself before anyone.”
On Sunday, Wiggins was whistled for a questionable foul in the final seconds of the Peach Jam, and CIA Bounce lost to the Oakland Soldiers, 51-50, in a thrilling game between the two top teams on the Nike EYBL circuit.
Now, in the last live period of July, Wiggins and CIA Bounce will be back on the AAU circuit.
But not in Orlando or Las Vegas.
Instead, they will headline the field at the inaugural Live in AC — to be held in Atlantic City.
Here’s the schedule for the event, which runs Wednesday-Friday and will be played at several locations, including Stockton College.
Along with CIA Bounce, the field includes top teams like Team Takeover (DC), Sports U (NJ), Team Final (Pa.), the Playaz (NJ), Philly Pride (PA), Baltimore’s Finest (MD) and Dorian’s Pride (MI).
If Wiggins and company can win this event, at least they will come out of July with a championship to call their own.
“The guys just want to play ball,” CIA Bounce coach Tony McIntyre told SNY.tv Tuesday. “Losing is disappointing but we were there [in the final] and everyone else went home.
“Even though we lost on the scoreboard, I don’t really feel we lost at Peach Jam. The guys are going to want to finish off strong. We’re going there and we want to win it. Get in and get out of Atlantic City.”
The Canadians will close out the July live period by hosting their own event, the Carabana Classic, this coming weekend in Toronto.
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
It has been an up and down couple of weeks for Andrew Wiggins and his fellow Canadians.
As Team Canada, they reached the final of the Nike Global Challenge, only to lose to James Young and Team USA Midwest at the DC Armory.
Then last week at the Peach Jam, Wiggins and company beat Julius Randle and the Team Texas Titans in arguably the most anticipated and watched AAU game of the summer.
After the win, Wiggins, the 6-foot-7 Canadian sensation, proclaimed: “Everyone has different opinions [about who the best player is]. If they think I’m better, then that’s their opinion. I think I’m the best.”
He added: “I’ll put myself before anyone.”
On Sunday, Wiggins was whistled for a questionable foul in the final seconds of the Peach Jam, and CIA Bounce lost to the Oakland Soldiers, 51-50, in a thrilling game between the two top teams on the Nike EYBL circuit.
Now, in the last live period of July, Wiggins and CIA Bounce will be back on the AAU circuit.
But not in Orlando or Las Vegas.
Instead, they will headline the field at the inaugural Live in AC — to be held in Atlantic City.
Here’s the schedule for the event, which runs Wednesday-Friday and will be played at several locations, including Stockton College.
Along with CIA Bounce, the field includes top teams like Team Takeover (DC), Sports U (NJ), Team Final (Pa.), the Playaz (NJ), Philly Pride (PA), Baltimore’s Finest (MD) and Dorian’s Pride (MI).
If Wiggins and company can win this event, at least they will come out of July with a championship to call their own.
“The guys just want to play ball,” CIA Bounce coach Tony McIntyre told SNY.tv Tuesday. “Losing is disappointing but we were there [in the final] and everyone else went home.
“Even though we lost on the scoreboard, I don’t really feel we lost at Peach Jam. The guys are going to want to finish off strong. We’re going there and we want to win it. Get in and get out of Atlantic City.”
The Canadians will close out the July live period by hosting their own event, the Carabana Classic, this coming weekend in Toronto.
