The Florida Phenoms 6th grade boys traveling basketball team finished as runners-up in the USSSA Florida State Tournament. The tournament took place in Lakeland June 12-14 and featured the top basketball teams from all over the state. The Phenoms started the tournament strong by finishing first in their pool with wins over the Hollywood Eagles 51-41 and Junior Kings 48-41. After receiving a bye in the first round of elimination play, the Phenoms were matched against a tough South Florida Wildcats team. The Phenoms made up a seven point deficit and closed out the game by defeating the Wildcats 37-31 to earn a spot in the semifinal game.

In the semifinals, the Phenoms took on two time defending state champion First Choice. The Phenoms opened up a large early lead and never looked back. After holding off a late game run by First Choice, the Phenoms earned the victory by a score of 46-41. In just their second season together, the Florida Phenoms found themselves amongst the elite teams in Florida with a spot in the USSSA State Championship. Despite a spirited effort, the Phenoms were unable to overcome the considerable size of their opponent, the Florida Roadrunners; a team that featured three players 6'2" or taller. After a late game surge to pull within six, the Phenoms ultimately fell in the final game 27-35.

The Phenoms JT Marshall received the Hustle Award trophy and Abed Abukhadier was named to the all tournament team. Other outstanding team members include Brendan White, James Brunson, Jorquel Condomina, Isaac Tiburcio, Tre Boyd, Jack Derovanesian, Mickey Pettit, Tyler Byrd, Dante Hoppa, and Rodney Hunter.

After an outstanding season, the Phenoms 2008/09 record stands at 57-10 overall, including six championships and six runners-up trophies. They now lead the nation in USSSA points earned for top tournament finishes. The Head Coach of the Florida Phenoms is Chris Moore, with Assistant Coaches Rodney Hunter and George Condomina.

The Florida Phenoms beat the Junior Kings in their final pool play game at the USSSA State Tournament. After jumping to an early lead, the Phenoms continue to dominate until late in the game when the Junior Kings made a small run to close within eight. A few baskets and some tough defense enabled the Phenoms to hold off the opposition and gave them the top spot in their pool.

The Phenoms receive a bye in the first round of bracket/elimination play, and are scheduled to face either the South Florida Wildcats or Lakeland Fire in the quarterfinals at 9:45AM on Sunday.

The Florida Phenoms began the 2009 USSSA State Tournament with a bang by beating the Hollywood Eagles in their first pool play game. While the Phenoms led the entire game, they were able to hold off a late run by the Eagles.

Tournament play will continue on Saturday with the Phenoms facing the Junior Kings to close out pool play. With a win, the Phenoms can secure the top spot in their pool and receive a bye in the first round of bracket play.

The Florida Phenoms will close out their 2008/09 season with an appearance in the USSSA Florida State Tournament in Lakeland June 12-14. Check back often for live updates regarding schedules and game results.

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Despite an excellent display of teamwork in the pool play games, the Florida Phenoms were unable to clinch the first place trophy at the Florida Rams Classic in St. Petersburg.

The team flew through pool play defeating the Lakeland Fire, St. Paul Chargers, and Manatee Pal. The championship game had the Phenoms once again taking on the Lakeland Fire for a rematch from a day earlier. This time it was the Lakeland Fire that came out on top. Tough play by the Fire coupled with shooting troubles for the Phenoms lead to a very challenging title game. Down by ten points with only four minutes left, the Phenoms made a run to tie the game. Unfortunately things just wouldn't fall the Phenoms way and they settled for the runner up trophy in their final regular season tournament.

The Florida Phenoms once again made the championship game in a tournament, but for the second time they fell by only two points in the finale. After pool play victories against the OBC Hawks and Miramar PAL Patriots, the Phenoms were matched with the Florida Suns in quarterfinal action. After winning 43-25, the Phenoms took on the Brevard Bulls for a bid to the championship. Despite a close game throughout, the Phenoms eventually pulled away for a 49-37 victory.

The championship game matched the Phenoms will fellow USSSA team, the Bay City Ballers. While it remained a close contest, the Phenoms were able to extend a nine point lead heading into halftime. Spirited third and fourth quarter play by the Ballers earned them the victory over the Phenoms by a score of 55-53.

Next up for the Phenoms will be the final stretch of USSSA play with the Florida Rams Shootout in St. Petersburg and the Florida State Tournament in Lakeland.

The Florida Phenoms will take a break from USSSA play, but not from the sport of basketball. The team is headed to Disney's Wide World of Sports May 15-17 to compete in the AAU Disney Spring Classic. With competitors from across the State of Florida, the tournament should prove to be a fun challenge for the Naples-based Phenoms.

The Phenoms begin pool play on Friday afternoon, facing the OBC Hawks before meeting USSSA rival Miramar PAL Patriots on Saturday morning. If all goes well, the Phenoms will continue through bracket play on Sunday with a final test in the championship at 5:15PM.

Following the Disney tournament, the Phenoms will have just two tournament remaining for the 2009 season. The Phenoms plan on traveling to St. Pete at the end of May to compete in the Florida Rams Shootout before heading to the tough USSSA Florida State Tournament in mid-June.

Despite an earlier pool play win over the Florida Prospects, the Phenoms were unable to wrestle the title game away. After previous pool play victories over the Lakeland Fire, St. Paul Chargers, and the Manatee PAL Thunder, the Phenoms were matched in one final pool game against the Prospects. Meeting for the first time this season, the two highly ranked teams battled with the Phenoms emerging with a 45-42 win.

In a rematch of the game just three hours earlier, the Phenoms once again faced the Florida Prospects in the High Hoops Shootout championship game. While the game remained close throughout with the lead changing hands several times, the Prospects ended up on top this time, beating the Phenoms by a slim margin of just two points.

Just one week after a championship showing in the Southwest Regional Championship, the Florida Phenoms continued on their quest to dominate youth basketball in Florida. Despite a very tough tournament field, the Phenoms used teamwork and athleticism to capture yet another USSSA tournament title, their fifth of the season.

The Phenoms were immediately challenged in pool play, facing the Miami Magic, Junior Kings, and Jupiter Jaguars. While each game remained close, the Phenoms pulled away every time, winning by margins of 8, 13, and 14.

In a tough semifinal match up against West Boca, the Phenoms found themselves down most of the game before once again pulling away late. Despite winning by 10, the Phenoms breathed a sigh of relief and looked toward another championship game.

The championship found the Phenoms matched up against old foe, the South Florida Wildcats. One of the few teams to beat the Phenoms this season, South Florida has done so twice. While both teams played tough defensively, the Phenoms were able to surge forward with their spirited offensive play winning by a final margin of 38-26.

The Florida Phenoms continued to establish their dominance of youth basketball on Florida's west coast by grabbing the championship in the Southwest Florida Regional Championship.

After breezing through pool play with wins over the Jupiter Jaguars, High Hoops Hotshots, and the CSN Seahawks, the Phenoms were again set to face Jupiter in the semi-finals. Once again the Jaguars proved to be no match for the athletic Phenoms, as they were dispatched by a score of 68-42.

The championship game featured the Phenoms and newcomer the Miami Magic. With their height and athleticism, the Magic proved to be a challenging competitor but not enough to derail the Phenoms. With a final score of 63-50, the Phenoms captured their fourth USSSA tournament title of the season.

The Florida Phenoms Orange and White teams, competing separately for the first time since December, dominated both division one and two tournament action at the Beef O'Brady's Charlotte County Shootout.

In division two action, the Orange easily rolled through pool play with victories over the Jupiter Jaguars and the Winning Ways Wizards. Quarterfinal action matched the Orange against the Charlotte Clippers, with the Phenoms coming out on top 63-34. The High Hoops Hot Shots were the next victim, falling to the Orange 66-41 in the semifinal game. The championship featured the Bay City Ballers versus the Orange. After hanging tough throughout the game, the Ballers couldn't overcome the teamwork and inside presence of the Phenoms. With the 60-45 victory, the Orange team captured their second tournament championship of the season.

In division one action, the White team proved too strong for a trio of teams. The only close competition was a pool play game with the St. Paul Stars that ended with a 50-40 overtime Phenom win. The remaining pool games included a 47-25 defeat of the Gainesville Stampede and a 57-33 thrashing of the Florida Fusion. The championship final was a rematch of the overtime pool game against St. Paul. Once again, the White team proved too tough to handle, using suffocating defense and inside domination to defeat St. Paul 50-36.

With two championship team trophies in tow, individual awards were handed out to Jorquel Condomina, Dante Hoppa, and Jack Derovanesian for the Orange team, while Mickey Pettit was named all-tournament for the White team. Isaac Tiburcio grabbed the tournament MVP for the Orange, while JT Marshall earned the MVP for the White.

The Florida Phenoms white team ran out of gas before losing to the South Florida Wildcats in the championship game of the SuperSlam VIII in Coral Springs. Despite keeping it a close game throughout, the Phenoms could not overcome the tough man to man defense of the Wildcats and fell 26-34.

Earlier in the tournament, the Phenoms rolled through pool play defeating the Miramar PAL Patriots, Wellington Wolves, and Coral Springs Explosion by a margin of six points each game. In the quarterfinal, it took a surge in overtime for the Phenoms to hold off a feisty Boca Hoops team. The Phenoms ended up besting Boca 49-45, leading to a semifinal match up against the Sarasota Wave.

Despite trailing by as much as ten points, the Phenoms battled back with ferocious defense to beat Sarasota 53-45, earning a spot in the championship face off with the Wildcats.

The Florida Phenoms dominated the Sarasota-Bradenton Open tournament held February 20-22. Tournament play began with a very physical contest against the Charlotte Clippers. Despite a few bumps and bruises, the Phenoms walked away with a 42-25 victory.

The Phenoms rounded out pool play with wins against the High Hoops Hot Shots 47-13 and Manatee Storm 62-38. After a bye in quarterfinal action, the Phenoms were matched with a spirited SEBA Select team in the semifinals. SEBA Select was quickly dispatched 65-35 to set up the high stakes championship final against the Sarasota Wave.

After sprinting to a 13-4 lead, the Phenoms never looked back. Even as Sarasota launched NBA style three point shots, they couldn't overcome the swarming defense and offensive firepower of the Phenoms. The Phenoms went on to secure a 53-49 win and their first championship trophy of the season. Tyler Byrd was awarded the tournament MVP, while Taha Abu-Khadier and Nick Karambellas were named to the all-tournament team.

The Florida Phenoms suffered an upset loss in the semifinal of the Hollywood Tip Off tournament. After cruising through pool play undefeated, the Phenoms faced the South Florida Wildcats with the winner earning a spot in the championship game. Despite falling behind 8-0, the Phenoms were able to rally and take a six point lead heading into the final five minutes of the game. The Wildcats turned up the pressure and hit several clutch shots down the stretch to win 57-45. The disappointing third place finish marked the first time this season the Phenoms did not compete in a tournament championship game.

It's easy to see that the Florida Phenoms team members are outstanding on the basketball court, but they are also standouts where it matters most, in the classroom. As a group, the Phenoms boast a 3.4 team grade point average. While the players attend many different schools throughout Collier and Lee County, it is clear that their top priority of academic achievement forms a common bond between them.

Congratulations to our super student-athletes! Keep up the great work.

Both the Florida Phenoms Orange and White teams participated in the first fundraising event of the season, a huge team yard sale. These dedicated young men took items that were no longer wanted and turned them into cash for future tournament entry fees.

The day wasn't all work and no play however. The players took advantage of a few brief lulls in shopping traffic throughout the day to compete in spirited games of basketball and billiards before enjoying some pizza.

Despite a gutsy performance, the Florida Phenoms White team couldn't overcome injury and foul trouble, falling to the Miramar PAL Patriots in the Slamfest Holiday Jam. Competing with just a seven man roster, the White was forced to strategize after leading scorer, JT Marshall, went down with an ankle injury two plays into the game. Complicating matters further, fellow big man Tre Boyd was plagued by foul trouble which rendered the White team fast but small.

With the Orange team cheering them on, the White made a valiant effort to grab the title before falling 41-50. James Brunson, JT Marshall, and Abed Abu-Khadier were named to the all-tournament team. Next up for the White team is the tough Hollywood Tip-Off in Fort Lauderdale.

The Florida Phenoms Orange team was unable to pull off a close contest against the West Boca Ballers that would've placed the team in it's first semifinal appearance of the season. In their first game of the Slamfest Holiday Jam, the Orange went into double overtime before West Boca took a three point lead and held on for the win.

The Orange went on to beat Public Enemy before getting shell-shocked by the Junior Kings in pool play. With a final pool record of 1-2, the close loss to West Boca came back to haunt the Orange and ultimately kept them from advancing to the semi-final round.

Despite their disappointment, the Orange played hard, competing with just a seven man rotation. The team will continue to improve by playing in several division one tournaments before making their division two debut in mid March.

The Florida Phenoms white team, with backup support from members of the orange team, came up a little short in their first AAU SuperRegional tournament. After dominating their first two opponents, the Tampa Bay Warriors 5th and Broward Warriors 5th, the Phenoms couldn't overcome a spirited Tampa Bay Warriors 6th grade team.

The Phenoms got off to a slow start, falling behind early by 14 points, only to force a half time tie. After taking the lead early in the 3rd quarter, the Phenoms were unable to hold off a late game charge by the Warriors. Even after hitting a pair of long range three pointers, the Phenoms could not make up the point deficit and fell to the Warriors 49-56.

The Phenoms will compete in their final YMCA league game next Saturday before heading to Fort Lauderdale for the Holiday Slamfest on 12/13. The D1 USSSA tournament will be the first time this season the white and orange teams could potentially compete against each other for a tournament title.

The Florida Phenoms white team will have the first chance to capture a tournament victory in it's debut at the AAU SuperRegional in Tampa. The Phenoms will face off against teams from Tampa Bay and Broward in hopes of starting the 2008/09 traveling season on a winning note.

After a successful season playing up in the YMCA's 13/14 age division, the Phenoms are ready to hit the road and challenge Florida's best competition at the U12 level. The white team will compete in the AAU SuperRegional Thanksgiving weekend before heading to Fort Lauderdale, with the orange team, for their first USSSA tournament in December.