Baltimore is a place where legends have been taught how to play the game of basketball. They have learned under Coach Anthony "Doodie" Lewis from the great Cecil Kirk. Coach Sarge from Madison, Bucky Lee, Mr. Wise, etc.... They have went to Dunbar, Lake Clifton, Southern (Digital Harbor), Douglass and more for High School. This was a time when Baltimore was the Center for great competition and the ownership of children was not in the center of attention. Now with the AAU programs such as Cecil Kirk, The Baltimore Stars, Crusader Nation, and of course the Battle Between Team Melo and Baltimore Elite the game of basketball has turned into a BUSINESS. The Basketball in Baltimore yet still competitive and loved dear quality has gone out of the window. So I ask myself with all of this who is the QUALITY PROGRAM. So I have a short evaluation of a few programs in the city of Baltimore.
Crusader Nation: Coach Mack
A quality program who is not funded by a sneaker company but by grants and donations. Though Coach Mack does recruit heavily in the city of Baltimore his program is Located in Baltimore County and roster spots are held by alot of kids who attend Baltimore County schools such as Milford Mill, Radallstown, etc... Crusader Nation is a well organized and you barely here any drama or altercations coming out of that program by far. They are headlined by one of the areas top Guards in Dillon Cromier who is headed to Loyola College located in Baltimore City to suit up for the Greyhounds. Not really labled as a program who will get your kid into college coach Mack continues to thrive in Baltimore County.
Cecil Kirk: Anthony "Doodie" Lewis
One of the longest running Basketball Programs in the Baltimore area and maybe the state of Maryland. Coach Doodie aka Squirrle is one of the most recognizable faces in Baltimore Basketball. Known for his charm and killer attacks, Coach Doodie has always managed to keep a player and send them to a top Division one college. Coaching Rudy Gay, Jack McClinton, Dejuan Summers for those who are more current basketball followers coach doodie has changed the game of Basketball in this town. One of if not the first to flaunt his contract with Nike when he had one he would pull up and pop the trunk of his car and hand out tennis shoes to those he was set to recruit. Now without his contract he still seems to travel abroad with one age group which is his 17U-19U. The other age groups in his program play in local tournaments that usually start with the name Charm City infront of it. Known for promoting prep school specifically Notre Dame Prep and having children transfer from their current high school to lake clifton. Coach Lewis still is among the most respected names in Baltimore for his past accomplishments with Players who have made it far. As Coach Doodies program begins to sink he still stays competitive and puts kids in college.
(Nike) Baltimore Elite: Coach Carlton "Bub" Carrington
With being the most hated man in Baltimore, Bub some how has kept his head above water. With being the head of team melo organization until 2008 Coach Bub has had not so major success but Major Players that have come from Baltimore in the past 5 years with most recently Sean Mosely and Malcolm Delaney who both play in the ACC. With having an outrageous number of athletes labeled as Top 100 prospects such as CJ Fair, Will Barton, Jordan Latham, Johnathan Grahm, Roscoe Smith, and now Nick Faust and Greg Lewis, Coach Bub and the Nike Elite Organization are in a lead and holds the place of top AAU program in Baltimore.
