Tucson Summer Pro League

Tucson Summer Pro League for Kids caps 21st year with competitive championship games



Former Arizona player Corey Williams coaches some of the young players who participated in the Tucson Summer Pro League for Kids (Stephanie van Latum/AllSportsTucson.com)

Corey Williams started the Tucson Summer Pro League in 2004 as a way for former college players and those still playing in Arizona at the time to have organized pickup games at the Tucson Jewish Center.

Williams, a former Wildcat, played in those games along with Kelvin Eafon, Khalid Reeves, Jason Gardner, Hassan Adams, Kevin Flanagan, Dylan Rigdon, Matt Brase, Channing Frye, Salim Stoudamire, Reggie Geary and Justin Wessel with an occasional appearance by Joseph Blair, AJ Bramlett, Richard Jefferson, Miles Simon, Jason Terry, Ben Davis, Luke Walton and Gene Edgerson.

Former Salpointe and Arizona State standout Sybil Dosty and Arizona’s two-time All-Pac-10 player Felecity Willis also took part as did Herman Harris, a great from the Fred Snowden era.

“I have made Tucson my home, and I wanted something that I could go and enjoy during the summer,” Williams told the Tucson Citizen in a 2004 article. “I knew it could be something we could do every year.”

Arizona Daily Star clipping indicating the first Tucson Summer Pro League rosters in 2004

Some 21 years later, the Tucson Summer Pro League lives on with the tag “For Kids,” comprised of boys and girls ages 10 to 13.

Because of increased summer demands elsewhere for Arizona players and the difficulty of attracting enough college-age players to field multiple teams, Williams went primarily with youths for the event in 2018. He first included young players in 2013.

The eighth year with the title Tucson Summer Pro League for Kids was another success for Williams and his staff this summer.

The 3-point contests and three championship games Sunday at The Gregory School were all entertaining. The results:

3-POINT SHOOTING CONTEST

BOYS 10-11

Winner: Christian Bayze

Runner-up: Tristan Morales

GIRLS 10-13

Winner: Finley Johnson

Runner-up: Anniston Bosley

BOYS 12-13

Winner: Mason Moreland

Runner-up: Cameron Woods

BOYS 10-11 CHAMPIONSHIP

Jim Click Holmes Tuttle 48, Bruce Baca Real Estate 46

MVP: Bronson Escobar

Jim Click Holmes Tuttle: Bronson Escobar 11, Gabin Mease 10, Zayden Zamora 8, Alexander Roberts 6, Roman Avery 5, Ty Arrington 4, Jad Alnasany 2, Tristan Morales 2.

Bruce Baca Real East: Michael Martin 20, Dominic Bayze 10, Jorge Gonzalez 5, Arian Tapia 5, Etai Martin 2, Christian Bayze 2, Jordan Soto 2.

GIRLS 10-13 CHAMPIONSHIP

Crest Insurance 41, Moore Law 36

MVP: Finley Johnson

Crest Insurance: Finley Johnson 26, Amelia Acosta 8, Lesley Thomas 5, Ariella R. 2.

Moore Law: Nicole Connorlow 12, Mattilyean Ortega 8, Azaela Heaven 6, Amayllis Heaven 4, Talia Harper 2, Maya Juan 2, Athena Lewis 2.

BOYS 12-13 CHAMPIONSHIP

Bruce Foundation 53, Casino del Sol 44

Bruce Foundation: Mason Moreland 28, Jordan Moreland 11, Christian Gable 6, Kelvin Eafon Jr. 4, Christian Chavez 2, Matthew Salazar 2

Casino del Sol: Geronimo Leonardo 16, Amari Ramsey 14, Eric Hendrix 9, Kylin White 3, Mace Amaro 2.

Eafon coached the Bruce Foundation, which included his son Kelvin Eafon Jr. The elder Eafon, recruited to Arizona by Lute Olson and later was captain of Dick Tomey’s football team, has worked with Williams since the inception of Tucson Summer Pro League, including coaching the youngsters over the last 12 years.

Kelvin Eafon with his son Kelvin (Eafon photo)
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