ECI AAU Provides Opportunity for North Dakota Hoopers to get National Attention

Program brought teams to hoop seen tournament in Atlanta where 15 top college programs were in attendance

FARGO, N.D. — ECI, the top AAU program for high school basketball players in the state of North Dakota gave their players from 15 to 17 the experience of a lifetime playing in the hoop seen tournament over the weekend in Atlanta Georgia.

The facility housed 40 courts and all four ECI teams who went were guaranteed five games over the three days racking up a 10-10 overall record. The U-17 selects team finished with a winning record of 3-2.

It provided everyone especially the rising seniors the chance to get looks at a national level. The Prospects beat a team from Memphis in game one and it was a memorable one for Kindred’s Paul Olson.

“There was a 7’2” kid on the team and Paul Olson actually jumped against this kid off the tip-off,” Head coach Luke Moorman said. “You look behind our bench and the Purdue head coach was there. Maryland, Michigan State. There was 15 high major schools there watching this 7’2” kid.”

“There was a lot of good players there and a lot of good teams,” Olson said. “It made a difference because being from North Dakota, there is not a lot of colleges coming here and you walk in there and see Duke, North Carolina scouts and other big schools everywhere. I didn’t really know what to expect from the teams we played against and then after we won that first game we all felt we belonged down there. It’s not like we’re a bunch of scrubs. To go there and win three was pretty fun.”

Other local players who joined Olson on the 17 under prospects team were Davies Ian Motschenbacher and Alex Proctor, Red River’s Paine Parks, West Fargo’s Nick Carlson  and Moorhead’s Elliot Hoff.

Local players on the selects were Moorhead’s Mason hills and John Jenkins, Sheyenne’s Kaleb Larson and Enderlin’s Alijah Dixson. ECI plays one more tournament this weekend before their summer season ends.