IEXCEL Will Defend Summer Basketball Playoff Crowns



The 2014 ASGR Summer Basketball Playoff featured many of the nation’s top travel programs, but one club stood above the others. IEXCEL came down to Charlotte from New York and promptly won the 16U and 14U Playoff titles.

“Those championships meant everything to us,” said program director Walter Welsh. “We were in our first year as IEXCEL, and there wasn’t a better way to end the year than to win two championships.

“Obviously the kids felt great about winning, and it was huge for the program. It showed everyone the level of talent we have in our program.”

IEXCEL will be back in Charlotte, NC for the 2015 ASGR Summer Basketball Playoff on July 27-30. The event, which will once again feature top flight programs from around the country, will be held at the Carolina Courts facility.

The New York program will once again be loaded with talent from top to bottom. The IEXCEL veterans will get their share of attention, but there is a growing buzz regarding the club’s Class of 2018 standouts. That unit is led by perimeter players Jordan Nixon (5-7) and Annie Ramil (5-10), and they are getting a boost from 2019 prospect Michelle Sidor (5-7).

“These players are the future of our program, and we’re very excited about our future,’ Welsh said. “I really think Jordan is going to be one of the top players in the country in her class. She can do it all. She is a knock down shooter, and Jordan is a great ballhandler in the tradition of Harlem point guards.

“Annie is a great shooter with great range. She is an intelligent player, and she can compete inside against taller players. Michelle is playing up as an eighth grader, and she is getting a lot of attention. People have been comparing her to (former Ohio State All-American) Samantha Prahalis, which tells you a lot about Michelle’s ability.”