Canadian AAU hoops continues to ring bells.

AAU clubs Stackhouse Elite and UPLAY Canada will collaborate at the 16U level to travel on the adidas Gauntlet circuit. Both parties announced their partnership Thursday evening.

UPLAY Canada a development club based out of Hamilton, ON with arguably the deepest 2017 player pool in the country joins forces with Stackhouse Elite spearheaded by former NBA veteran Jerry Stackhouse and former Toronto Raptor Jermaine Jackson.

This power move comes together on the heels of a partnership between UPLAY and Milton based development club S-Elite at the 16U level and a recent adidas sponsorship deal for the UPLAY 17U team led by Canadian internationals 6’10” Nolan Narain and 6’5″ Marquell Fraser.

Now under the Stackhouse-UPLAY moniker the program boasts an impressive 2017 player pool that features 6’6″ Abu Kigab, 6’5″ Christian David, 6’5″ Shamiel Stevenson, 6’5″ Shai Alexander, 6’5″ Therren Szmidt and 6’3″ stickler Sam Jenkins among others.

According to Stackhouse-UPLAY officials; ongoing discussions with multiple household names in the 2017 Canadian class that could potentially bolster the roster even more are being bandied about.

This newly formed power will be the lone Canadian 16U squad set to compete on the prestigious adidas Uprising Gauntlet series. The adidas Gauntlet series brings together top 15U, 16U and 17U teams from across the country to compete for the title of adidas Uprising Gauntlet champion. Teams will compete in two qualifying events in Dallas (April 10-12) and Indianapolis (April 24-26) to earn a spot in the Gauntlet Finale in Atlanta. (July 8-10)

“This is no bandwagon jumping for either side. My relationship with UPLAY goes back. When Coach Washington and his MacNab team had no season because of school board strike we brought them up to Detroit for training and tournaments and have maintained a relationship since,” Jermaine Jackson told Hoops Hype Canada.”Now its just the right time and place to do this.”

Speaking with Hoops Hype Canada UPLAY founder Dwane Washington explained the motive behind the partnership

Washington on Stackhouse Elite UPLAY partnership:

Washington on similar mandates between Stackhouse Elite and UPLAY:

Washington on Stackhouse UPLAY rosters:

Washington on coaching staff:

Washington on Adidas Gauntlet benefits:

Washington on AAU landscape now:

 

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UPLAY at the 2018 level also has some blue chip prospects of their own. 6’9″ Brendan Kenyan has shown significant strides as a young developing center and should be a key component in the low post for Canadian junior cadet squad this summer.

2018 Khaleem Bennett of UPLAY in training with Jerry Stackhouse Thursday March 19 in Toronto. (photo courtesy of @srackhouse416)

 

Also 6’4″ south paw Khaleem Bennett who often showed serious flashes of potential during the 2014-15 school season with SA MacNab is another name who is poised to break out as he approaches graduation.