Community sports | Bradenton Gym Ratz gear up for inaugural NABL season

ANNA MARIA -- Half of the Bradenton Gym Ratz whoop and holler for a moment at one end of the gym in the farthest northwest corner of Manatee County before a shot comes from the other end of The Center of Anna Maria Island.

"That's how you play defense!" Milton Jones shouts after his team in the Gym Ratz' intrasquad scrimmage makes a stop during Saturday's practice, before Darryl Johnson interrupts him.

"That's how you play defense?" the head coach retorts. "Come on. Give me five." The orange team goes to one end line for five laps while the other half of the team trots to the sideline. The orange team spent the possession flying around the court recklessly, darting into passing lanes for steal attempts and eventually forcing a turnover. It was disorganized even if it worked for one possession.

Johnson didn't bring Bradenton to the National Alliance of Basketball Leagues (NABL) for a glorified men's league show. A long-time Amateur Athletic Union coach, Johnson once had a penchant for sending youth basketball players into the collegiate ranks. Now with the Gym Ratz he wants to send adults through the professional ranks, either to leagues overseas or to the NBA Development League.

"They're very excited," said Johnson, who moved to Bradenton three years ago when his son played football for IMG Academy, "and we're excited, too."

The NABL has had several different identities on its way to the hopeful feeder system it is now. In 1961, it was the remnants of the National Basketball League, which had broken apart with the formation of the NBA. By the 1970s it was a touring league and eventually disintegrated until a renaissance in the 1990s.

The Gym Ratz joined the Central Basketball Development League (CBDL) in July and the CBDL merged with the NABL in February. The season begins for the 15-team league in late April -- Bradenton's first home game is April 23 at Bayshore High School -- and all stats and video from every game will be streamed live to D-League and international teams.

"The exposure is greater," said guard Jeptha Lewis, who played for the Tampa Bay Rebels in the Florida Basketball Association last year. "There's a lot more people who will be able to see what we're about and what we're capable of, and just giving us a chance to show off our skill."

Bradenton has a handful of players who have played at the college level, but many are just going off their high school experience.

Lewis, who is the oldest player at 28 and the team's captain, played for two years at East Bay High School in Gibsonton and he's part of the minority that didn't play high school basketball in Manatee County.

Point guard Jalen Seel played for Southeast High School, shooting guard Aaron Van Buren played for the now-defunct Prep Learning Academy, post player Austin Gordon played for Manatee High School and shooting guard Fadi Samad played for Bayshore.

Johnson spent the last year scavenging for talent in all the men's leagues around Manatee County, checking out the games at G.T. Bray Park and in Palmetto. What he wound up with is a team with a local feel and international dreams.

"We're glad that we're going to be right there at Bayshore High School to provide some sort of entertainment in the area," Johnson said. "We're going to try to make an impact."

Tampa Mustangs sweep top two age groups

Last summer, T.J. Goelz's 16U Tampa Mustangs brought home a national championship. His 14U Mustangs, who are at Lakewood Ranch Park, kicked off the spring with a win at home. Tampa swept the top two age groups at the United States Specialty Sports Association Perfect Storm, including the 14 open division at the Mustangs' home field. Tampa breezed to a win in an all-county final, shutting out the Inspiration Academy Lions for a 15-0 win. In 12 open, the Mustangs edged Lutz Lightning '04 for a 10-8 win at Lakewood Ranch Park.

Ascenders win opener at IMG National Classic

The two-week IMG National Classic began Monday at IMG Academy with a win from the host. IMG Academy Blue snuck past Miami Florida Christian 4-3 in Bradenton to reach the quarterfinals of the first week of the tournament.

IMG will face Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy on Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Somerset Academy already delivered the stunner of the tournament, knocking off defending champion Tampa Berkeley Prep in the first round. Berkeley Prep entered the tournament at No. 15 in the Prep Baseball Report Florida Power poll. Florida Christian is ranked No. 23.

Four other teams in the Week 1 field are in MaxPreps' Top 100, led by No. 8 Rockledge. Cullman, a team from Alabama and the second-highest-ranked team in the field, lost its opener to Kissimmee Osceola in 17 innings.

The first week of the tournament concludes with a championship game Thursday. IMG Academy Black will be in the field for Week 2, which begins March 29.

This story was originally published March 21, 2016 at 11:54 PM with the headline "Community sports | Bradenton Gym Ratz gear up for inaugural NABL season ."