In just its second tournament of the year, ATAP Elite, a travel basketball team, has won a title and a trophy. The Swainsboro-based team is comprised mostly of girls from the Emanuel County area and coached by Jonquin “Coach Q”/“ATAP” McKinney.
ATAP Elite spent the weekend of March 26-28 in Stone Mountain playing in the KB SPORTS March Madness Tournament. McKinney says three teams were scheduled to participate in the event, but because one team didn’t show, the remaining two received a win by forfeit. Consequently, ATAP Elite played Triple Threat Elite, beating that team twice to take first place and the trophy. The local team finished the tournament 3-0.
“The team got better! That’s our main goal,” McKinney said. “Whether there are two teams or 20 teams, we always focus on getting better.”
On the ATAP Elite roster are Taniya Williams, Hannah Howard, Tonia Ricks, Serah Kelly, and Jamia Smith, all of Swainsboro; Bree Wimberly of David Emanuel Academy; Kayla Tanner and Bree Tanner, both of East Laurens; Khaliya Walker of Vidalia; and Kaley Carnell and Brylie Ray, both of Bulloch Academy.
He continued, saying that Wimberly, Williams, Kelly, and Smith set the tone. “I think these four are able to do so well because of their experience of playing a year of varsity basketball this past season. They also have a bond from starting with ATAP Elite, along with a few others that started with the team as well.”
The team last played in the KB SPORTS Who’s B.E.S.T. Invitational in North Augusta last weekend, finishing in the Final 4 with a 3-1 tournament record.
ATAP Elite will next play in the KB SPORTS 6th Annual Garden City Classic in Savannah April 9-11. Look for results in a future edition of The Crossroads Chronicle.