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By Jordan Divens



After a three-week break, Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Session 3 will kick off this weekend! Session 3 features key matchups in Hampton, Virginia, at Boo Williams' facility. Check out the Session 3 preview below before action tips off May 13-15.



Hourly Guide:



Friday:

6:30 pm: Howard Pulley (MN) vs Georgia Stars (GA)

8:00 pm: California Supreme (CA) vs Houston Hoops (TX)

9:30 pm: Mokan Elite (KS) vs The Rens (NY)



Saturday:

9:30 am: Meanstreets (IL) vs CIA Bounce (Can)

11:00 am: E1T1 United (FL) vs Albany City Rocks (NY)

12:30 pm: BABC (MA) vs Playaz Basketball Club (NJ)

5:00 pm: Howard Pulley (MN) vs California Supreme (CA)

6:30 pm: Oakland Soldiers (CA) vs Team Penny (TN)

8:00 pm: PSA Cardinals (NY) vs St Louis Eagles (MO)



Sunday:

8:00 am: Team Takeover (DC) vs Houston Hoops (TX)

9:30 am: Team Penny (TN) vs The Rens (NY)

11:00 am: Team Final (PA) vs BABC (MA)



Teams that need a strong weekend:

Only 24 teams can make the Peach Jam after regular season play. Seven games in, there are currently just 18 teams with a record above .500. The next 10 teams fighting for a playoff berth are 3-4, and will be hungry to turn things around in Session 3.



Three sub-.500 teams that will need a strong showing this weekend are Boo Williams, which started 3-4; CIA Bounce; and Oakland Soldiers. Boo Williams will need elite guard tandem Keldon Johnson (class of '18; 13.2 ppg) and Matt Coleman (class of '17; 13.7 ppg) to step up their team's play. CIA Bounce have also gotten off to a rough start, and will need their star big man Simi Shittu (class of '18; 16.6 ppg; 7.1 rpg) to take his game to the next level. The other team off to a rough 3-4 start are the Oakland Soldiers, who have not lived up to expectations. Backed by one of the richest histories of any AAU team on the circuit, the Soldiers went 58-28 over the last five seasons.



Will the top teams remain on top?

Only four teams with one or zero losses remain in the EYBL. Howard Pulley, the only undefeated team, owns a perfect 7-0, while Team Final, Mokan Elite, and PSA Cardinals are 6-1. Howard Pulley will look to maintain their dominance at Boo Williams, but will have their work cut out for them as they face tough matchups with the Georgia Stars and California Supreme this weekend. Team Final, Mokan Elite, and PSA Cardinals will be defended by elite weapons to help them continue their early-season success.



Tied atop Division A:

After the first two sessions of EYBL play, a four-way stalemate emerged atop Division A—California Supreme, Team CP3, Albany City Rocks, and Team Takeover all have 5-2 starts. This weekend, we'll see if any team can flex their muscles and gain a stronghold on the division.



California Supreme, the hottest team in the division, wrapped up Session 2 with a 4-0 record behind their monster big-man duo: DeAndre Ayton (class of '17; 19.7 ppg; 12.3 rpg) and Brandon McCoy (class of '17; 18.4 ppg, 9.4 rpg). Team CP3 had a strong showing in Session 2—they went 3-1 behind the return of star big man Wendell Carter (18.8 ppg, 13.5 apg). In a surprisingly hot start, the Albany City Rocks have been led by breakout prospects Anthony Gaines (16.4 ppg; 4.9 rpg) and Andrew Platek (14.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg). Team Takeover is led by 5-7 point guard Chris Lykes (18.4 ppg) and DJ Harvey (10.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg). Watch for these four this weekend in Virginia.



Stock risers continued?

After just two weekends of EYBL play, plenty of players have seen their stock skyrocket with a strong start in the AAU circuit. The offers are pouring in for these talented young prospects, and they will look to continue to showcase their skills in Session 3.



Check out the prospects who will look to continue their excellent play and climb up the rankings this AAU season:



2017 6-2 PG Collin Sexton 30.1 points, 5.1 rebounds per game, .429 FG%

2017 6-8 PF Rayshaun Hammonds 20.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals, .558 FG%

2017 6-5 SG Jordan Goodwin 17.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4 assists, .400 FG%

2017 6-4 SG Anthony Gaines 16.4 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.9 steals, .537 FG%

2017 6-6 SG Brandon Randolph 15.6 points, 21-42 from 3