Basketball season for high school and college is basically over. There are only a hand full of players that are still playing in the NCAA Tournament. So now whats next? The spring is crucial for you, no matter what level you are. If you’re in high school and you’re a decent player, which university will you be attending and how will you get ready for the new season? If you’re not going to play in college than have you decided will you still stick with basketball? College graduates who want to further their career as a professional basketball player or a basketball coach, you should have been researching and applying yourself in the fall. In any case, the new website AfterBasketball.com can help you with the most popular questions and information for anyone who wants to continue their career with basketball.

You can search for Basketball Jobs and Basketball Careers as well as other programs that may interest you. If basketball is your life, be sure that you’re knowledgeable of all of the options that you may have.

Good luck and work hard but smart!

My friend Sean McCaw, a former professional basketball player and coach in Germany and now a professional basketball Scout for the Science City Jena Basketball Club in Germany wants to give away a BRAND NEW shiny pair of Hops sneakers. You’ve probably never heard of this brand yet, so here is a little background info.

Hops Sportswear Ltd is a family owned Business based in Melbourne Australia. 2 years in the making this original brand was dreamt up in New Zealand, developed in Australia, designed in Italy and built in China. Hops was launched in November 2007. They have their own patented ‘Medial Wing’ technology that provides optimum stability throughout the light weight HOPS product, without taking away from the strength and durability of Hops footwear. Hops is now available in all of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada in the USA.

“We are passionate about providing great product at the right price point. Whilst continuing to develop bigger and better lines of footwear tailored to the basketball marketplace. With ongoing original designs and functionality to our product we look forward with much anticipation the challenge ahead of  becoming an established maker of basketball specific footwear.”

View the Hops Collection below

I have not tried them yet, but they look so comfortable. I wish I could enter the contest! So do you want in?

March Madness Hops Sneaker Contest Rules

Contest Start: March 26th, 2009

Contest End: April 8th, 2009

The winner will be drawn on April 8th, 2009.

How to Enter:

1. You earn one entry by simply making a comment to this post/contest. (write a comment of which HOP shoe you like the most)

The winner will be selected on April 8th 2009. The winner will be announced on Basketball Overseas and in the newsletter. So please subscribe to our newsletter to enter the contest and find out if you’ve won!

The winner has 3 days to confirm by contacting me. Please have ready your address and shoe size.  If the first winner does not confirm or contact me, another contestant will be chosen.

This is a worldwide contest and the shoes can be sent to anywhere in the world!

Good luck!!

“Hey sneaker heads. Just want to tell you a little bit about Hops. I love my Hops and I had a few pairs before I started working with the company. They are VERY stable and I especially like how they look. I am not the tech wiz, as a player, its just important for me that they fit well and they look good haha. Hops fills all those criteria for me. If you have any questions please feel free to visit our homepage on www.hopsportswear.de or find us on Facebook and Myspace and write me. Thanks for taking interest in Hops and I know the lucky winner will be satisfied! - Sean“

With many school rivalries going on and the nations top players being awarded prestigious awards makes March Madness more interesting. NCAA D-I rival teams may range from UNC vs. Duke to Georgetown vs. UConn which has been some of the most exciting games in history. The NCAA Basketball Tournament is the most watched college event other than the BCS Championships. With teams throughout the NCAA D-I playing their best for a chance to earn a spot in the 64 team tournament bracket makes the conference tournaments very interesting. In past NCAA tournaments there have been many underdogs that have made it far in tournament play if not winning the NCAA Tournament.

March Madness has been one of the most anticipated sporting events other than the NBA Playoffs, Superbowl and FIFA Championship. Mens Final Four will be held in Detroit this year while the Womens Final Four 2009 will be held in St. Louis where the most competitive games will be played. Many #1 teams in the past have been upset in the early rounds of the NCAA tournament mens and womens. When teams win their conference’s championship they automatically earn a spot in the NCAA tournament. While many teams earn a spot in the tournament by their team’s ranking in the Associated Press (AP) Rankings. So stay tuned for more information on the NCAA tournament for both mens and womens games and tournament births.

My picks:

NCAA MEN: PITT

NCAA WOMEN:  UCONN

I get this question all of the time and honestly its a difficult question. Personally I think and know that anything is possible these days depending on talent and who you know. In the case of Brandon Jennings a player that I recently discovered is doing what many high school seniors would love to do after graduating from high school and that is straight pro. The NBA in recent years has made it difficult for high school players to come out directly to the NBA, however there is no restriction for the overseas market.

Brandon Jennings may be only 19 years old, but he has the mindset and playing skills of a potential Hall of Famer. Jennings a 6-2, 165 pound All American point guard that played his junior and senior years at Oak Hill Academy, located in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. Oak Hill Academy has produced many of the NBA’s greatest players such as Carmelo Anthony, Rod Strickland, Jerry Stackhouse and many more players that made a name for themselves on the pro level. Jennings a native of Los Angeles, California is one of the greatest point guards in the game since Allen Iverson made his debut with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jennings is known for his flashy style of play that includes excellent passing skills and the ability to score on many defenses. In high school Jennings averaged 38.7 points, 11.5 assists, 8.1 rebounds and 13.0 steals per game in his senior year at Oak Hill Academy. Jennings has many awards under his belt such as the Naismith National High School Player of the Year, EA Sports Player of the Year and the Gatorade Player of the Year. Jennings had narrowed his college choices down to two schools, The University of Southern California and Arizona. However Jennings opted out of going to college he decided to become the first player out of high school to jump to play professional basketball overseas.

The 2008 #1 high school player in the United States transition from high school to professional international play

He is currently playing in Italy for Lottomatica Roma in the Italian Basketball League. Jennings decided that he will play international basketball for a year and then enter the NBA Draft the follwing year. Jennings has received endorsement deals from major companies such as Under Armour Jenning is noted to be in the top 10 players to be selected at the 2009 NBA Draft being held June 25, 2009 at New York’s world reknown area, Madison Square Garden.  So for videos and more on Brandon Jennings look below