Nightrydas Elite looking to make Peach Jam history

It's getting close to that time again in North Augusta as Peach Jam moves toward Championship Sunday.

All of the peaches will be on the line that day inside the Riverview Park Activities Center, when the kings of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League will be crowned.

The field started to sort itself out as the week reached its midway mark, and by Friday night the championship bracket will be set.

On the line is history - a chance to further a legacy on the Nike summer circuit for a program like Oakland Soldiers, a chance to do the same and also become the first team to win back-to-back 17-and-under titles for Team Takeover, a chance for a program to win it all for the first time.

No one has more to potentially gain, though, than Nightrydas Elite.

Nightrydas Elite is one of those groups looking for a first title in the top division, but by no means is this the first time this current group has had championship aspirations.

In fact, they're looking to finish their EYBL careers a perfect 3-for-3 in North Augusta.

Winners of the E15 division two years ago, and then again at the E16 level last year, Nightrydas Elite has an opportunity to stake its claim as one of the all-time greats to ever pass through Peach Jam.

They're among the favorites to win it all once again, starting the week with a 4-0 record by a combined 71 points.

So what would this title mean for Nightrydas Elite?

"I mean, a lot," star forward Cameron Boozer told NBA TV following Wednesday's 88-58 win over Team Herro. "That's why we're here. We're here to win. Three in a row is a big deal. I'm not sure if anyone's done that before. That's a big deal for all of us that would stand forever."

Boozer twins Cameron and Cayden, son of former Duke great and NBA All-Star Carlos, are a big reason why Nightrydas is chasing perfection. Cameron, a 6-foot-9 power forward ranked second in ESPN's Class of 2025 rankings who was named EYBL MVP, is averaging 22.5 points and 10 rebounds per game so far this week and has surpassed the 20-point mark in all four games. Cayden, a 6-4 point guard ranked 17th, is near the top of the assists list this week with 5.5 per game.

But it's not just a two-man show. Combining with Cameron to form a dominant front court is 6-9 forward Caleb Wilson, the fifth-ranked player in the Class of 2025. Wilson is averaging 8.8 rebounds per game this week, and against Team Herro he logged a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Nightrydas had the opportunity to empty the bench Wednesday, building a huge lead early and giving its stars some valuable rest with the level of play not dropping off very much - nine players saw the floor, with four scoring in double figures and an overall shooting mark of 52.9%.

Cameron Boozer said following Wednesday's win that it's an indication of their program's culture that players are willing to sit the bench rather than potentially take on a starring role somewhere else.

"I mean, it's a family. We've been together for a long time," he said. "All of these guys sacrifice to play for us, because we're a very talented team, so you don't get as much minutes here as you would somewhere else. I think that's just a huge thing, the sacrifice that shows a dedication to the team and a dedication to winning."

The offensive numbers are eye-popping for this group, which was averaging 78.8 points per game through the first four to lead the league, but the defense has given them an edge in what's primarily a run-and-shoot style of basketball.

Nightrydas is allowing just 61 points per game so far, allowing teams to shoot 41.1% on average and just 26.1% on 3-pointers. They clamped down on Team Herro on Wednesday, holding them to a 33.9% mark from the field.

"I mean, it's a great defensive performance for us," Cameron Boozer said. "... I think we did a great job of that today. That's what got us such a big lead in the first half, and it just continued for the whole game."

Nightrydas hasn't won the title yet. There's still City Rocks to deal with at 10:30 a.m. Friday, and that game will dictate where Nightrydas lands in the championship bracket. Then there will be quarterfinal and semifinal games Saturday to win, and then the big one Sunday afternoon.

This group has shown it knows what it takes to win titles here over the last three years. At the E15 level they bounced back from a loss in pool play to romp through the championship bracket, winning three games by a combined 100 points on the way to the championship.

Nightrydas did the same last year in the E16 division, avenging a pool-play loss by knocking off Cooper Flagg and Maine United in the finals in what was billed as the game of the summer.

They've been among the favorites to do it again this summer, going 14-1 in the sessions before this week.

What happens from this point on, though, is what separates the great from the historic.