As YGC36 prepares to kick off another summer of AAU Basketball, we had an opportunity to speak with Coach Sean Phillips about his team's prospects of bringing a trophy back to the long horn state.

HWI: What separates your organization from the myriad of other AAU programs across the country?
Coach Phillips: It’s a cliché answer but we are truly all about the kids in our program.  We take a vested interest in the whole kid and not just the player.  We are indeed a family – not just a family within the team, but the entire organization.  More importantly, we don’t focus on other organizations and what they are doing; we focus on who we are and how we can improve.

HWI: What is the back story on how your organization was created?

CoachPhillips: The organization started over 15 years ago, but became YGC36 in 2014, when Marcus Smart was selected as the 6th overall pick in the NBA draft that year.  Prior to this, our director, Vonzell Thomas, ran a successful grassroots program that Marcus played for throughout his middle school and high school careers.  In light of Marcus’ achievements and his subsequent affiliation with Adidas, we became an official Gold member Adidas organization known as Marcus Smart YGC36.

HWI: Who are some notable players who have worn your organizations uniform?

Coach Phillips: Marcus Smart 1st Round pick; #6 Overall – Boston Celtics | Tony Mitchell – 2nd Round pick – Detroit Pistons | Latavious Williams – 2nd Round pick – Miami Heat | Phil Forte – Oklahoma State

HWI: For your 2021 team, do you expect to have much of your roster in tact from last year, what if any gaps are you looking to fill before next summer?

Coach Phillips: Most of our roster will be intact, although, we have made some roster moves that will allow us greater flexibility and more favorable match-ups.

HWI: Describe the team's 2016 summer season and point out any significant tournament victories or games that stand out in your mind.

Coach Phillips: Our 2016 summer season was a tremendous success.  In addition to local Dallas-Fort Worth area tournaments, we also found ourselves participating in several tournaments in the Southwest Region that allowed us to get outside of our comfort zone – namely, the Great American Shootout (GASO) events, PrimetimeSportz National Championships, and the All American Sports (AAS) National Championships.  Many of these tournaments we either won the championships or made it to the finals, and in the National events, we at least always made it to the Elite 8 or better.

HWI: What is your team's philosophy on offense and defense?

Coach Phillips: Two words come to mind – aggressive and attacking.  Due to the makeup of our roster, we take advantage of our strengths, in particular, our athleticism and speed.

HWI: Who are some players to watch from your team next season?

Coach Phillips:

Paul Breedlove – 6’4” – Swing Forward  | Patrick Caero – 6’2” – Shooting Guard | Dametrious  Crownover – 6’7” – Post | Eli Stephens – 5’5” – Point Guard | Trey Wright – 6’1” – Combo Guard | (others of mention)| Thomas Phillips – 5’5” – Combo Guard | Mike Hall – 6’5” – Swing Forward

HWI: How many opportunities has your squad had to play west coast teams? How did you fair against those teams?

Coach Phillips: We haven’t had as many opportunities to play west coast teams, but would welcome the chance to do so.

HWI: What was your record last year?

Coach Phillips: 54 – 8

HWI: Who are the top teams in your area for 2021 and in general?

Coach Phillips: We count ourselves as one of the top teams in our area.  In DFW (Dallas Fort Worth) – RM5 Elite; Eclipse Elite; ProSkills; and 1Ten Basketball; Others of mention would be Basketball Means More; Texas Gators Elite; Urban DFW Elite;

HWI: What style of play is your team known for?

Coach Phillips: We are an aggressive team that is best known for pushing the tempo and ensuring that we get up and down the floor at all times.  We have retooled our roster to ensure we can also play well in a slower, half-court type game.

HWI: What would it mean for your team to compete for a national championship next Summer?

Coach Phillips: It would be a great opportunity for the team to take their talents and skills and put them up against the best talent in the country.  I feel comfortable in saying we would be able to compete and do well.

HWI: What tournaments do you plan on participating in this year?

Coach Phillips: Given our organization’s affiliation as an official Gold Member of Adidas, we will be heavily focused on the Adidas circuit and their Jr Gauntlet series.  In addition, we will look to play in many NCAA certified events playing up a year.  We have tremendous flexibility in our plans and always look for opportunities to participate in tournaments where the caliber of teams is well worth our while. These events will continue to be a part of our schedule as well.

A special thanks to Coach Phillips for taking the time out to speak with us and share his past success and future prospects for this upcoming season.