The Lebanon Reporter
Boone County — Brandon Burtner and Wade Thomas, who will be seniors at Western Boone High School this fall, will play in the AAU National Championship July 26 in Orlando. Both are members of Western Boone’s basketball team and two-time varsity letter recipients. Burtner was also selected to participate in the Coaches Top 100 on July 12.
Burtner and Thomas have been playing school ball together since fifth grade. This summer, they have been members of the Spiece Indy Stars 2011. The team qualified for the national tourney in May at the Indiana State qualifying event. This year, the Indy Stars have finished in the top 4 to 8 teams in several of the tournaments. The Spiece Indy Stars 2011 were the winners of the Gold Tourney at the King James Summer Showcase in Chicago July 9-11.
This will be Burtner’s first trip to the AAU National Championship. Thomas will be returning for his second appearance. Last year, Thomas was a member of the Indiana Select 2011 (which was renamed this year the Spiece Indy Stars 2011). In 2009 there were 148 teams in the National Tourney and the Indiana Select 2011 made it to the round of 32 teams.
