By Jacob Engels
The 17U Orlando Knights are on a roll. They have won the last 3 AAU tournaments including the Florida State District Championship and the Disney Memorial Weekend Classic at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Since losing a heartbreaking semi-final tournament game last month to the Florida Comets from Vero Beach, the Knights have won 16 games in a row against teams from all over the state as well as South Carolina, Georgia and even Canada.
The Knights are made up of mostly juniors and sophomores; 8 players are from Timber Creek HS, one is from Lake Nona HS and one from Faith Christian Academy. They are led by their terrific point guard Exor Torres, sharp shooting guards Steven Rodriguez, Jacob Cabrera, Tyler Savage and Julian Pina, and versatile front court players Chris Curry, Nathan Delgado, Alex Vatterott, Jeremy Anderson and Quentin “Q” Smith. The Knights are coached by Brian Murray and Bill Chychota.
The Knights, are known for their hardnosed man to man defense and great teamwork on offense. A big advantage the team has is how deep they are; everyone plays a major role and different players have stepped up when needed because of injuries.
The Knights still have a couple of tournaments to play but the big focus is to get ready for AAU Nationals in July where they will get to face some of the best teams in the country and play for a National Championship. GO KNIGHTS!
Jacob Engels, is the Founder of East Orlando Post. Along with the Post, he owns several other businesses and is currently enrolled at Valencia College. Jacob has lived in Avalon Park since it’s founding and enjoys playing with his black Labradoodle Jasper, listening to indie rock, and seeking out new business ventures. He can be reached at info@eastorlandopost.com
