By Gary Curreri
Sun Sentinel Correspondent
Aug 06, 2021 2:13 PM
Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at the Sun Sentinel.
South Florida Sonics’ Kenny Aubin, of Delray Beach, goes up for two points against DB Elite in the Boys’ Varsity Division pool play game in the Champions Challenge at the Coral Springs Gymnasium. (Gary Curreri/Contributor)
Delray Beach’s Kenny Aubin wanted to make the most of his summer opportunities on the hardwood.
The 19-year-old did just that playing an important role with the South Florida Sonics boys’ varsity basketball travel team in helping it fashion a 20-2 overall record, four championships and 12 straight wins to finish the season.
The latest title came in the Champions Challenge in which the South Florida Sonics finished 5-0 and won the Boys’ Varsity Championship with a 74-51 win over ME Elite (Miami) at Somerset Academy Key in Coral Springs.
“Basketball means everything to me,” said Aubin, who plans to continue his education at Westlake Prep, a NCAA accredited prep program. “I have played it for as long as I can remember, since I was a kid. It helps me with the ups and downs of what I do in my life so it means a lot.
“A tournament like this is fun,” he said. “You get to go out and compete. You meet new people and it is just a great thing. It is also nice to go against people that you went up against all of the time in high school.”
The Champions Challenge featured 48 teams from the tri-county area. The divisions included girls sixth grade, girls seventh/eighth grade, girls high school, along with four boys’ divisions — sixth grade, seventh/eighth grade, JV and high school.
Aubin spent his first three years at Atlantic High School in Delray Beach before transferring to Spanish River High School this past season. The Sharks finished the year at 11-3 falling to Lake Worth in the playoffs.
“(Spanish River) Coach John Jones showed me greatness and what hard work can get you,” Aubin said. “We were undefeated for most of the season and hopefully the program will do better.”
“It was a great group of guys and that helped build me as a player and as a man,” he said. “They were mentally tough.”
Morning Update Newsletter
Weekdays
Start your day with the top stories in South Florida.
Adam Liberman, coach and founder of the South Florida Sonics, was pleased with his team’s performance in the tournament. Liberman, who lives in Boynton Beach, said the varsity team consisted of mostly high school seniors, a couple of recent graduates and some younger players.
Liberman said they also have a ninth-grade team. That squad finished runner-up to the Wellington Wolves, 55-42, in the boys’ JV championship.
“We just want to get them playing, get them better and have fun,” Liberman said. “We want them to compete. The kids want to play. We do like five or six travel tournaments in the spring and then two or three in the summer.”
Tournament director Marcus McGee said his organization holds camps, tournaments and showcases for players of all ages.
“Our primary goals are to highlight the skills, talents, and successes of our players while creating a channel that provides them opportunities to secure scholarships and attend accredited colleges/universities,” said McGee, who played collegiately at the University of Central Florida.
