East Bay Panthers Championship Basketball Club for Girls Forms Teams in Berkeley, Walnut Creek, and Lafayette.

2007 team tryouts are scheduled in February for girls 10 through 13 years of age.

Lafayette, CA, January 22, 2007 -- The East Bay Panthers AAU Basketball Club for girls, winners of the 2006 AAU Pacific District Championship (U12 Blue Division), today announced the formation of new teams for the 2007 seasons. Teams formed in Berkeley, Walnut Creek, and Lafayette are expected to draw talented players from Alamo, Albany, Antioch, Bay Point, Benicia, Berkeley, Brentwood, Byron, Clayton, Concord, Crockett, Danville, Danville, Discovery Bay, Dublin, El Cerrito, Emeryville, Hercules, Knightsen, Lafayette, Livermore, Martinez, Moraga, Oakland, Oakley, Orinda, Piedmont, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, Richmond, San Pablo, San Ramon, Vallejo, Walnut Creek, and other cities east of the San Francisco bay.

“The Panthers had a great 2006 season,” said David Smith, Club Director. “Besides winning the Regional Championship, we won 4 tournaments and placed in a further 6 tournaments. To build on that success in 2007 we’ve attracted some great coaches and we are adding teams. We expect the girls will have a lot of fun while developing their basketball skills.”

The 10U team in Berkeley will be coached by John Leaks, 8th Grade Girls Coach, MLK Jr. Middle School. The 10U team in Walnut Creek will be coached by Joe Niederberger, former Freshman Girls Coach Acalanes HS and CYO Coach. In the Lafayette, Walnut Creek and San Ramon area, Gary Beeler, an AAU and CYO league veteran, will coach the 11U team. The 12U team will be coached by Dave Johnson, JV Coach at Dublin High School. The 13U team will be coached by Dave Smith, JV Girls Coach at Piedmont High School.

Girls under 10 years of age on January 1 can tryout for teams that will be based in Walnut Creek or Berkeley. Girls under 11 and 12 on January 1 can tryout for teams based in Walnut Creek. Girls under 13 on January 1 can tryout for teams based in Lafayette.

Tryouts will take place for all teams as follows:
10U - Feb. 4 at Happy Valley School, Lafayette, 6:00 to 7:30 PM
10U - Feb. 11 at Happy Valley School, Lafayette, 6:00 to 7:30 PM
11U - Feb. 3 at Seven Hills School, Walnut Creek, 12:00 to 2:00 PM
11U - Feb. 4 at Happy Valley School, Lafayette, 7:30 to 9:00 PM
12U - Feb. 11 at Happy Valley School, Lafayette, 7:30 to 9:00 PM
12U - Feb. 25 at Happy Valley School, Lafayette, 6:00 to 7:30 PM
13U - Feb. 25 at Happy Valley School, Lafayette, 7:30 to 9:00 PM

Training program begins in early March. Competitive tournament play begins in early April and concludes mid-June. Weekend tournaments are played throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Regional championships are held in Reno, Nevada.

The East Bay Panthers Basketball Club, founded in 2001 is a non-profit charitable organization and a member of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). The club provides qualified girls aged 10 through 13 with professional quality instruction and competitive game experience in preparation for middle school, high school and higher-level basketball.

Information about the club and registration forms can be obtained at the club's website at www.eastbaypanthers.org or by contacting its Director, Steven Diaz, at (415) 760-3779.

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