In AAU basketball lore, the Boo Williams name carries with it special resonance in the sport. The Hampton Roads, Virginia-based program has been a factor since 1980s, producing pros like Alonzo Mourning, Allen Iverson, and Joe Smith. And now they're looking to make noise at this week's AAU national championships in Orlando, Florida, which you can watch live right here on FloHoops.

As the program expands its reach from its talented 757 area code, others across the state have shown benefit.

The Boo Williams "434" 2021 is one such outfit. Run by Jesse Calloway III out of Lynchburg, in south-central Virginia, they're a recent addition to the Boo Williams brand.

"Us and another program, we're the only ones basically west of Richmond with the Boo Williams name," Calloway said.

Finishing fourth at the state's Division I championship to qualify for the AAU Nationals in Orlando (and a Sweet 16 finalist at the Maryland Invitational before that), 434 is tapped into its talented area code's roots.

"We have so much great talent in our city," Calloway said. "We're hoping to have a lot of that talent exposed and developed."

Calloway's done it with a unique model, making big-time AAU basketball in reach for virtually free.

"The thing about our team, most AAU teams charge a large fee," Calloway said. "My kids don't pay for anything. Basically, everything comes out of my pocket, the Team Mom, and local sponsors. . . . A lot of kids can't pay a $500 tournament fee and for travel. For trips, travel, insurance, everything is free."

Florida Brings Powerhouses, Upstarts

A hometown outfit, the Orlando Ballerz have risen from humble beginnings to AAU basketball's biggest stage.

"They were recreational-league players that needed to progress," said coach Barry Johnson, Jr. "We've all kind of stuck together."

The Ballerz competed at the Peach State Classic leading up to nationals. 

"Florida's strong," Johnson said. "We don't worry too much when we go out of town because we have a lot of good teams in Florida."

The South Broward Storm, based in South Florida's Broward County, is one such team.

"We're one of the better teams in the Florida Gulf Coast area," said coach Travon Perry, who assists head coach Frantz Bornelus. "Our team and Flash Elite, which is also competing at nationals."

Led by 6-foot-6 James Pruehomme and a slew of players from South Broward High School in Hollywood, the Storm won the Spring Fling in Disney in April.

Contenders From All Across The Map

Newark, New Jersey's Team Ice, coached by Gary Anderson, has been around for about 15 years. What started off as a local operation for Anderson in the Brick City now includes teams in the eighth, ninth, 10th, and 11th grades, pulled from the talent-rich areas of northern New Jersey.

"I've had them for the past six years," Anderson said.

With players from Newark, East Orange, Orange, Bergen County, and Bloomfield, Team Ice showed well at the Pitt Jam Fest, put on by the Hoop Group.

The Temple Terrace Thunder out of Tampa, Florida, is another in-state team in contention, finishing sixth last year at the 14U level. Coached by Kendall Barker, the Thunder are led by combo guard Jimmy Huff and small forward Zion Green out of Tampa Bay Tech High School.

"Huff's sensibility is off the charts, his shooting, dribbling, and defense," said Thunder general manager Kirk Kinsey. "Green is a Dennis Rodman-type rebounder."

The Birmingham Blaze out of Birmingham, Alabama, hope to improve on last year's 10th-place finish at AAU Nationals at the 14U level. Let by coach Jerry Campbell, Jr., the team, composed mostly of players from the Birmingham area, has run out a 40-10 record in AAU competition this spring and summer, with strong showings at the Southern Battleground in Mobile, Alabama, the Southern Springs Invitational in Birmingham, and the Atlanta Tip-Off Classic.

"This is our second year going to AAU Nationals in Orlando," Campbell said. "Hopefully this year we can take it all."

Remember to catch all the AAU action live right here on FloHoops.

Brian Towey is a Queens, New York-based writer covering basketball and track and field. He can be reached at bc_towey@yahoo.com and @BcTowey.