The Soul of Music Invitational, in partnership with One Movement, provided a valuable opportunity to get an updated look at some of the premier programs in the country across multiple age groups. It also allowed us to evaluate several new teams and players we had not yet had the chance to cover.
Below is a deeper dive into the programs that made the strongest impressions and the impact they had throughout the weekend.
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Gateway Knights (2030 Division Champions)
The Gateway Knights were a program we had our first opportunity to cover, and they immediately made a strong impression as an organization. Their 2030 group captured the 8th grade division title and showcased exactly what the program represents.
As a whole, the Gateway Knights do an outstanding job of coaching and competing at a high level. Their teams play with balance and unity, consistently demonstrating strong fundamentals on both ends of the floor. Offensively, they can shoot the ball, attack the rim, move it efficiently, and truly share it as a team. Defensively, they compete as a connected unit, guarding with discipline and intensity.
Overall, they are a well-structured, well-coached program that competes the right way and continues to establish themselves as a premier organization.
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2031 The Brotherhood
2031 The Brotherhood had a strong showing at the event. It was our first opportunity to evaluate them as a unit, and they immediately stood out with the way they play.
They push the pace, compete aggressively on both ends, and move with a clear sense of cohesion. Their chemistry and willingness to share the ball make them tough to defend. They play with energy, confidence, and a collective mindset that translates to winning basketball.
Overall, they showed a lot of promise and long-term potential as a group.
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2031 1 Movement Hoops
2031 1 Movement Hoops had a strong weekend, showcasing a well-coached group that consistently played together as a unit.
Their chemistry and discipline were evident throughout, allowing them to execute on both ends of the floor. Offensively, they displayed a balanced attack — consistent outside shooting, aggressive perimeter drives, and a reliable inside presence. That versatility made them competitive in every matchup.
Overall, they proved to be a cohesive and fundamentally sound team with plenty of upside moving forward.
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OKE Elite Program
OKE Elite continues to make a major statement this season, led by their 2032 group that is firmly establishing itself as one of the top teams in the country for their class.
They consistently compete at a high level and embrace every challenge that comes their way. What separates them is their balance — strong shot-making, relentless defensive intensity, and positional versatility across the floor. They play with confidence and discipline, allowing them to control the tempo and dictate matchups.
This group continues to prove they belong in the national conversation.
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DS@6 Program
The DS@6 program continues to establish itself as one of the premier organizations in the Midwest. Their 2032 and 2034 teams both advanced to the championship in their respective divisions, capping off impressive weekends, while the 2033 group made a strong run to the semifinals.
Across the board, they showed competitiveness, discipline, and depth at multiple age levels.
DS@6 is clearly a well-run, well-coached organization with talent throughout the program. With consistent success across classes, they are positioning themselves as a rising force not just regionally, but on the national stage.
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2031 Prestigious Elite
2031 Prestigious Elite firmly established themselves as a team to be reckoned with in their age group, delivering a dominant performance throughout the weekend.
In our first opportunity to evaluate them live in person, they left a strong impression. They feature one of the top bigs in the country, anchoring the paint on both ends of the floor, while their guard play provides the perfect complement. Their guards play unselfishly, share the ball, and consistently make the right reads.
With their combination of size, skill, and cohesion, this group shows strong long-term potential and looks poised to make noise nationally.
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Final Takeaway
The Soul of Music Invitational once again highlighted the depth of talent across the grassroots landscape. From established national contenders to rising programs making their first statement, the weekend provided clarity on which teams are trending upward.
As the season continues, many of these programs have positioned themselves firmly in the conversation — and based on what we saw, they’re just getting started.