About Vito OBSMD (Formerly Jr.NBA since 2002)
History
This platform was created as the inaugural Jr. NBA in 2002 and provided a program and environment for over a thousand area youth to develop their basketball skills over the years. Due to our association with the local middle and high school basketball programs, we began to assert and re-categorize organized basketball to match the school platform and rebranded as the Organized Basketball Society of Maryland (OBS) in 2010.
In the effort to provide a higher-level AAU, local, and national travel team experience, OBSMD partnered with Vernon “Vito” Buckle in 2018. With this partnership, AAU entry-level players as well as players not selected for Team Vito AAU national travel teams are Invited to tryout for the AAU Local Travel Teams. Team Vito Travel Teams practice in a separate location with a separate tournament schedule; whereas the Local Travel Teams compete in AAU tournaments in the DMV. Players not selected for the AAU Local Travel Team are provided a supportive platform and forum to continue their development and training in the In-House League.
Conceptually, the system mirrors the affiliation between major and minor league sports teams. As an example, in the spring of 2023, three players with prior in-house and Vito OBS Local Travel Team experience were called up to the Team Vito National Travel Teams.
In-House League
The league is a year-round program that is divided into four seasons. Each season is a mix of practices and in-house, professionally officiated games. This platform provides players the opportunity to expand and enforce required organized basketball skills prior to assessment and advancing to the competitive divisions. The program focuses on conditioning, dribbling, shooting mechanics, defensive movements, zone defense and offense, and the understanding of the geometry of organized basketball.
AAU Local Travel Teams
Local Travel Teams are selected from the tryouts. The teams compete in three to five-weekend tournaments in the DC/MD/VA area. Generally, each tournament guarantees three games over the tournament weekend. In the spring of 2023, the teams’ successes included a championship in the Basketball Coaches Without Boundaries Spring Challenge II tournament.
Team Vito AAU National Travel Teams
National Travel Teams compete in tournaments at a variety of locations along the east coast. Annual tryout dates will be posted when they are determined. In the spring of 2023, a Team Vito team won the 2023 Florida National Championship.
