Our Story
UH Elite was originally founded by Club Director Kyli Crooms and his wife Chelsea in 2016. The club started with one team and has expanded to over 10 teams at the youth and high school levels.
Mission: Our mission at Uptempo Hoops Elite is to build high character athletes, on and off the court. With years of experience both playing and coaching, the UH Elite coaching staff is dedicated to the development and growth of every player. Our coaches understand that a solid foundation is the key to future success, which is why we focus on skill development and higher level team concepts.
Vision: Our vision at UH Elite is to properly prepare each player for the next level of competition as they further their career. Our desire for your athlete is to get better every practice and build confidence in their game.
Board of Directors
UH Elite Board of Directors (Left to Right): Michael Cox, Robert Desimone, Kyli Crooms, PJ Howard
Coaches
Kyli Crooms
Club Director
Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Tyree Thompson
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Anthony Vargas
Hometown: Fairfield, CA
Michael Cox
High School Director
Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga, CA
PJ Howard
Youth Director
Hometown: Milwaukee, WI
Robert Desimone
Director of IT/Marketing/Administration
Hometown: Orinda, CA
Robert Desimone
Director of Marketing/IT/Administration
Hometown: Orinda, CA
Justin Gordon
Hometown: Chicago
Dedrick Harrington
Hometown: Mexico, MO
Tyler Lubash
Hometown: Gilbert, AZ
Lonnie Ruffin
Hometown: Prince Georges County, MD
Anthony Slack
Hometown: New Orleans, LA
Timeline of UH Elite Through the Years
Club Officially Begins as Tres Hoops
Living in Tucson, Arizona, Coach Crooms launches Tres Hoops in Gilbert, making the 200 mile round-trip drive several times a week.
First Tournament Championship
Two and a half months in, the boys went undefeated and won their first tournament championship playing up in the 4th grade division at the Just4Hoopin tournament.
First High School Teams
The club's first high school teams, 16U and 17U, compete in the spring of 2017.
Club Rebrands as Uptempo Hoops Elite
Coach Crooms officially rebrands the club from Tres Hoops to Uptempo Hoops Elite (UH Elite).
First UH Elite Championship
The 10U boys win the Just4Hoopin tournament championship for their first official championship under the UH Elite brand.
First UH Elite High School Team
The 16U boys became the first high school team to compete under the UH Elite name in the spring of 2018.
First Community Service Event
As part of our mission to build high character athletes on and off the court, boys from all teams within the club volunteer for a back-to-school backpack stuffing event to help give back to the local community.
UH Elite and RC Bulls
Players and coaches from UH Elite pose for a photo with players and coaches from the Southern-California-based program RC Bulls. Coach Crooms and Coach Cox were youth teammates on one of the top teams in the nation playing for the Bulls in the early 2000s.
First High School Circuit
The UH Elite 17U boys complete their participation in the club's first high school circuit.
UH Elite Partners with Open Gym Premier
UH Elite partners with California-based Open Gym Premier and rebrands as OGP Arizona.
Final Championship Prior to Covid-19 Lockdowns
OGP Arizona wins the Mamba Cup in Los Angeles, which turns out to be the final tournament victory prior to the Covid-19 pandemic that locked down the nation.
Return from Covid, and the Return to UH Elite
As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the club returns to Uptempo Hoops Elite and a squad of multiple age groups took home the 8th grade gold division championship at the American Sports Center in Avondale, AZ in the club's first post-pandemic tournament.
UH Elite Debuts in the Under Armour Future Circuit
The growth and success of the program led to UH Elite receiving an invitation to play in the Under Armour Future Circuit for the first time in the spring of 2021.
National Travel at All Levels
Continued growth sees UH Elite kick off the 2021-22 season at the American Sports Center in Anaheim, CA, setting a club record for the most teams traveling out of state to one tournament.
National Spotlight
UH Elite takes its biggest step into the national spotlight, debuting the 2027 Ignite team that went 6-0 at the Coast2Coast Preps Season Premiere in Dallas, TX. Ignite beat Arizona rival Sneakersteal 78-73 in the championship game, thrusting UH Elite into the national spotlight and earning their first national ranking, debuting at #3 in the January, 2022 Coast2Coast rankings.
2027 Ignite Wins UA Future Circuit
The 2027 Ignite team went a perfect 15-0 in the circuit, capped off with a 7-0 record in Indianapolis, including a 70-61 win over nationally ranked Team Thrill in the championship game, to bring home the 7th grade gold circuit title.
15U Plays in Under Armour Rise Circuit Finals
The 15U High School team participated in the Under Armour Rise Circuit, including the Rise Circuit Finals in Atlanta, Georgia, finishing among the top teams with a 12-3 overall record.
2027 Ignite Participates in Inaugural Middle School Championship Series
The 2027 Ignite team participated in the inaugural invite-only Middle School Championship Series in Washington, DC, featuring the top 8 ranked teams in the nation. Ignite finished 3-2 on the weekend - tying for the second best record - and defeated the #1 and #2 ranked teams in the nation Team Teague and Edmond Sumner Select.