The last chapter was great and I’m thankful to ALL. With risk and challenges comes growth…I’ve never been wired by someone else’s motivation. It’s intrinsic…Thank you MWE EYBL. TO THE HIGH LEVEL ATHLETES AND FAMILIES…MY WORK STARTS NOW! 📞 📞📞
Welcome, Brian Mouton to the Midwest Elite EYBL Team as Operations Manager!
We are thrilled to announce the newest addition to our team, Brian Mouton (
@BrianMouton5
), who will serve as our Operations Manager. Brian comes to us with a remarkable background in grassroots…
Definitely understand we all recruit and we all talk basketball trash…put that aside and respect what Mac from Mac Irvin Fire and Barry from Example just did in Louisville!
This crowd was AMAZING!
Chicago was definitely the game of the wknd and we lost by 1 in OT. No shame.
2024 class from the Mac Irvin Lady Fire Godfather!
This group of 7 plus Sereniti Roberts-Adams for a total of 8 have ALL either committed or been offered at the Division One level…
That’s not easy to do in one program in a city with 6 million travel teams 😂…
Ask around. 🔥
My sidekick is with me for the day…out supporting the girls of Mac Irvin Lady Fire at the Chicago Elite Classic.
Glad to see our girls on this stage during their HS season.
🔥🔥🔥
@MacIrvinGirls
@ChiEliteClassic
Congrats to all the Hoopers recognized as McDonald’s nominees today…I remember conversations with her dad on goals like ESPN and McDonald’s and not just about the accolades but about what she put in so much professional approach for…Great kid/leader. Aaliyah Guyton.
Found some time to support/watch the
#1
2024 in the state drop 31. Way beyond basketball with the Guyton family. Keep grinding Aaliyah and best wishes at Iowa. 🏀
@aguyton11
@ajguyton
Eddie Stritzel has to be given flowers on his ability to coach, make adjustments, and get his team to buy in…I met him in August…went to his open gym, and ask anyone…I said to my basketball circle…this guy has a well oiled machine! Kaylin at open gym and glad I met him.💐
Run for the Roses week…practice day…
L-R
Was able to congratulate a new gold medalist, two new D1 commits, and a new first time ESPN ranking player…
Plus got to work with two of our new 2028s out of Iowa and Godfather S40 17U squad!
Thankful.
🔥
At the “office” with the assistant tonight.
We had a chance to see 2025 Nikki Kerstein score her 1000th point. Long way from when I met her at a gym in the 8th grade showing a HIGH IQ!
Always say…it’s beyond hoops with me.
She has always played like a true PG.
Another April NCAA live period complete and road trip done…these two just wanted some Sprite when we got back…remember they are just kids off the court. Mentor them in all ways…Safe travels to the rest of you.
🔥🔥🔥
Last night for the team dinner we talked life outside of basketball…one topic was the diversity of the program…first thing that came to my mind was when I introduced two 6’2 2026 players to each other for the first time.
Our 15u was high level!
Lysa Jones
Jane Manecke
🔥
Enjoyed watching two guards with HIGH IQ and just CRAFTY skillsets today compete against each other…forever in my basketball circle no matter where they play. Just good kids.
2026 Naiya Krispin from Detroit Country Day and 2025 Nikki Kerstein from Montini. Hoopers.
Full ⭕️…where I grew up in Texas playing the game and for my daughter to see it for her first time while wearing one of the most iconic basketball brands in the country…❤️🏀🔥
We all have our basketball circles and these two will always be in mine regardless. Last year I was on the bench when they lost in sectionals. To see them come back this year. Congrats. Lexi and Nikki Kerstein.
Sunday hoops. Had the opportunity to introduce our newest top 10 in the state 2026 6’0 guard Heidi Rathmann to one of the top 26s in the state Danyella Mporokoso…NU vs Illinois…Coaches remember the two names…excited for their seasons with Midwest Elite Nike Girls EYBL.
Thanks to
@MacBuckets21
I am able to work with a great group of young ladies. I always enjoy the cross paths of AAU and High School. Updated the tweet lol!
Chicago has provided me with a GREAT experience of working with PGs…these two definitely fit the mold. Just a love for the game. 2025 Destiny Jackson and 2023 Khaliah Reid.
@JacksonDestoo
@khaliah_reid
The final 12.
2026 Trinity Jones cracks Team USA U16 to represent for the state of Illinois!
Congrats young lady and keep working!
@Trinityjones014
@LasonjaLyman
🇺🇸
Getting screenshots/calls from families seeing themselves on TV is what this is about…of course in addition to players getting phone calls with scholarship offers at the highest level…their first ever ESPN ranking or making Team USA…this why I’m in it. 🔥
Final outing for the season.
No matter the wins/losses or ups/downs…this has become Family.
Mac
@MacBuckets21
giving people opportunities.
Thanks to all who have been on this wave with us…let’s keep grinding and HOOPERS for nx yr…here’s a dime, call me ANYTIME 😂😎🔥🔥🔥
It’s more than hoops with the youth for me. Glad to wish Trinity Jones a happy birthday as she turns 16. These years are super important as they grow into young adults. Growth in all avenues of life. Best wishes to you and family.
@Trinityjones014
This is what I call getting out the house…rolled down the street and said hello to Stan and the hoopers. 2024 Morgan Bruno who will always be in my hoop circle!
@morganbruno2024
@trueballnation
Thanks to Mac and family…just simply looking for coachable hoopers to build on this legacy they have created.
Thanks to
@LewisShine
for the graphic.
To the athletes/families. Do your research. Mac is legit.
Ok now I can see if people trust my recruiting recommendations 😂.
Son don’t hoop but this had me hype…next school year…president.
I told him let’s go over his plan next week to build/improve on what is in place.
Proud of this little dude. He a 2025 oh wait a sophomore 😂😂😂
All 10 together for the first time…
One final ride…
It was a pleasure playing a small role in putting together one of the most talented and productive teams Chicago has seen in a long time for women’s travel ball!
🔥
Take away wins/losses and offers etc…at the end of the day when I say some of us wouldn’t trade the small things in the gym like this no matter what we accomplish. This made her day…ill gladly pickup Barbie accessories at the gym with her in tow. 🔥🔥🔥
My dude landed from Tx so she hype…Enjoy the break in whatever way you celebrate it. Hoopers…take a mental break and just enjoy time off. Watch random YouTube videos or something. Be a kid. Let me do the thinking about basketball for you. 😂🏀🥷.
#justdoit
Still locked in…just a lot more strategic now…
Working to ensure 15u, 16u, and 17u get recruited…not just six footers and 17u…
A lot of small things in a positive manner happening behind the scenes for our girls recruiting…excited for their seasons to start next month. 🔥
This is love! The opportunity to do my Army job in Chicago and tie my passion of basketball into it…mutual salute to all and the Mac Irvin basketball circle!
@MacIrvinGirls
The Mac Irvin Fire family would like send a special salute to Captain Brian Mouton for his service. He is our Director of Basketball Ops & the Cadre for Chicago State Army ROTC. His influence on student athletes in the Chicagoland area is unprecedented & we honor him on this day
One program. Exposure across multiple circuits i.e. EYBL, Elite 40, etc...resources...personnel to develop your children at all ages...a boys and girls affiliate of the NIKE EYBL in one city...and most importantly the growth of working together for the youth. Long game.
I’m also a tennis fan…my 10th grade son moved back to Texas to be closer to family and is playing varsity doubles at the 5A level…just as I support the hoopers, I mentor him as well and we keep it tennis…a lot less stress being a tennis parent 😂…ok hoops I still love u.
Rare spotlight because the whole program was playing well…
Oldie photo but goodie! I remember we first recruited her to the Fire to SHOOT 3s!
If you were in Ohio today she DEFINITELY SHOT 3s!
This is a pure lefty 6’0 SHOOTER coaches.
🔥🔥🔥
Audrey Mahoney!
Great wknd out supporting players from the program and from my own circle. Saw 5 guards that CAN GO yesterday…watched our 6 foot 2024 lefty shooter Audrey plus our Naz 2026 hooper Lyla with a TOUGH Naz team. Finished up checking out Trin get the W against Benet. 🏀 circle.
Reflecting and as much as I want to text every coach I know like this what we got…I know the timing of portal and coaching changes…but that first NCAA live period…I’m a need a burner phone 😂…10 kids in this gym hold D1 offers so that means ALL will get better competing!🔥
Love seeing what
@DeionSanders
is doing…regardless of the outcome…it starts because he is a mentor first…kids know right away who truly cares…take a deep breath and truly see what people are doing for your kids outside of the actual game.
Everyone will have talent…it’s high level with who we play against…but one thing that stood out to me yesterday…our top 26s came, our new 25s came, former Fire came and it just showed they are growing as leaders…that’s the culture. Right Talent. Right Attitude.🔥
Tough loss in the 🌹finals for the second year in a row…still proud of the opportunity we have provided all our teams to start July…not to mention on ESPN again…back to the drawing board for growth.
Just getting settled and close to midnight but I wouldn’t trade anything for the opportunity I get to have with this organization.
It was so deep with HOOPERS…I tried to tell people about when March come around…I’m thankful and still gonna grind.
Mac Irvin Lady Fire.🔥
National Coaches Day…props to director Mr. Mac Buckets who allowed me to instill a small part of a vision for the program!
One day at a time. Thankful 🏀
Mac Irvin Lady Fire 🔥
@MacBuckets21
@MacIrvinGirls
Proud of this group…we will have them ready for Ohio!
8-0 to start their young season with multiple new players being incorporated in with our core from last year…plus playing top pools in each event…
🔥🔥🔥
MAC IRVIN LADY FIRE 17U GODFATHER SELECT 40 GOES INTO MICHIGAN AND WINS THE TOP BRACKET OF THE LBI APRIL SHOWERS WHICH WAS LOADED!
SPECIAL GROUP COACHES. COME SEE THEM IN OHIO APRIL 21-23!
🧨☎️📞📟…
🔥🔥🔥
Hoopers at the high school and youth levels…once you finish homework tonight…find time to watch college basketball games if you can…just truly watch and keep notes on what you observed or heard the commentators say…Free lessons for you with the start of college season. 🏀
The Chicago Elite Classic was good today for girls basketball!
Kids competing in all five games.
WY and Barrington finale was worth it.
Enjoyed spending my day truly supporting the families/players in the Fire program and just players overall.
🔥🔥🔥
Just received a text from a Fire player that said she shaved two minutes off of her one mile time since joining us…I’ve always told the kids the one mile test we conduct is all about showing them they can accomplish something and getting better at it each time. 🔥
Don’t really share much “coaching” as I prefer operations BUT last night I was able to watch a D1 game where the shortest person between both teams played some of the best defense I’ve seen! It kept her on the court and her team in the game…capture your defensive highlights.
I remember in March at the tryout based on the talent that showed up/who we recruited we knew it would be special…to watch ALL our teams COMPETE hard all year and at the Select 40 Finals 2 out of the 4 that came make the Elite 8 in this league. Speaks volumes…Who nx YR 23.🔥
Wanted to simply recognize the hoopers…not here to debate the rankings…26s from Midwest Elite in the latest PGH Illinois top 50:
2 Danyella Mporokoso
8 Xyanna Walton
9 Lexi Baer
11 Heidi Rathmann
14 Casey Vyerman
20 Greta Thompson
32 Arie Garcia Evans
45 Lynelle Awou
5’10 guard 2029 Mia Gage just being a student of the game…currently checking out Nazareth vs Benet! Her aunt is Anaya Peoples at DePaul…so we know the pedigree…early in the journey but has a chance…that hoodie is fly! This young one has been HOOPING in fall ball.
This one hits close to home! She trusted the Fire and I remember meeting her for the first time at a Nazareth open gym and she shared her goals…she came to play and never complained…just did her job…so proud for O!
@oliviaaustin__
@NazarethGBB
@DartmouthWBB
🔥🔥🔥🔥
I remember introducing these two to each other prior to the travel season starting…it was for a reason…now they are showing it TOGETHER on our 15U squad that is trending in the right direction.
6’1 Lysa Jones/6’2 Jane Manecke.
Coaches in Ohio the Fire courts are the stop.🔥
Opportunity to see two of our HOOPERS early in the AM.
Picked up a W and impacted the game.
2026 Lyla Shelton (L) 3 point 🪣
2024 Olivia Austin (R) strong/motor
@LSheltonhoops
@oliviaaustin__
@MacIrvinGirls
Congrats to Jordan Guy! Good dude I have had the pleasure to get to know…this is huge for his community in Iowa!His daughter 2028 Jhaliana Guy and niece 2026 Alyvia McCorkle play in the Fire program and they are SPECIAL. 🔥
@JhalianaGuy11
@AlyviaMccorkle
Heard some of our players got busy in Iowa this wknd!
L-R
2028s
Yanni Smith
Amiyah Gulley
Londyn Hollins
Gaby Dzik
2029s
Alex Nowacki
Mia Gage
#justdoit
@mwehoops_eybl
Promise I’ll go to bed but excited for what we about to do at 15U!
Locked in
2027 Ava Johnson
2027 Lilyan Sizemore
2028 Keniya Todd
2028 Jhaliana Guy
Plus will announce two more “newbies” this week/wknd that I confirmed with tnite. 15u 🔥
Thank You to
@MacBuckets21
,
@BrianMouton5
, & my teammates for welcoming me with open arms this AAU season! Thank you to all the parents, especially my own, for making this last ride possible! I will forever be grateful for the memories while playing the sport I LOVE!
#23
🔥🏀❤️
Championship Sunday tomorrow! All three youth teams go 2-0 for pool play to have a chance in Michigan with some good competition.
@Grassrootstourn
14u Jr EYBL
14u
13u
Brackets below and a good photo of the 13u youngins!
Let’s keep hooping.
#justdoit
The squad went down to Louisville and finished 3-1 with a game for the ages with Example in OT!
#11
Tahj Bloom departed early for a family event but definitely played her role with the ladies pictured below 👇🏽
July will be ALL THE WAY LIVE.
#buyinTotheteam
🔥🔥🔥
Excited for another opportunity tomorrow to see returning faces and meet new faces…ultimately just excited to be around hoopers/Fire fam. My sidekick will be tagging along…we putting her on the 4u 🔥
Emails were sent…we are very transparent…we prepare you for college…after an offer, the work is on you…I wish I could say “your daughter will play 600 min and we will run 600 plays for her”…not realistic. We like her talent and we have a very high role for her. 🔥
If you enjoy basketball as much as some of us…this month is so worth it. HS practices, college tip offs, youth fall leagues, signing day, and out supporting our players! Pictured below is 6’0 2025 guard Alexiz Graise out of Wisconsin!
@MacIrvinGirls
@AlexizGraise
🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨
We are thrilled to announce the merger of two of the best girls' basketball programs in Illinois.
Midwest Elite EYBL and Meanstreets will be joining forces...MIDWEST ELITE MEANSTREETS EYBL!
We look forward to continuing to grow girls' basketball and…
Before everybody and they momma text me…one I’m at work…two I handle everything as a professional so won’t probably deep dive…remember keep it about the kids. I absolutely trust that the Fire program is in a great spot and I think the competition knows. 🔥
So proud for Jhaliana. No matter the program I’ve gotten to know her and her father personally. Super proud to see her get her first offer now. There will be plenty more for this young lady…congrats to her and the Fire program.
Good weather so why not grab some ice cream in Deerfield and let Kaylin visit Nikki Kerstein and family…met Nikki when she was just finishing 8th grade and just a floor general…
@nikkikerstein
Miss Foster doing absolutely what she do…Basketball…always amazed at the discipline and the way she keeps the kids attention. It will go a long way.
@LaurenFoater
Happy National Girls and Women in Sports Day...best wishes to the hoopers in City Playoffs, Conference Tournaments, and soon to be State Playoffs...now it is truly "play like it is your last"...keep growing the game. 🫶
Came up to Milwaukee to watch some talent in the 27 class! 2028 Londyn Hollins and her family joined in…never pass up an opportunity to let the special 28s watch a varsity game!
@londynhollins23
@mwehoops_eybl
#justdoit
If you a high school athlete…ask JZ about her journey…hands down…all these offers didn’t happen overnight. She was in practice yesterday going hard like she had zero offers…So proud for her!
@Jayymoney211
🔥
Congrats to Mac Irvin Lady Fire 2023 Jazelle Young on her division one offer from University of Nebraska-Omaha. The Fire family is proud of you. Keep grinding.
@MacBuckets21
@Jayymoney211
Quick morning stop at Loyola for the open practice…2026 Lysa Jones joining in.
🔥🔥🔥
@RamblersWBB
love the energy and interactive discussion with audience.
11pm and just finished my last project for the night…multiple things in motion with recruiting and operations. Whether it’s a shoe brand or not, work ethic and blue print the same…Athletes and Families…control your why…for the ones reading this in the morning…Gmorning 😂🥷.
Picking up daughter from school and I go to dial on my phone…her exact words “you calling someone for basketball”…😂
She already know I’m in that zone for
@MacIrvinGirls
Fire got hotter this week. 🔥😎
6’1 2026 Lexi Baer taking in the UW Green Bay game today. Currently holds multiple D1 offers. Thanks to
@gbphoenixwbb
for recruiting Midwest Elite Nike Girls EYBL.
Good Friday morning hoopers!!Take it one season at a time…travel ball in spring/summer is months away…a lot can change…focus on learning everything you can now to make informed decisions later…just ensure the conditions are being set for you to grow on and off the court. 🫡