By Staff
WILDCAT HOOP CAMP Tarquez Hopson drives to the basket against Chris Thames during Meridian High School's Basketball Camp. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Jared Florreich / staff writer
June 5, 2003
The sounds of screeching hightops and balls pounding off the hardwood echoed off the walls of the Meridian High School gym on Wednesday.
Inside the hot, cavernous gymnasium basketball players ranging in ages from nine to 13 honed their skills at the Wildcat Basketball camp.
The round-ball tutorial began Monday and wraps up today, with each session running from 8 a.m. to 1 p.,m.
Kids attending the camp have learned how to improve their basketball games through a variety of different drills, games and competitions.
The campers rotated between eight stations honing their layup technique, free throw shooting form, how to run the pick-and-roll, shoot short range and long range jumpers and polished their dribbling skills.
Instructors, comprised of the coaching staff and players, had the participants show what they learned using games that incorporated the skills learned at the stations.
Campers competed against each other in free throw shooting contests, hot shot contests, and they played three-on-three tournaments on shortened courts running sideline to sideline.
Along with helping with the four-day camp, the Wildcats squad continues to go through summer workouts and competition.
Meridian High competed last week in Lanier's tournament, where the Wildcats went 2-1. The team defeated Bailey and Newton, with its only loss coming to Lanier. The Wildcats defeated Kemper Monday evening.
Meridian High will participate in Meridian Community College's basketball camp beginning today through Saturday.