Hoop Stars Have Room To Improve Spokane Squad In Arizona For Annual Bci Tournament
This year’s Greater Spokane League all-star basketball team will have life a little bit better when it travels to Tempe, Ariz., for the Basketball Congress International tournament this week at the Arizona State University campus.
Yeah, they’ll be provided with sneakers from Adidas, but when it comes time to put their feet up at the end of a long day, instead of four players to a hotel room like last year, just two will have to shack up this time around.
Hey, it’s the little things in life that count.
It will be nice to be good and rested because the BCI is one of the most prestigious summer tournaments in the country. It is attended by some of the biggest coaching names college basketball has to offer.
Corby Schuh of Central Valley, Scott Stocum of Ferris, Paul Sweeny of Gonzaga Prep, Damian Long of Mead, Mike Homer and Paul Mencke of Lewis & Clark, Jerry Holdren of North Central, Joe Baune of Shadle Park, Nathan Smith of Rogers and Erik Carlson of University will represent the Seafirst Select Spokane Hoopfest All-Stars.
Seafirst Bank, Hoopfest, the Athletic Round Table, the Greater Spokane Sports Association and Tomlinson Real Estate sponsor the team. (More sponsors means more money. More money means two players to a room instead of four.)
Last year, out of 78 teams from across the nation, Spokane’s entry finished 12th. Mead High School coach Jim Preston, along with Lewis and Clark’s Glenn Williams, again will be on the sidelines with some of the GSL’s finest.
The team will have three practices before leaving for the tournament, which runs Tuesday through next Monday.
“The good thing about these kids is that they are a nice group,” Preston said. “One of the qualifications we (GSL coaches) took into consideration was attitude. Like last year, we have put together a team that is willing to learn how to work together.”
As always is the case with any all-star team, there are players from around the league that weren’t selected.
The BCI tournament allows just 10 players to a roster. And given the fact that the GSL coaches have chosen to select one player from every team, some qualified players won’t be making the trip.
“More than anything, the coaches agreed that having a representative from every team is important to promoting the Greater Spokane League and high school basketball in this area.”
The coaches decided to send both Mencke and Homer because both were first-team all-GSL players.
By choosing a rep from every team, the GSL squad may have a slight disadvantage compared to some teams.
“We don’t have a true point guard,” Preston said.
The absence of a pure ballhandler may be offset by the team’s size. Baune is the smallest player at 5-foot-11.
The team leaves today and will play its first game on Tuesday. It is guaranteed a minimum of six games.
, DataTimes