LAKEVILLE NORTH SUMMER LEAGUE

Lakeville North was a busy place on June 25, as the school hosted a boys’ basketball summer league.

Teams from across the area would play two twenty-minute halves in a league game. I was curious about the league myself so I decided to drive out and take a peek.

 

Teams brought their JV and varsity teams, as there was a preset schedule. The games were played at a time where head varsity coaches can and do coach their own high school teams.  

 

Players wore their practice uniforms furnished by the schools.

 

Apple Valley was in the building and Tyus Jones was playing. I ended up watching two of his games and he was impressive.  Jones knew how to handle the ball and was able to get everyone involved in the plays on both ends of the court. He was able to run the Apple Valley offense and did so as he was the floor general.

 

In the second game Apple Valley went up against Prior Lake. Once again Jones showed why he is one of the top recruits in the country. He was able to take his man off the dribble and get to the basket on the offensive end. On the defensive end he was able to slow the guy he was defending down.  

 

I think that these summer leagues are helpful for teams for many different reasons. First, I think that it gives high school teams a chance to keep playing with in their own system. It gives players a chance to play with their friends from high school. And coaches can work on the players’ games and it gives them a chance to teach them new moves in the offseason that they wouldn’t be able to do in the regular season due to time constraints.

 

It also shows coaches what their team needs to improve upon in the off season.