The Montezuma-Cortez Lady Panthers basketball program held its individual skills camp this week at M-CHS.
M-CHS girls head coach John McHenry, assistant Brittney Whiteman, middle school coach Brad Wright and Adams State University player Cydney McHenry led groups of athletes in drills and games from Monday through Wednesday.
There were 20 fifth through eighth grade girls and boys that attended the morning sessions and nine high school girls that came out for the afternoon session, which McHenry said included a strong incoming freshman class.
Because the Montezuma Storm basketball club is scheduled to host a shooting camp from Aug. 8-10 – featuring instruction from professional shooting coach Tom Marumoto – McHenry decided to emphasize ball handling, passing and defense during the camp.
“In August, we will have a shooting camp and a clinician come in,” he said. “So I’m not going to lean on that too hard because we’re going to follow this camp with that shooting camp put on by the Montezuma Storm.”
As for the high school group, McHenry focused his instruction on defense and getting open without the ball. After seeing the inside presence of Centauri and Pagosa Springs over the summer, he believes it will be imperative for his squad to find looks from outside in the upcoming season.
“We’re going to run through staggered and double screens because after going to summer camps and seeing Centauri and Pagosa, it’s going to be hard for us on the inside,” he said. “We’re going to have to set stuff up on the outside to shoot.”
Organizers wrapped up the camp on Wednesday with a drawing for athletes with perfect attendance over the three-day camp with an Adams State University basketball jersey and shoes given out as prizes. Each participant also received a custom M-CHS basketball.
