Local hoopsters venture south

In the past week, local prep basketball teams have traveled as far south as San Diego and as far east as New York.

Numerous local players have had the unique opportunity of participating in prep basketball tournaments across the nation.

The Wasilla boys traveled to Binghampton, N.Y., the Palmer boys ventured to San Diego, Calif., the Colony boys played in Redmond, Ore. and the Colony girls went to Ganesha, Calif..

The Wasilla girls made a significantly shorter trip, playing in the Princess Tours/ Alaska Airlines Capital City Classic in Juneau, but also got the chance to play teams from the Lower 48.

"It is an invaluable experience," Colony boys head coach Phil Engebretsen said. "Not only basketball experience, but life experience."

Traveling south has become an annual tradition for the Colony, Palmer and Wasilla squads. With financial help from the teams' booster clubs, the schools have afforded the chance to give players a possible once in the lifetime opportunity.

In recent seasons the Colony boys have traveled to South Carolina, California, Hawaii and Oregon and the Palmer boys have been to California, Nevada and Hawaii. The Wasilla boys made their first trip to New York this season after participating in a Midland, Tex. tourney for each of the past three years.

While basketball is the reason for the trip, it is only one of the numerous positives according to the local coaches. Improving chemistry and team camaraderie are also at the top of the list.

"That is why we go," Engebretsen said in regards to improving team chemistry. "That is the biggest reason. The kids are in confined quarters, in the vans and motels. It is a great chance to build camaraderie."

The players also get the opportunity to do and see things they are unable to in Alaska. While in San Diego, the Palmer players visited a national war memorial and a California Adventures theme park. A few of the players even got the chance to take in a Los Angeles Lakers game.

"We try to make every trip special," Palmer head coach Brandon Blake said.

On the basketball court the players get to test their strengths against a variety of competition. Palmer, with an enrollment of well under 1,000, played in a tourney full of schools with an average student body size of 2,500 students.

The Colony boys faced off against Oregon's third-ranked team in their 3A division. The Wasilla girls squared off against the third-ranked team in one of California's top divisions.

"We get to see what else is out there," Engebretsen said.

"It is tough competition, which only makes us better," Wasilla boys head coach Jason Marvel added.